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Matthew 3 · a question people ask

Matthew says "Kingdom of Heaven" where Mark says "God's Kingdom". Why?

In the text

Matthew doesn't say. He has Kingdom of Heaven from John's first words, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (3:2), and Jesus says it too (4:17). Where Mark tells Jesus's first preaching, it has "God’s Kingdom is at hand!" (Mark 1:15). Where Mark has Jesus say, "How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!" (Mark 10:23), Matthew has "a rich man will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty" (19:23). Matthew uses both. In the very next verse Jesus says, "it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom" (19:24). The WEB has Kingdom of Heaven in 31 verses, all in Matthew, and the WEB's Matthew has God’s Kingdom in five (6:33, 12:28, 19:24, 21:31, 21:43). Matthew gives no reason for his wording, and these notes don't supply one.

The verses

““Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!””
Matthew 3:2 · World English Bible
“From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.””
Matthew 4:17 · World English Bible
“and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and God’s Kingdom is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Good News.””
Mark 1:15 · World English Bible
“Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!””
Mark 10:23 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Matthew 3

Matthew 3: The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand

In Matthew, John says it first: his first words, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!" (3:2), are the words Jesus preaches when he begins (4:17), and John's "You offspring of vipers" (3:7) and his words on the tree that is "cut down, and cast into the fire" (3:10) come back from Jesus too (12:34, 7:19).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions