Shining a light on the weekly Bible Lessons published in the Christian Science Quarterly®
Probation After Death
Behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Christ Jesus often speaks about God’s kingdom—in Luke alone, the Greek word rendered kingdom (basileia) occurs dozens of times. Since apocalyptic or “end-time” writings were popular at this period, this divine realm was a topic of great interest to his hearers.
Here the Master is answering a question from the Pharisees about this coming era, expected to be a glorious revival of Jewish power. Jesus’ response redefines the kingdom as found within—sometimes translated among or in the midst—through Christly knowledge of God. A commentator remarks, “It is not a revolution in material things that we are to look for, but a revolution in the hearts of men and women.”
Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.
Resources cited in this issue
GT: Barclay, William. The Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew, 1955. Revised and updated by Saint Andrew, 2001. Reprinted as The New Daily Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2001–04.
RR: Peterson, Eugene H. Praying with the Psalms: A Year of Daily Prayers and Reflections on the Words of David. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.
Cit. 5: Keck, Leander E., et al., eds. The New Interpreter’s Bible Commentary. Vol. 1, Introduction to the Pentateuch, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. Nashville: Abingdon, 2015.
Cit. 12: Vincent, Marvin R. Word Studies in the New Testament. 4 vols. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1946. Also available at biblehub.com/commentaries.
Cit. 15: Wilkins, Michael J. NIV Application Commentary: From Biblical Text . . . to Contemporary Life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2004.
COPYRIGHT
Scriptural quotations marked International Children’s Bible® are taken from the International Children’s Bible®. Copyright © 1986, 1988, 1999 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked New Century Version® are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked Amplified® Bible Classic are taken from the Amplified® Bible Classic, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org.
Scriptural quotations marked Good News Translation are taken from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version—Second Edition, copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked GOD’S WORD® Translation are taken from GOD’S WORD®. © 1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God’s Word to the Nations Mission Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked New Living Translation are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Scriptural quotations marked Contemporary English Version are taken from the Contemporary English Version, copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission.
Scriptural quotations marked Common English Bible are taken from the Common English Bible, copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible.
© 2023 The Christian Science Publishing Society. The design of the Cross and Crown is a trademark owned by the Christian Science Board of Directors and is used by permission. Bible Lens and Christian Science Quarterly are trademarks owned by The Christian Science Publishing Society. Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptural quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Holy Bible.
