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The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church

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Geerhardus Vos, the great professor of Biblical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, is certainly no easy read! Perhaps it is because Dutch was his first language, or perhaps it is because of the depth of material, but those who do carefully wade through his work will find themselves the better for it. The Teaching of Jesus Concerning Kingdom of God and the Church is no exception to that statement.

Vos' purpose in the book was to demonstrate that a biblical concept of the Kingdom of God that was in the mind of the Jews when Jesus announced that the Kingdom was now present was less than adequate. Indeed, the Kingdom Jesus announces is new and its presence brought in something more than the reign of law in which the Jews found their ideal, and more than a national entity by which Israel would gain their glory and supremacy. Moreover, it is more than just the place where God's sovereignty is unmeasurably experienced and understood. Rather, it is supremely and ultimately the realm of God's work of salvation, which has to do with delivering individuals from the powers of Satan, darkness, and the world. And thus, Vos shows that the Kingdom of God is primarily a spiritual entity with a spiritual and moral force (thus it is connected to God's righteousness) that is otherworldly. From that, Vos demonstrates the NT understanding of the Kingdom as it manifests itself in the Church leading on to its eschatological fulness when Jesus returns. Thus, salvation comes as a result of realizing the Kingdom and its King.

Of real importance is the chapter devoted to various misconceptions regarding the Kingdom, both in its present and future presence. Since is it primarily spiritual and heavenly, it is wrong to try to make the Kingdom a national and political force. On the other hand, we must be careful against relegating the Kingdom merely to the sphere of the ethical summed up by love. Modernists and liberals seek to make all religion have the same goal: teaching people how to be better people. Vos went against the message of then popular but controversial preacher, Henry van Dyke, especially as he stated his theology in his popular hymn, "Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee," where he wrote, "Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine; Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine." However, the teaching of Jesus in the Kingdom is that no one is able to better themselves enough for God's righteousness without the work of God in their lives. Vos is careful as he forcefully demonstrates that the Kingdom is a supernatural thing that brings God's grace in salvation.

This book is not large, but it will require serious thought and careful reading. But it will help the reader in discovering the great truths about the Church itself that is often neglected in this present day. It will create a love for the Church and an appreciation for what became a motto of the early church (If you want God for a Father, you must have the Church for a mother).

No doubt, this is an excellent book. The problem with the book isn't so much the book itself, but the difficulty of the ideas and the syntax of Vos' writing style. I am left with the distinct impression that this book *cannot* be read casually or at leisure. It is a serious book that demands a serious reader. My review, then, is not so much a review, as much as it is a practical piece of advice for the interested reader. Be prepared to be confused, or at the least, to have to fight fiercely to gain an understanding of Vos's ideas. I will need to read this book again one day, as my first time reading wasn't too beneficial. Everything went over my head (whew! There, I said it! My darkest secret!), which is unfortunate for me, I'm sure.