PMW 2026-072 by Geerhardus Vos

From: Geerhardus Vos, “Eschatology, of the New Testament,” ed. James Orr et al., The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Chicago: Howard-Severance, 1915), 1:991.

Gentry note: This material overlaps a little with my preceding posting also from Vos’ writings. The following is Vos’ work:

Side-by-side with “the future age,” and characterizing it from a less formal point of view, is the phrase “kingdom of God.” This designates the consummate state, as it will exist for believers after the judgment. Jesus, while making the kingdom a present reality, yet continues to speak of it in accordance with its original eschatological usage as “the kingdom” which lies in the future (Matt. 13:43; 25:34; 26:29; Mark 9:47; Luke 12:32; 13:28, 29; 21:31). With Paul the phrase bears preponderatingly an eschatological sense, although occasionally he uses it of the present state of believers (Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9, 10; 15:24, 50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:13; 4:11; 1 Thess. 2:12; 2 Thess. 1:5; 2 Tim. 4:1, 18). Elsewhere in the NT the eschatological use occurs in Hebrews 12:28; James 2:5; 2 Peter 1:11; and Revelation 11:15.

The idea is universalistic, unpolitical, which does not exclude that certain privileges are spoken of with special reference to Israel. Although the eschatological kingdom differs from the present kingdom largely in the fact that it will receive an external, visible embodiment, yet this does not hinder that even in it the core is constituted by those spiritual realities and relations which make the present kingdom. Still it will have its outward form as the doctrine of the resurrection and the regenerated earth plainly show. Consider the figures in which Jesus speaks of it, such as eating, drinking, and reclining at table. These are not to be taken sensually. Nevertheless, they should not on the other hand be interpreted allegorically, as if they stood for wholly internal spiritual processes. They evidently point to, or at least include, outward states and activities, of which our life in the senses offers some analogy. But these will be on a higher plane of which it is at present impossible to form any concrete conception or to speak otherwise than in figurative language.

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Equivalent to “the kingdom” is “life.” But, unlike the kingdom, “life” remains in the Synoptics an exclusively eschatological conception. It is objectively conceived: the state of blessedness the saints will exist in. It is not conceived subjectively as a potency in man or a process of development (Matt. 7:14; 18:8, 9; 19:16, 29; 25:46; Mark 10:30). In John “life” becomes a present state. And in connection with this the idea is subjectivized becoming a process of growth and expansion. Points of contact for this in the Synoptics may be found in Matthew 8:22 (=Luke 9:60) and Luke 15:24; 20:38.

When this eschatological life is characterized as ainios (“eternal”), the reference is not exclusively to its unending duration. But the word has, in addition to this, a qualitative connotation. It describes the kind of life that belongs to the consummate state. See the use of the adjective with other nouns in this sense (2 Cor. 5:1; 2 Tim. 2:10; Heb. 5:9; 9:12, 15; 2 Pet. 1:11) and the unfolding of the content of the idea in 1 Peter 1:4. With Paul “life” has sometimes the same eschatological sense (Rom. 2:7; 5:17; Tit. 1:2; 3:7). But most often it is conceived as already given in the present state, owing to the close association with the Spirit (Rom. 6:11; 7:4, 8, 11; 8:2, 6; Gal. 2:19; 6:8; Eph. 4:18). In its ultimate analysis the Pauline conception of “life,” as well as that of Jesus, is that of something dependent on communion with God (Matt. 22:32 = Mark 12:27 = Luke 20:38; Rom. 8:6–7; Eph. 4:18).

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Another Pauline conception associated with the consummate state is that of doxa (“glory”). This glory is everywhere conceived as a reflection of the glory of God. It is this that to the mind of Paul gives it religious value, not the external radiance in which it may manifest itself as such. Hence the element of “honor” conjoined to it (Rom. 1:23; 2:7; 8:21; 9:23; 1 Cor. 15:43). It is not confined to the physical sphere (2 Cor. 3:18; 4:16–17). The outward doxa is prized by Paul as a vehicle of revelation, an exponent of the inward state of acceptance with God. In general Paul conceives of the final state after a highly theocentric fashion (1 Cor. 15:28). It is the state of immediate vision of and perfect communion with God and Christ. The future life alone can bring the perfected sonship (Rom. 6:10; 8:23, 29; cf. Luke 20:36; 2 Cor. 4:4; 5:6–8; 13:4; Phil. 1:23; Col. 2:13; 3:3–4; 1 Thess. 4:17).

The scene of the consummate state is the new heaven and the new earth, which are called into being by the eschatological palingenesia “regeneration” (Matt. 5:18; 19:28; 24:35; 1 Cor. 7:31; Heb. 1:12; 12:26–27; 2 Pet. 3:10; 1 John 2:17; Rev. 21:1). However, in Revelation 21:1 some exegetes understand the city to be a symbol of the church, the people of God). An annihilation of the substance of the present world is not taught (cf. the comparison of the future world-conflagration with the Deluge in 2 Pet. 3:6). The central abode of the redeemed will be in heaven, although the renewed earth will remain accessible to them and a part of the inheritance (Matt. 5:5; John 14:2–3; Rom. 8:18–22; and the closing visions of the Apocalypse).

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