10/03/2024
Proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven
Both the introduction to John the Baptist and the initiation of Jesus’ ministry are accompanied with the proclamation to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). Just a few verses later, Matthew writes, “And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matt. 4:23 cf. Matt. 9:35). Using the phrase “the gospel of the kingdom,” Matthew explicitly connects the kingdom of heaven with the gospel.