His Holiness Pope Shenouda III addresses the meaning of the word “Kingdom” and shows that it comes at least in three different biblical and spiritual senses.
🔹 Biblical Meanings of the Kingdom
The internal kingdom: The kingdom of God within the human heart, where the Lord rules the mind and affections, as in Luke 17:21.
A kingdom on earth (spread of faith): A reference to the spread of the Gospel and faith of Christ throughout the world; the kingdom appears with power when faith spreads on earth as in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The heavenly/eternal kingdom: The kingdom prepared by the Father before the foundation of the world, the eternal kingdom revealed in final judgment and consummation.
🔹 The Kingdom in Christ’s time and on the Cross
The Pope explains that on the Cross Christ began to reign actually over the world by freeing people from the dominion of sin and death — “the Lord has reigned” — and there are many scriptural indications showing that Christ’s kingdom took its place by the work of redemption.
🔹 Spiritual and Practical Dimension
The kingdom has a personal dimension (the believer’s heart), a corporate/mission dimension (the spread of the Gospel), and an eschatological dimension (the eternal kingdom). The believer is called to seek the kingdom within and to labor for its spread until its full coming.
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Biblical Terms – Kingdom