“Who Knew What When?” is a common international news headline. Let’s explore “Who Knew What When?” concerning, “Who in the first century believed Jesus’ kingdom was spiritual?”
As the first century A.D. began, there was an air of expectancy among the Jews that the long-prophesied kingdom of the Messiah was about to be established (Isaiah 2:2-3; Daniel 2:26-45). The fourth earthly kingdom from the time of and including the Babylonian reign under Nebuchadnezzar – the Roman Empire – had been ruling the Jews for a little less than 100 years. Therefore, the ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth created quite a stir among the Jews as John and Jesus both began preaching that the kingdom was near (Matthew 3:1; 4:17).
The Jews expected an earthly kingdom comparable to the kingdom as it was when Solomon was king. Israel desperately wanted to overthrow Roman rule and occupation of their homeland. Therefore, many Jews were aroused by the preaching of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. They wanted to take Jesus by force and make Him their earthly king (John 6:14-15). However, many of the Jews turned away from following Jesus Christ once they realized that He did not come to establish a physical kingdom (John 6:66). “Who Knew What When?” Many of the Jews who formerly were stirred by preaching about the kingdom were among the first to understand that the nature to the kingdom about which John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth preached was spiritual rather than physical and earthly. The apostles, though they continued with our Lord, still clung to the notion that Jesus was about to establish a physical kingdom (Acts 1:6).
The Jews would not have crucified our Lord had He determined to establish a physical kingdom, because that is exactly what they wanted. The Sanhedrin and Jewish rulers would not have resisted the Christ and caused Him to be crucified if our Lord had come to establish an earthly kingdom that could repel the Romans. The Sanhedrin also understood, therefore, the true nature of the kingdom Jesus came to establish was spiritual and not earthly, despite its charge against Jesus before Governor Pilate (John 19:12). [Premillennialists make the same mistake as the first century Jews in expecting an earthly kingdom when Jesus Christ, instead, is the King of a spiritual kingdom – the body, the church (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18).]
One of the thieves on the cross – the penitent thief – seems to have grasped the true, spiritual nature of the kingdom Jesus came to establish. Jesus as well as the two thieves also on Calvary’s hill that day were about to die physically. Their deaths were inevitable. Yet, the one thief trusted in the establishment of the kingdom by the crucified Christ (Luke 23:42).
Alas, the apostles of Christ on whom our Lord would depend to administer the kingdom and spread its borders in the first century did not understand the spiritual nature of the kingdom. Earlier in the ministry of Jesus, the apostles vied for positions in an earthly kingdom that they expected Jesus to establish (Matthew 20:21; Mark 10:35-37). After Jesus resurrected and immediately prior to His ascension, still the apostles expected the soon to be established kingdom to be physical (Acts 1:6); they were clueless that the kingdom was spiritual. Others, mostly enemies of our Lord, realized the spiritual nature of the kingdom and wanted no part of it. The penitent thief also realized the spiritual nature of the coming kingdom. The apostles, however, had no idea yet that our Lord was about to establish a spiritual kingdom. Had the Holy Spirit not inspired the apostles and directed their preaching and teaching (Acts 2:1-4), apparently the apostles would have been unable to comprehend the nature of and to administer the spiritual kingdom – the church (Acts 2:47).
“Who Knew What When?” The many disciples who turned from following Jesus Christ realized that our Lord’s kingdom was to be spiritual. The Sanhedrin and Jewish leaders understood that Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom rather than to re-establish Solomon’s kingdom. Governor Pilate understood that our Lord’s kingdom was spiritual rather than physical; otherwise, he could not have found Jesus faultless (Luke 23:4, 14; John 18:38; 19:4, 6). The penitent thief believed in the spiritual nature of our Lord’s kingdom. Lastly, the apostles, too, comprehended the true nature of the kingdom of prophecy – the church, and they were willing to die for it (Acts 12:2).
Every person worldwide needs to realize the true nature of the kingdom of Jesus Christ – the church – and to obey the inspired message that was proclaimed on the birthday of the church (Acts 2:38) to be added to it by Jesus Himself (Acts 2:47). Waiting for Jesus to establish a physical kingdom is misguided and useless. Joining oneself to a manmade church rather than being added to the spiritual kingdom Jesus established is pointless and without the ability to save anyone from anything. Don’t be like the many who turned from Jesus in the first century or even like the clueless apostles prior the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon them. Embrace the Gospel message, obey it (2 Thessalonians 1:8; 1 Peter 4:17) and be added to the spiritual kingdom today!
