The Sermon on the Mount, by Carl Bloch, 1877
Kingdom of God
The reign and rule of God — wherever God's will is done. Jesus' central message: the kingdom has come near, and is breaking into the present world.
The Greek phrase basileia tou theou — translated 'kingdom of God' or 'kingdom of heaven' — points less at a place than at a reign: the active rule of God, wherever God's will is being done. It is the central subject of Jesus' preaching. The kingdom is already breaking into the present world through his ministry, miracles, and the gathering of disciples, yet still awaits a future consummation when it will fill the whole world. The parables (mustard seed, leaven, hidden treasure) all describe its quiet, unstoppable arrival.
“Kingdom of God.” Atlas. Accessed 2026. https://fcbh-atlas.vercel.app/en/concept/kingdom
- placeJerusalem
Capital of Judah on a ridge in the Judean hills at 750 m elevation. Site of the Temple. Jesus was crucified an…
- placeBethlehem
Small town 9 km south of Jerusalem. Birthplace of King David, and of Jesus Christ. Name means 'house of bread'…
- placeNazareth
Hill town in Lower Galilee, about 25 km west of the Sea of Galilee. The boyhood home of Jesus.
- placeGalilee
Northern region of ancient Israel, fertile and lake-fringed. Most of Jesus' ministry happened here.
- placeJordan River
Long, narrow river flowing south from Mount Hermon to the Dead Sea. Israel crossed it to enter Canaan; Jesus w…
- placeEgypt
Ancient kingdom of the Nile. Refuge of Abraham and Joseph, then a house of slavery, then the place from which …