November 16, 2025
Luke 17:20, 21 ESV
Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”
Discussion Questions:
Jesus next turns his attention to the kingdom in verses 20 to 37. Because there are so many details we want to spend more time on this section. So, for this week’s study we will be focusing on verses 20 and 21.
1) In these verses we see that Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees. Within this context, what aspect of the kingdom is Jesus referring to?
Is it the kingdom message?
Is it a kingdom class?
Is it the beginning of Jesus’s control of the old order?
2) In verse 21 what is meant by “within you” [KJV] or “in the midst of you” [ESV]?
Discussion Summary:
In the scriptures the Kingdom of God has different stages of development. That is why during his ministry, Jesus can say that the Kingdom is now at hand (Mark 1:15) and later he can give a parable which speaks of him having to leave to receive a kingdom and then to return (Luke 19:11,12). From the time of Pentecost, believers are said to be “transferred to the kingdom of his beloved son” (Colossians 1:13) and believers also share in his reign when at the end of days the 7th angel sounds and says, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of his Lord and of his Christ” (Revelation 11:15).
The Kingdom of God is described as a leavening agent that spreads throughout the entire lump of dough (Matthew 13:33). The Kingdom of God is also described as a stone that grows and becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth (Daniel 2:35-44). This idea of growing and changing and transforming until it fills everything speaks to this idea of different stages of development that are shown throughout the scriptures. We see the Kingdom of God beginning with the ministry of Jesus and through the instrumentality of Jesus. The Kingdom of God is then furthered by the development of the body of Christ. Upon Jesus’ return the next aspect of the Kingdom of God is revealed which culminates in to the Kingdom of God filling the whole earth.
Throughout all of these different aspects, the idea that the Kingdom must be individually entered into and that it is not discernable by outward signs holds true. We see how the same miraculous event is perceived differently by different people (John 12:28,29). The heart condition that is in a proper condition to receive the Holy Spirit is what allows a person to perceive the Kingdom of God and to enter in to it (John 3:1-5).
Jesus spoke these verses (20,21) to the Pharisees who were not in a right condition of heart as previous chapters clearly show. The Kingdom of God was not “within them” (KJV) but was among them or in their midst (ESV). It was within their grasp. They were able to enter in, if only their hearts could be opened to it. As Jesus told them in Matthew 12:27, 28 that if they believed in his power then “the Kingdom has come upon you.” And as Jesus told one of the scribes in Mark 12:28-34, “You are not far off from the Kingdom of God.”
Leave a Reply