Christopher W. Morgan - The Kingdom of God

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Jesus taught plainly and often about the kingdombut explaining the full meaning of his words has occupied theologians for centuries. This volume captures the biblical perspectivenot just Jesus words but the full scope of Scriptural insightin a comprehensive, readable, and thorough fashion. God will use it to reveal insight about his kingdom and change your perspective on kingdom living.

Jeff Iorg, President, Golden Gate Seminary

Morgan and Peterson have put together a collection that brings clarity and precision to an often blurry discussion. Like the other volumes in the Theology in Community series, it is biblically informed, theologically incisive, and pastorally sensitive. Those looking for a guide to understanding the significance of the kingdompast, present, and futurewill do well to consult The Kingdom of God.

Stephen T. Um, Senior Minister, Citylife Presbyterian Church, Boston, Massachusetts; Adjunct Faculty, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

A timely and refreshing look at an oft neglected, misunderstood, but central doctrine of the BibleThe Kingdom of God will inspire, inform, and edify pastors, students, laymen, and scholars alike. This work charts a course between the Scylla of an overspiritualized conception of the kingdom and the Charybdis of an overrealized understanding of the kingdom of God. It does so by following the contours of the Bible in its arrival at a relevant biblicalunderstanding of the kingdom consistent with the best of the evangelicaltradition. A must-have in the library of every serious student of the Bible!

John David Massey, Associate Professor of Missions, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

The essays within provide a fresh and helpful assessment of the multifaceted meaning of the kingdom of Godfrom the Old Testament and the ancient covenants, to the New Testament and todays Christians, and on to the consummation. For those in my generation captured by George Ladds already/not yet understanding of Gods kingdom, this work is a noteworthy twentyfirst-century expansion of how complex and important the kingdom theme is both for orthodoxy and for orthopraxy.

Kendell Easley, Professor of Biblical Studies, Union University; author, The Illustrated Guide to Biblical History

In this elegant volume, seven distinguished theologians wrestle with the big questions surrounding the biblical notion of kingdomultimately forging a path for the church where there is no inherent conflict between kingdom preaching and kingdom living, between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. As ambassadors of the king, Gods people proclaim the kingdom and embody Gods rule in every dimension of society and culture, and across the fabric of human life.

Bruce Riley Ashford, Dean and Associate Professor of Theology and Culture, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary; editor, Theology and Practice of Mission

At a time when scholars continue to wrangle over various interpretations of the kingdom and pastors seek to find clear, concrete ways to express kingdom living to their congregations, we have in this volume a foundational work that will assist scholars and pastors alike for years to come. Its all herethe history of the debate, biblical theology, systematic theology, and very practical application. As I finished reading this book, I knew that my understanding of the kingdom was forever enlarged; perhaps more significantly, I knew that my heart would never again be satisfied with anything less than kingdom life.

Michael Honeycutt, Associate Professor of Historical and Practical Theology, Covenant Seminary

Chris Morgan and Robert Peterson have done a masterful job of searching out a comprehensive construct of the concept of the kingdom of God. Through world-class scholars, they have presented, as promised, the historical, biblical, theological, and ethical precepts of the kingdom. What a gift of understanding they have given to the body of Christ.

Jim Parker, Associate Professor of Biblical Interpretation, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Other Books in the Theology in Community series:

The Deity of Christ (2011)

The Glory of God (2010)

Suffering and the Goodness of God (2008)

The Kingdom of God

Copyright 2012 by Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson

Published by Crossway

1300 Crescent Street

Wheaton, Illinois 60187

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law.

First printing 2012

Printed in the United States of America

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the ESV TM Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked at are the authors translation.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture references marked niv are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the authors.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-4335-0918-6

PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-0919-3

Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-0920-9

ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-2358-8

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The kingdom of God / Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson, editors.

Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

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To our team at Crossway
with whom it is a joy to serve the Lord:

Al Fisher, Justin Taylor, Jill Carter,
Lydia Brownback, and many others

1 The Kingdoms of God: The Kingdom in Historical and Contemporary Perspectives
Stephen J. Nichols

2 The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament: Definitions and Story
Bruce K. Waltke

3 The Kingdom of God in the Old Testament: The Covenants
Bruce K. Waltke

4 The Kingdom of God in the New Testament: Matthew and Revelation
Robert W. Yarbrough

5 The Kingdom of God in the New Testament: Mark through the Epistles