Every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old. The gist of Jesus teachings about the kingdom centered on three important points: the nearness of the kingdom, the ‘nowness’ of the kingdom, and the ‘ordinariness’ of the kingdom. The teachings were occasioned by Jesus’ desire to challenge and correct the misconceptions that the people had about the kingdom. Not only did Jesus insist that the kingdom was already in their midst (cf. Luke 17:21), he also pointed to the fact that its presence was not being recognized because of the people’s expectations. To the immediate recipients of Jesus’ teachings, the in-breaking of the kingdom was an event that could not go unnoticed. As a matter of fact, it was something that they were looking forward to on account of the ‘goodies’ that it would bring with it. With the arrival of the kingdom, all the problems associated with this world would cease to be, for the promises of God that were yet to be fulfilled would come now be fulfilled. All their enemies would be vanquished, and the peace and prosperity that had eluded them for centuries would at last be attained. The parables and teachings of Jesus concerning the kingdom challenged the above understanding. While the in-breaking of the kingdom was indeed the time for the fulfillment of God’s promises, it was to come from within and not without. The peace and prosperity that was to rightly characterize the presence of the kingdom was to be the result of the people beginning to live as a people who had come to recognize God’s reign over them. The good things that had always been associated with the coming of the kingdom (happiness, joy, harmony, love, sharing, generosity) would be realized as a result of them praying daily for the coming of the kingdom (the Lord’s Prayer).