Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20–21).

“The kingdom of God is within you.” That’s what Jesus said. Do these words imply a spiritual kingdom? Did Jesus defy first-century expectations of a physical kingdom of God on earth by replacing it with a spiritual kingdom where He reigns in the hearts of men?

The Context of the Kingdom Within

Before building a doctrine on this verse, let’s check out the context. To whom was Jesus speaking? A quick check shows that His audience was the Pharisees. They had asked a question about the timing of the kingdom of God. Yet, their rejection of Jesus as Messiah and king of that kingdom had already become evident. They had attributed Jesus’ power in casting out a demon to Beelzebub, the prince of demons (Matthew 12:24). Even as they asked their question, they were plotting to kill Jesus (Matthew 16:21; Luke 11:53–54).

Did Jesus really say that the kingdom of God was within these Pharisees? Whatever the phrase means it cannot mean that the kingdom of God is in the hearts of men who rejected and intend to murder the Messiah! This would be an odd passage from which to argue that the kingdom of God is a spiritual kingdom.

The Translation of the Kingdom Within

If the kingdom of God is not a spiritual kingdom within the unbelieving Pharisees, what did Jesus mean? The common English translation of the phrase “within you” contributes to the confusion. The Greek words ἐντὸς ὑμῶν can be better translated “among you” or “in your midst.” The ESV and NASB translate it either “in the midst of you” or “in your midst.”1 With a better understanding of the meaning of this phrase, the idea of a spiritual kingdom based on this verse seems even less likely.

The Meaning of the Kingdom Within

How then is the kingdom of God in the midst of these unbelieving, soon-to-be homicidal Pharisees? The kingdom of God was in their midst because the King of that kingdom was among them. He had fulfilled prophecies and done miracles before them, proving that He was the Messiah and rightful ruler. The Jewish leaders and the nation just needed to repent and believe, and the kingdom would begin (Matthew 3:2). Jesus warned that the kingdom would come like lightning, suddenly and without warning. They needed to be ready now by believing on Him (Luke 17:24). Once the kingdom comes, the time for repentance is past, and judgement will fall (Luke 17:26–30).

Final Thoughts

While Luke 17:21 does not teach a spiritual kingdom within human hearts, Scripture clearly reveals a spiritual requirement for entering the kingdom–being born again through belief in Jesus Christ alone (John 3:3, 5, 16). As Jesus warned the Pharisees, judgement is coming. Only those who have a personal relationship with Jesus by faith will enter His kingdom (Matthew 7:21–23).

Are you ready now to enter His kingdom? Once that day dawns, the time to respond is over.

  1. “Jesus speaks of men entering the kingdom, not of the kingdom entering men. A different translation is demanded, and is not difficult to find. With a plural noun ἐντός means ‘among, in the midst of’… Considerable discussion has surrounded the use of the word in the papyri. C. H. Roberts drew attention to various papyri in which he claimed the word had the meaning ‘in the hands of, in the control of, within the power of’; hence the force here is ‘within your reach’ or ‘within your grasp’… Such a meaning gives good sense. Jesus is speaking of the presence of the kingdom of God among men, possibly as something within their grasp if they will only take hold of it.” (I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, 655.) ↩︎

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