PASSAGE: "Once Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, and he answered, 'The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!” For, in fact, the kingdom of God is within you'" (Luke 17:20-21).
COMMENT: The first thing that is clear from this passage, I think, is that Jesus and the Pharisees had totally different concepts of what “the kingdom of God” means. The Pharisees believed it would be a kingdom that restored the throne of David, cast out the various nations under whose dominion Israel had been living for centuries, and lifted Israel to a position of power in the world as God's chosen nation. If they could get Jesus to either commit to a specific date, or admit he didn't know, either answer could discredit him in the eyes of those who were following him.
But Jesus is speaking of a different kind of kingdom. For him the kingdom of God has little to do with outer appearances—it isn't about "things that can be observed." The kingdom of God is a new dimension of consciousness—a full realization of our Oneness with the creative power of God, and a willingness to use that Oneness as the basis for all our choices and beliefs. That shift in consciousness will, of course, eventually transform the world as we know it. But if we wait for it to appear in the outer first, we're missing the point. That's why we have to begin by realizing that 'the kingdom of God is within' us, waiting for us to call it forth into expression.
Blessings!
Rev. Ed
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Interpret This with Rev. Ed
Have you ever wondered how a specific Bible verse might be interpreted metaphysically? Interpret This provides greater insight into the hidden meanings of the Bible.
To Request Scripture Interpretation:
1. Review the previous interpretations below for previous interpretations.
2. Please provide a specific chapter and verse(s). If chosen for interpretation, our Bible expert, Rev. Ed Townley, will provide his insight and the response will post on this site. Requests for entire books of the Bible are not possible.
3. Click the link below to complete the online request form. References are from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.
Request a Bible verse interpretation.
4. Check back often to see if your request has posted and to read what others have requested.
To Request Scripture Interpretation:
1. Review the previous interpretations below for previous interpretations.
2. Please provide a specific chapter and verse(s). If chosen for interpretation, our Bible expert, Rev. Ed Townley, will provide his insight and the response will post on this site. Requests for entire books of the Bible are not possible.
3. Click the link below to complete the online request form. References are from the New Revised Standard Version unless otherwise indicated.
Request a Bible verse interpretation.
4. Check back often to see if your request has posted and to read what others have requested.
Nov
02
01:45 PM
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Posted By Rev. Ed Townley
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About the Blogger
Rev. Ed Townley was licensed and ordained as a Unity minister in 1991. He has served as senior minister in Beaverton OR , Chicago IL and Dallas TX. Author of The Secret According to Jesus, a metaphysical exploration of the Sermon on the Mount.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
Rev. Ed is known as one of the top Bible teachers in the Unity movement.
In 1992 he founded Spirit Expressing, a non church ministry dedicated to the creative process. The Spirit Expressing ministry sponsors Higher Ground, a weekly Dallas group that explores spiritual principles through the challenges and adventures of life. Weekly talks and other materials are at www.spiritexpressing.org.
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