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The Esoteric Kingdom of God - Luke 17:21

It was a custom among learnt Jews of the First Century, especially ambulant Rabbis and Teachers, to gather around them disciples in the mystical number of twelve, and to teach them Torah, as they would prepare new Teachers and Rabbis to proceed with the custom

There were many of such groups, but there was something special about the one of Jesus, that the main theme of his message was to teach about the Kingdom of God, which he would sometimes explain the esoteric character of it, as of being within ourselves.

The Kingdom of God, according to Jesus, was taught only to select number, and not intended to the general body of disciples, designed for and understood by the initiated. However, the secret, as is always expected to, would leak out into the larger populace, and even get into the ears of the Romans.

Juxtaposed to this Jewish custom of the First Century, there was to the Romans, a policy throughout the Provinces of the Empire, to arrest the head of any subversive group, and crucify him, so that the disciples dispersed. That's exactly what happened in the case of Jesus, that when he was arrested, his disciples deserted him and fled, according to Mark 14:50.

Many were crucified in the same manner, scourged in the same manner, and suffered the same amount of torture. The only difference with Jesus is that Pilate was somehow aware of his special message about the Kingdom of God.

Of course, the Romans did not bother verifying what kind of Kingdom Jesus was talking about. For them, even the buzz about another kingdom which was not Roman, was enough to take one to the cross. That's why it didn't help Jesus to explain that the Kingdom he was talking about was not of this world. (John 18:36) The joke stuck to him, and he was crucified for being misunderstood as King of the Jews. Hence the plate on the top of his cross imposed by Pilate as a deterrant to any other candidate with the same aspirations.

Therefore, Jesus was crucified on mistaken charges. His Kingdom of God was esoteric. An inner state of mind. The Kingdom within.

Ben

  Actually many Romans and Jews loved(love) Jesus. The scripture speaks of Roman officers believing Jesus. Jesus healed there children.
  God sent the Romans to rule Israel. To fullfill God's purpose He gives rulers power and it is God who removes them.
  Pilate did not want to harm Jesus. He tried his best to set Jesus free.

As for King of the Jews that is exactly who He Is!
WAY BEFORE PILATE MEN FROM THE EAST HEARD OF HIM WHO WAS TO BE BORN!
M't:2:1: Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
M't:2:2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

Of course Jerusalem's religious leader didn't like it but I believe Pilate was inspired from above by the Father.
John:19:21: Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews.

Just as Joseph was delivered to Egypt was God's will.
God mean't it for good but the brothers mean't it for evil.

Jesus of Nazareth the Jewish King is ALSO:
Re:17:14: These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Re:19:16: And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

He will be a King. Genesis 49:10 John 1:49
He will be a King. Numbers 24:17 Hebrews 1:8
He will be a King. Psalm 2:6 John 12:12-13

Ben the door to Heaven will open up to you if you believe this stuff.
Just ask God if it is true.
M't:21:22: And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
Jas:1:6: But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

Ben Masada: General question...Do you believe more of the oral teaching of the Torah from Rabbis or the written work of the Torah?

The written work of the Torah.

Why the written work of Torah instead of the oral Torah?

"The Kingdom of God, according to Jesus, was taught only to select number, and not intended to the general body of disciples, designed for and understood by the initiated."

In one of Jesus' first teachings to his disciples: Matthew 5:16  "Even so let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven."  In John 18:19-20, Then the high priest asked Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching.  Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world.  I always taught in the synagogue and in the Temple, where the Jews always come together.  AND I SAID NOTHING IN SECRET."  In one of Jesus' last teachings: Matthew 28:19-20: "Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things, whatever I commanded you..."

Ben Masada, stop wasting time with all this nonsense and spend your time reading the Bible.

Have you ever focused on Jesus' answer to the High Priest? "I always taught in the synagogue and in the Temple, where THE JEWS come together." Do you think a Jew would commit that blunder to think of himself as if he was not one of the Jews? Anyone can see that Jesus is speaking here as if he were a Gentile. "The Jews" here could simply be said, "We" if Jesus was Jewish. Am I not right to defend that the guy who wrote that gospel was not Jewish?

Actually; Pilate gave the people the choice of crucifiction. Barrabas, or Yeshua. Pilate said ; I find no fault in this man; Jesus, and all the people yelled ;crucify Yeshua; His blood be on us and on our children[Matthew 27:25] Pilate washed his hands ; which was a custom that took the blame from him, and set it to the people. Don't you see! It was G-d's second passover. No one but G-d planned this event! No blame on anti-semitism, but the G-d of Israel's grace unto His people ;chosen from the beginning of time. The blood of the lamb that protects us from the curse of sin and death; eternal life in the Father.Yeshua brought life; not death. He Lives, and his blood flows through G-d's people ;Israel.

"Do you think a Jew would commit that blunder to think of himself as if he was not one of the Jews?"

There is a slick debating technique that is very useful in politics.  If you can't answer one idea, just pop over to another point and wear down your opponent until you might find a question that he can't answer.  The audience will probably then forget about the hundred questions he was able to answer and fault him for the one he could not answer.

I am a U.S. citizen teaching school.  I often refer to Americans in the third person for one reason or another, and it does NOT mean I do not consider myself to be one.  We see in John 4:22 that Jesus definitely did consider himself to be a Jew.  Enough said.

Every man that ever sinned is why Jesus went to the cross. Jew and Gentile.
It was His Father's will that He would pay the price for us.
He  obeyed HIS FATHER, THE PERFECT SON OF GOD.
The leaders that wanted him dead and accused Him did evil. They called Him a Blasphemer. WHY? IT WAS unbelief!
M't:26:65: Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.
There was a greater sin than Pilate's. Pilate did not know the scriptures.
If you going to defend the High Priest and Sanh. than your attitude is to defend those who were against Moses, King David, Jeremiah, etc.
It was baseless hatred and unbelief.
They tried to throw Jesus off a cliff at the very beginning. An attiude-behavior among some that was not uncommon for thousands of years.
Jerusalem and the Jewish people the vineyard had been stolen from God.
Many Hebrew people LOVED and BELIEVED YESHUA!
JERUSALEM is and always was a dangerous place for the Anointed.

Da:9:24: Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.
Da:9:25: Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.
Da:9:26: And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.