The key to resolving the different emphases is figuring out what the Bible means by the word kingdom. What is the kingdom of God? Most modern dictionaries will define the word as a “sphere,” “realm,” or “place.” This explanation has misguided interpreters away from the biblical understanding that emphasizes the rank, rule, reign, dominion, and royal authority of God.6 Jesus’ parable in Luke 19 makes clear the fundamental meaning of the kingdom of God. The story describes a nobleman who “went into