I have a student who is hoping to do summer research on the subject of the kingdom of God in the teaching of Jesus, with particular focus on (1) the Jewish background of the concept, and (2) reconstructing as closely as possible the earliest form of kingdom parables with a high probability of authenticity.
This is a fascinating topic in its own right, as well as being a central issue in the divide between those who view Jesus as an apocalyptic prophet, and those who view him as a Cynic sage or social reformer.
So much has been written that at least touches on this topic, and so I thought I’d mention it here, and give readers an opportunity to share what you think “kingdom of God” (malkutha d-shmaya) meant on the lips of the historical Jesus, and what articles and books you’ve found to helpfully address this topic.
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