What is the Difference between "Kingdom of God and Kingdom of Heaven"

There is a lot of misunderstanding about these two phrases “The Kingdom of God” and “The Kingdom of Heaven”, so we must look to scripture to find an answer. The phrase “kingdom of God” occurs 68 times in 10 different New Testament books, while “kingdom of heaven” occurs only 32 times, and only in the Gospel of Matthew. Since Matthew is part of the synoptic Gospel it must without error fit in with both The Gospel of Luke and The Gospel of Mark. (The rest of the New Testament as well) From this alone we can know that the two phrases are the same.

When we look at parallel accounts of the same events in the other two synoptic gospels we see that Mark and Luke uses “Kingdom of God” where Matthew used “ Kingdom of Heaven” Lets allow scripture to make this clear to you.

Let’s compare two passages in the gospel of Mark and Luke

• Mark 4:11 “And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: with 
• Luke 8:11 “And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. 

While that same event in Matthew 13:11 uses the term “Kingdom of Heaven”

• Matthew 13:11 “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

Uniquely Jesus uses the two phrases interchangeably. In Matthew verse 19:23-24 reads this way “ (V23) Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. (V24) And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (KJV)

I hope this clears this up for you. Even though there are some that teach these have two different meanings, sound knowledge of scripture does not support such hogwash. In every occasion in which I have heard someone teach two meaning I have without exception found them to have no scripture to support their thought.


Only that which we do for His glory counts!
T.Charves FireSpeaks