Since 1980s attempts of studying the meaning of Jesus’ ministry including the understanding of the kingdom of God from the new standpoints have been suggested in the North American New Testament scholarship. The change of standpoints can be explained in three ways. The first change is to see the mission and the message of Jesus from the non-eschatological point of view. The second change is to see Jesus as a wisdom teacher rather than an eschatological prophet. The third change is to consider the close relationship to the first century Jewish social world in the study of the historical Jesus. In the Korean New Testament scholarship, however, agreement has been reached on the point that the kingdom of God is best understood in the eschatological context. The kingdom of God is the sovereign and dynamic act of God’s salvation for the restoration of human beings and world according to the order of creation. The time of its coming has started already by the ministry of Jesus and has been on the progress toward the future consummation. It has shown, however, big differences on the matter of how to actualize the kingdom of God through the community of believers in the world. Conservative scholars have shown their interests in the personal discipleship for the needs of the contemporary churches on the one hand, and on the other hand the liberal theologians, especially Minjung theologians, have shown concerns on the social reform movement. It is necessary to see the ministry of Jesus in connection with the first century Jewish social world, accepting actively the change of standpoint. To see Jesus’ ministry from that point of view is to expand the meaning of the kingdom of God from the personal and spiritual sphere to the socio-political sphere. Indeed Jesus had shown conflicts with the Jewish leaders and thus the political authorities had tried to kill him, and eventually crucified him as a political criminal. Jesus had shown interests in the social, political, and religious realities and had tried to transform the socio-political system which is unrighteous and oppressive. Jesus had challenged the dominant ethos of the first century Jewish social world and sought the alternative egalitarian community based on the values of freedom, equality, and love which are the fundamental spirit of the law.

Since 1980s attempts of studying the meaning of Jesus’ ministry including the understanding of the kingdom of God from the new standpoints have been suggested in the North American New Testament scholarship. The change of standpoints can be explained in three ways. The first change is to see the mission and the message of Jesus from the non-eschatological point of view. The second change is to see Jesus as a wisdom teacher rather than an eschatological prophet. The third change is to consider the close relationship to the first century Jewish social world in the study of the historical Jesus. In the Korean New Testament scholarship, however, agreement has been reached on the point that the kingdom of God is best understood in the eschatological context. The kingdom of God is the sovereign and dynamic act of God’s salvation for the restoration of human beings and world according to the order of creation. The time of its coming has started already by the ministry of Jesus and has been on the progress toward the future consummation. It has shown, however, big differences on the matter of how to actualize the kingdom of God through the community of believers in the world. Conservative scholars have shown their interests in the personal discipleship for the needs of the contemporary churches on the one hand, and on the other hand the liberal theologians, especially Minjung theologians, have shown concerns on the social reform movement. It is necessary to see the ministry of Jesus in connection with the first century Jewish social world, accepting actively the change of standpoint. To see Jesus’ ministry from that point of view is to expand the meaning of the kingdom of God from the personal and spiritual sphere to the socio-political sphere. Indeed Jesus had shown conflicts with the Jewish leaders and thus the political authorities had tried to kill him, and eventually crucified him as a political criminal. Jesus had shown interests in the social, political, and religious realities and had tried to transform the socio-political system which is unrighteous and oppressive. Jesus had challenged the dominant ethos of the first century Jewish social world and sought the alternative egalitarian community based on the values of freedom, equality, and love which are the fundamental spirit of the law.

Kingdom of God, eschatology, apocalypticism, social world, ethos