Word Studies in the Bible

By E. M. Zerr

KINGDOM--NATION

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     Inasmuch as these terms are frequently spoken of as if they were equivalent in all important respects, it may well profit us to examine them in the light of scripture. It is true they have some meaning in common, but fundamentally a distinction should be recognized. Unlike the method used in preceding articles, I shall first examine the words as they are used in the Old Testament. In most of the passages the first term is from a word which Strong defines as follows: "Dominion, i.e. (abstractly) the estate or the country (realm)." The second word in the Old Testament is from GOY, which is defined by Strong thus: "A foreign nation: hence a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop." He also says it is from another Hebrew word that means "the person." We will find the heading words have virtually the same basic meanings in the New Testament. Final comments relative to those distinctions will be reserved until such examination is made.

     The first is from BASILEIA and occurs 265 times including its use in phrases. Moreover, no other Greek word is used for the first heading word. The definition of Strong is as follows: "Properly royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literal or figurative)." Green's proper definition follows: "A kingdom, realm, the region or country governed by a king." Let the reader carefully note this clear-cut definition. Thayer uses a full page for his definition, which includes his comments and explanations. I shall copy his outstanding definitions, those parts expressed in italics, with my own emphasis. "Royal power, kingship, dominion, rule. A kingdom (and here he adds "the territory subject to the rule of a king"). God's rule, the divine administration; the universe subject to God's sway, God's royal domain. The Old Testament theocratic [union of church and state] commonwealth." Greenfield defines it thus: "A kingdom, realm, i.e., the region or country governed by a king." I have examined five other lexicons and all agree with the above definitions.

     With three unimportant exceptions our second word in the New Testament is from ETHNOS. The King James Version renders it Gentiles 93 times, heathen 5, nation 64, people 2. I am sure the reader can see the similarity of meaning in these several terms; that they refer to human beings and not to any geographical location. Yet it will be well to give the definitions of some of the lexicons. Strong defines it, "A race (as of the same habit), i.e., a tribe; specifically a foreign (nonJewish) one (usually by implication pagan)." Green defines it thus: "A multitude, company; a nation, people." Thayer defines it as follows: "A multitude associated or living together; a company, troop, swarm. A multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus. Race, nation." Other lexicons give the same meaning for the Greek word. So the fundamental difference between the two heading words may be stated as follows.

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Kingdom means the territory to be governed by some authority, regardless of the beings living in said territory, and regardless of the manner of that rule. Nation means the beings inhabiting a territory, regardless of who rules over them or what is to be the manner of that rule.

     The foregoing information should be much help in understanding certain passages of scripture. It should correct some speculation and restrain the extremes often indulged by sermonizers. For lack of space I can notice only one item. Bible students know that the church or kingdom of Christ was not set up before the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. Yet in Luke 17:21 Jesus said "the kingdom of God is within you." The denomination that takes John the Baptist for the founder, lays much reliance upon this passage and stresses the present tense of the verb "is." Some brethren try to "get around it" by inserting the words "to be." But no one has the right to add the very words necessary to sustain a theory. Whatever Jesus was talking about was then present. The word used for "kingdom" is the one for our first heading term.

     We have learned that its first and proper definition is "the territory ruled by a king." In passages too numerous to mention we are taught that the heart or inner man is the territory where Jesus is to reign. And he declared that such territory "is" within the people. He did not claim that the reign had yet been set up; that was not His subject. The point was to correct their error of thinking that the new kingdom was to be a physical or geographical territory, that could be measured with a surveyor's chain, and that could be an object of "observation."