The response to the gospel of the kingdom was to believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Under the gospel of the kingdom, people were not asked to confess Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection; that belongs to the gospel of grace revealed later through Paul. Instead, the kingdom response was to recognize Jesus as Israel's King and Messiah, as Peter did when he said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Les Feldick stresses that this confession was complete in itself—there was no added statement about Jesus dying for sins or rising from the dead.
Matthew 16:16 — This verse records the exact confession Peter made in response to the question of who Jesus is—the confession that was the proper response to the kingdom message.
Matthew 4:17 — This verse shows the kingdom message Jesus preached: "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Matthew 4:17 records that Jesus began His ministry with the call, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." In Matthew 4:23, the Bible says Jesus "went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom." The response demanded by this message was a confession about who Jesus is, not a statement about a future sacrifice. When Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom say ye that I am?" Simon Peter answered, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:15-16). At the tomb of Lazarus, Martha made a similar confession: "I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world" (John 11:27). In Acts 3:26, Peter still pointed Israel to Jesus as the promised King: "Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities." These passages show that the biblical response to the kingdom message was recognition of Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God.
Les Feldick teaches that the gospel of the kingdom was the good news that the King was in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill the Old Testament promises concerning Israel and His Messiahship. It was a Jewish message, with nothing for the Gentile in it. The evidence of the correct response is Peter's confession: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Les emphasizes that this confession ends with a period—no one was expected to say "who died for me and rose from the dead." Martha's confession was the same kind of acknowledgment. That was all they were expected to believe and confess because that was what Jesus had revealed. Les also points out that this kingdom message continued after Pentecost in the book of Acts, even through Philip, with no mention of salvation by the finished work of the cross. If Israel had accepted Jesus as King and Messiah, they could have had the Tribulation and the Kingdom and then evangelized the Gentile world. But because Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom and crucified the King, God turned to Saul of Tarsus and revealed the gospel of grace—a message of salvation free from law and legalism, primarily for Gentiles.
Les Feldick points to Peter's confession as the answer: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." He stresses that this was all they were expected to believe and confess. Martha made the same kind of confession when Jesus asked her if she believed He was the resurrection and the life. The confession did not include Jesus' death for sins, His burial, or His resurrection—that was not the message of the kingdom.
Jesus went about Galilee teaching in Jewish synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. Les Feldick says the gospel of the kingdom was for Jew only; there was nothing in it for the Gentile. The message was directed to the nation of Israel, and it announced that the promised King and Messiah was present and ready to establish the kingdom.
No. Les Feldick says these are two distinct good messages. The gospel of the kingdom emphasized that Jesus was the Christ, and it contained no mention of salvation by His death, burial, and resurrection. The gospel of grace, revealed later through the Apostle Paul, is the message that salvation comes through Christ's finished work on the cross and is primarily given to Gentiles, though not exclusively.
Les Feldick explains that when Israel rejected the gospel of the kingdom and crucified the King, God turned to Saul of Tarsus, later the Apostle Paul. From that point, the gospel of grace was proclaimed, and God began calling out the Body of Christ—a term that Jesus and the Twelve never used because it had not yet been revealed.
The Kingdom Message and Its Jewish Audience
Les shows that Jesus preached "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and that the gospel of the kingdom was proclaimed in Jewish synagogues throughout Galilee.
Kingdom Good News Before the Cross
Les explains that the good news of the kingdom was that Christ was the King in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill Old Testament promises—but it was for Jew only.
From Kingdom to Grace
When Israel rejected the gospel of the kingdom, God turned to Paul with the gospel of grace and began calling out the Body of Christ, a term never used by Jesus or the Twelve.
The Confession Expected
Les points to Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," as the correct response—with no mention of church structure or the death, burial, and resurrection.
A Confession With a Period
Les says Peter's confession ends with a period; it did not say "who died for me and rose from the dead." Martha made the same confession, and that was all they were expected to believe.
Kingdom Gospel Continued in Acts
Les says the gospel of the kingdom continued through Philip after Pentecost, still emphasizing that Jesus was the Christ, with no mention of salvation by the cross.
Peter's Answer at Caesarea Philippi
Les highlights Peter's exact confession at Caesarea Philippi: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God"—and notes it does not include death, burial, and resurrection.
The King and Messiah
Les says the response required was to believe and accept Jesus as King and Messiah; every Jew had to believe and be converted and understand that Jesus was the Christ.
Matthew 4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
This verse defines the message of the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed.
Matthew 4:23: And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
This shows the kingdom gospel was preached in Jewish synagogues throughout Galilee.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
This is the confession Peter gave when asked who Jesus was—the response Les ties to the gospel of the kingdom.
John 11:27: She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha's confession parallels Peter's acknowledgment of Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 3:26: Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Peter's message to Israel shows the kingdom offer was still being presented to the Jews, calling them to turn from their sins.
Peter confessed, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Les Feldick points out that this confession ended with a period—there was no addition about Jesus dying for him or rising from the dead.
According to Les Feldick, the gospel of the kingdom was about Jesus being the Christ and the King in Israel's midst. He says there is no mention of salvation by His death, burial, and resurrection in the kingdom message; that came with the gospel of grace through Paul.
It was preached to the nation of Israel. Jesus taught in Jewish synagogues throughout Galilee, and Les says the kingdom message was for Jew only, with nothing in it for the Gentile.
Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom and crucified the King. Les says God then turned to Saul of Tarsus and revealed the gospel of grace, which is primarily for Gentiles.
Watch the Teaching: Gospel of the Kingdom vs. Grace: What Most People Miss