The major ideas in “The kingdom of God” contrast with the Jewish idea of the Kingdom of God in many ways. The Jews relate the kingdom of God as a nation-state, that is ruled by a military messiah/ king; the Kingdom of God is seen as an actual kingdom. While Jesus views the Kingdom of God as not any ordinary place, with no political borders, but purely as a new way of relating to God and your neighbor. It is a new way of relating to God because the Kingdom reveals new ways of connecting oneself even further to our spiritual needs. This view of the Kingdom of God also has a Messiah but only as a spiritual figure, not as an actual king.
Jesus’ idea of God remains simply as God being a passionately loving parent who shares intimate closeness with all of us, because he loves all of us with boundless and unconditional love. While the Jews view God as an awesome and fearsome figure, that is all “holy” and mysterious, the Jews never referred to God as their father. They were not even allowed to say or write his actual name. The Jews see God as this powerful, fearsome figure, while Jesus viewed him simply as a father who loved all.
Jesus’ notion of “love of neighbor” was that all were to love everyone with no exception, and our love would have to be so strong, that it would have to resemble God’s love for us: unconditional. We are also supposed to love even our enemies. The Jews, however, interpreted “love of neighbor” as literally loving only amongst each other. They could not love Gentiles, sinners, or even outcasts; only fellow Jews.
No comments:
Post a Comment