John's Concept of the Kingdom of God

In the blog entitled “Mark’s Jesus and Jewish Eschatology,” I argued that three views of an eschatological future were swirling around Palestine at the time of Jesus. Let me review them for you. The first, labeled apocalyptic eschatology, called for the destruction of the world with the establishment of a kingdom in heaven. It was mean-spirited in that a favored group would be saved while the vast majority of us burned. The second approach, prophetic eschatology, argued for a new order for this world, a renewed Israel in which God’s anointed would rule as king. The third approach, realized eschatology, posited that the kingdom was here, that it had arrived in the teachings and acts of Jesus, and that it was essentially a kingdom of the heart—a kingdom within.

The clearest expression of realized eschatology in the New Testament comes in the gospel of John. The key story is the raising of Lazarus, a story found only in John (11:1-54). Lazarus was an old friend of Jesus. The sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, send word to Jesus that their brother is gravely ill. Hearing the news, Jesus sets off for Judea to visit him. When he arrives, he finds that Lazarus has been dead for four days. In consoling Martha, Jesus tells her that her brother will rise again. Martha assumes that Jesus means that he will rise again at the general resurrection at the end of days (apocalyptic eschatology). In fact, Jesus means that he will rise now, and he does. “I am the resurrection. If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” (11: 25-26) Eternal life is redefined in qualitative terms. It is about knowing and loving God. It is about living in a community defined by mutual love. See also John 4:36, 5: 24-25, and 12:46.

A new idea about judgment comes with this realized eschatology. In the well known story concerning the instruction of Nicodemus, the Pharisee (3: 1-21), Jesus spells it out. He explains that God did not send him into the world to judge it, but to save it. Those who refuse to believe in Jesus, judge themselves (3:17). Jesus is the light of the world. Those who see the light and live by it, participate in a new quality of existence—eternal life now. Those who prefer darkness to the light, judge themselves. See also John 7: 8 and 12: 47-48.

Though the main thrust of the gospel posits a realized eschatology, a softened idea of apocalyptic eschatology emerges from time to time. Jesus tells his disciples that he is returning to heaven and will come back for them at a later time. See John 13: 37, 14: 1-3, and 6: 40-44. There are also several references in the gospel to Jesus as the Son of Man (3:13, 5: 27-28, and 6:53-54). I say a softened apocalyptic eschatology because none of these references point to some horrible fate for those left behind. These references do, however, make clear that salvation will be for believers in heaven. As Jesus tells Pilate, he is not a king of this world (18:30).

It is possible that the author of John intends for these two concepts of the kingdom to exist together in a paradoxical relationship. It is also possible that the two contrasting views represent two distinct voices within the gospel. In this second scenario, the voice of realized eschatology comes from the author of John after many years of reflection on the meaning of Jesus’ life and death and the fact that the expected kingdom had not come. The voice of apocalyptic eschatology is added by the early church in an attempt to make John’s gospel more like the other three in this regard.

No matter, realized eschatology is an idea that makes sense for modern Christians. Who knows what happens when we die. It is life’s last great mystery. What is important is how one lives now in this life. Realized eschatology posits a kingdom that resides in the heart. You enter it when you know God and love your neighbor. It is found when one lives in a community defined by the mutual love described in the Farewell Discourses (John 13:33 through chapter 17). It is an approach to spiritual life that focuses on the here and now rather than the hereafter. It is a concept of the kingdom of God that Christians should more carefully consider.