KINGDOM
The word kingdom, in the Greek Basileia, is of very common occurrence in the Scriptures of the prophets and apostles. In the English tongue it is derived from the two words king and dominion, which when joined together, with the syllables inion cut off, make kingdom. The radical idea of the word is therefore king’s dominion, or dominion of a king. Kingdom has a plurality of significations in our language, and is not restricted to the idea of authority, or jurisdiction. It is sometimes used to signify the territory or country subject to a king, undivided by the interposition of other countries. This is the kingdom proper or “the first dominion.” At other times, it is used to signify the inhabitants of the country, or population subject to a king. This diversity of signification comes from the word dominion, which imports “territory under a government; region; country; district governed, or within the limits of authority of a prince or state. Government; right of governing. Persons governed.”
There may be many countries under the jurisdiction of one and the same king. The plural is then used, and they are styled the king’s dominions, of which all that are situated beyond the kingdom proper constitute the empire or second dominion. This distinction is observed in the prophets as appears from the testimony—
“I will make Israel that was cast off a strong nation; and THE LORD SHALL REIGN OVER THEM IN MOUNT ZION from henceforth even for ever. And then, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even THE FIRST DOMINION; the KINGDOM shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem”—(Micah 4: 7-8).
The first dominion, then, and the kingdom are the same; but that there is dominion beyond “the first” is also apparent from another testimony which speaks both of kingdom and dominion. Thus the prophet says—
“There was given to one like the Son of Man DOMINION, and glory, and A KINGDOM, that all people, and nations, and languages should serve him”—(Daniel 7: 13-14).
Queen Victoria has a first and secondary dominion. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is the first dominion; while India, British America, the West Indies, etc., constitute the second. So it will be when the Kingdom comes to Jerusalem; the Kingdom of Israel then existing on the land of Israel will be the King of Israel’s first dominion; while all other nations and countries will be his secondary possession—
“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee, O Zion, shall perish; yea those nations shall be utterly wasted”—(Isaiah 60: 12).
The word kingdom is not a full translation of Basileia; for while it signifies a kingdom, realm, that is, the region or the country governed by a king; kingly power, authority, dominion, reign; it also signifies, royal dignity, majesty and the title and honour of a king. In short Basileia imports basileos ta, the things of a basileus or king. It is in this way it is used in the scriptures.
A king’s personalia are all expressed by basileia. Hence it stands for the king’s majesty in which he shall appear, when he comes in power and great glory, as expressed in these words—
“Verily, there be some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of Man coming in his KINGDOM”—(basileia)—
(Matthew 16: 28).
This majesty in the preceding verse is called “the glory of the Father,” in which the Son of Man shall come accompanied “with the angels,” and at which time “he will reward every man according to his works.” The passage might be more intelligibly, and quite as correctly rendered, “who shall not taste of death until that they shall behold the Son of Man making his appearance (erchomenon) in his majesty.”
In some MSS. basileia is displaced by the word doxe, that is, visible glory, splendour, brightness, dazzling light, or majesty. The persons to be thus favoured were Peter, James, and John, who six days after Jesus spoke the words, became eye-witnesses of the basileia or doxa with which he will be invested when he confounds the moon, and puts the sun to shame “at the appearing in his kingdom” (Isaiah 24: 23; 2 Timothy 4: 1). In bearing testimony to this Peter says for himself and his brethren—
“We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the POWER and COMING of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his MAJESTY. For he received from God the Father HONOUR and GLORY, when there came such a voice to him from the magnificent glory, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came out of heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount”—(2 Peter 1: 16-18).
The word “coming” in this place is parousia in the Greek, from pareimi, a verb which signifies to be present, to have come. Parousia, therefore, imports actual presence; which accords with our rendering of erchomenon in the text of Matthew “making his appearance.” What the three apostles saw on the Mount of Transfiguration was the majesty of the Son of God. This majesty consisted of “honour and glory” received from the Father; and therefore styled “the glory of the Father.” When Jesus is actually present on Mount Zion in Jerusalem, it is no cunningly devised fable to affirm, that he will be seen there as he was seen by three mortal men on the Mount of Transfiguration. This is his parousia en te basileia auloa and the erchomenos tou vhiou tou anthrapou—his manifestation in his kingdom.
The word basileia is used in the proclamation of John the Baptiser, Jesus, and the Apostles, before the crucifixion. They preached, saying, “the basileia, or kingdom, of the heavens is at hand.” In this instance kingdom means neither territory, population, dominion, reign nor power. Dr. George Campbell supposes that John and Jesus announced the approach of the reign of heaven, that is, of the Messiah, which after his resurrection was actually established. But this is contrary to fact. Jesus is king of Israel of right; but instead of his reign being acknowledged by his people, they refused to submit to him, and put him to death. And after his resurrection the national will was still supposed to be his. The apostles spent their lives in urging his claims to the throne and kingdom of David, which was nevertheless rejected, and brought ruin upon the nation. What sort of reign is this? The reign of a king over rebels, which is no reign at all.
John did not certainly proclaim the reign of heaven at hand in preaching repentance, because the basileia approached. He was too well instructed in the prophets to do this. What he cried was,
“Repent, because the kingdom of the heavens has approached.”
The kingdom here was not something to appear seven years after; but a something that was actually present. Eggike is the perfect of eggizo, and imports what has already come to pass. It does not signify at hand to come, but has come to hand—it is present, in your midst. What is it that is present? The basileia—THE LORD whose way I call upon you to prepare. “He standeth among you;” and “that he should be manifested to Israel, I am come, as his precursor, baptising in water, and preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Matthew 3: 2; Mark 1: 3-4; John 1: 26, 31).
Thus spake John, when in the spirit and power of Elijah he lifted up his voice in the wilderness in the performance of his mission to announce the presence, and approaching manifestation of the King of Israel, and to prepare a people to receive him (Luke 1: 17). Hence his proclamation was,
“Repent, because the Majesty of the heavens has arrived;” or, “because His Majesty, the King of Israel, and of the nations, is about to appear before you.” “I know not who he is; but He that sent me to baptise with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he who baptiseth with the Holy Spirit:” and when John saw this he bear record that Jesus is the Son of God (John 1: 33-34).
That basileia is sometimes put for king, and the contrary, in the scriptures, appears from these words—
“Blessed is HE THAT COMETH in the name of the Lord; blessed be THE KINGDOM of our father David THAT COMETH in the name of the Lord”—(Mark 11: 9-10).
According to another they said—
“Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord”—(Matthew 21: 5, 9).
This he regards as a fulfilment of the saying—
“Behold, thy KING, O Zion, cometh unto thee, meek and sitting upon an ass”—(Zechariah 9: 9).
A third records it in the words—
“Blessed be THE KING that cometh in the name of the Lord”—(Luke 19: 38).
In the prophet Daniel also kings and kingdoms are used synonymously (Daniel 2: 44); so that it is according to the analogy of scripture to render basileia or kingdom by king, if the scope and context of the place demand it.
EDITOR.
