The Kingdom of the Messiah
To prepare his people for the imminent arrival of the Messiah, the prophet John the Baptist (Yahya) proclaims the coming of the kingdom of God. The Messiah’s mission becomes clearer: he is going to establish this kingdom himself. He often calls it “the kingdom of heaven”, suggesting that it will be very different from the kingdom of Israel (which was very much of this world, despite being governed by divine law at the time). Jesus himself will teach us later what this kingdom of heaven is like.
How to Enter this kingdom
John the Baptist teaches us that to enter this kingdom we must repent. This involves a complete change in the orientation of our lives, a radical change that begins in the heart and is demonstrated in actions. John the Baptist’s disciples are baptised in water, a symbol of purification, as public testimony of their decision to live a life dedicated to God.
Translated and adapted from the commentary of the book L'Injil de Jésus le Messie, Excelsis, 2021