Kenneth S. Wuest

Matthew 22 continues showing what Jesus did on the Tuesday of Passion Week. Here, the Lord again teaches about the kingdom of heaven. He uses a story about a wedding feast to do so. Here is his parable: And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The…

The long-awaited kingdom of heaven was coming. The disciples had heard John the Baptist announce its approach (Matt 3:1–2). They had listened when Jesus confirmed this message as he preached the gospel of the kingdom (Matt 4:17, 23; 9:35). Jesus had taught them the ethics of the new age in…

The transfiguration (Matt 17:1–9) provides subtle confirmations of inmillennialism. As a vision (Matt 17:9), it showed the passing away of the Mosaic age. The law (Moses) and the prophets (Elijah) would disappear. The messianic age (Jesus) would take their place. Peter linked this transition to Christ’s parousia (2 Pet 1:16–18). Inmillennialism’s…

One atheist used Matthew 16:27–28 to explain his rejection of Christianity. Speaking to the South London Branch of the National Secular Society in 1927, Bertrand Russell said, I do not believe that one can grant either the superlative wisdom or the superlative goodness of Christ as depicted in the Gospels;…

The usual view of the parables of the “treasure” and the “pearl of great price” (Matt 13:44–46) is glorious. Christians must “abandon anything that would stand in the way of wholehearted allegiance to Christ and the priorities of the kingdom.” Scripture supports this teaching. We should place a high value…

Matthew has prepared us for the parables of Matt 13. He has given us Jesus’s discussions of the Mosaic and messianic ages. Jesus spoke of the age transition in Matt 9. He said the disciples would not finish their mission to Israel before he, the Son of Man, came. He…

Commentators often say the kingdom of God is Matthew’s major theme. For example, Donald A. Hagner says, The central emphasis of the book is found in . . . ‘the gospel of the kingdom’ (Matt 4:23; 9:35; 24:14; cf. 26:13), namely, the good news that the reign or rule of…

This post will appear on October 31, a day famous for at least two reasons. First, some Christian traditions call it “All Saints Day,” “All Hallows Day,” or some similar name. On this day, they celebrate the strong bond that exists between saints in heaven and those on earth. Second,…

Preaching the kingdom of heaven was central to the early church’s ministry. This was true from the start of the gospel. God chose John the Baptist to prepare the way for Christ. His first and primary message was about the kingdom. He said, “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at…

A reader asked a provocative question after reading our last post. There we discussed the timing of the millennium. We compared the two resurrections in 1 Cor. 15 to the two resurrections in Revelation (Rev. 20:5–6). We showed the general nature of the second resurrection by using John 5:29. That…