In the Here and Now

by Peter L. DeGroote

 

 

 

Notes for Bible Talk: December 7, 2005

Please read Mark 1: 14-15

See Matthew 4: 17 and Luke 4: 14-21

(Also compare Matthew 3: 2; Matthew 10: 7; Luke 10: 9-11)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bible Talk is an informal discussion of biblical passages, ideas, and related material.

The discussions are on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm, following the Service of Word and Table. Occasionally, they will not be held due to special events.

These Notes are intended to assist participants in thinking about the passages and some of their implications prior to the gathering.   

Usually, the Notes are prepared and the discussion is led by Rev. Peter L. DeGroote

 

 

The sources for biblical quotations are labeled as follows:

NRSV: The New Revised Standard Version, Copyright ©1989, The National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States.

SV: The Scholar’s Version; i.e., The Five Gospels, The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus, Robert W. Funk and Roy W. Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar, Copyright © 1993 by Polebridge Press.

TM: The Message, The New Testament in Contemporary Language, Copyright © Eugene H. Peterson 1993. navpress, Colorado Springs.

M: My paraphrase.

 

 

1. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all report Jesus' retreat into the wilderness following his baptism. Matthew and Luke add a dialogue between Jesus and the "devil" that challenges Jesus to define where his trust and loyalties lie. These become central values of his ministry. In sum, he would trust God and reject the power that comes from wealth, religious prestige, political leadership, or military dominance.

 

2. Mark reports that Jesus returned from the wilderness saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." In contemporary language:  "The time is up. God's imperial rule is closing in. Change your ways, and put your trust in the good news." (SV)

 

3. Matthew's report of Jesus' message is similar to Mark's. Luke broadens it, referring to the fulfillment of scripture that emphasizes good news for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized. Whatever the version, there are three elements to this good news: (a) times is up; (b) God's rule is closing in; and (c) change your ways." 

 

4. The time is fulfilled or the time is up: Jews had waited centuries for an Anointed One to free them from foreign rulers. The Hebrew word for Anointed One is Messiah. In Greek, it is Cristus, which becomes Christ in English. In other words, the time of waiting for the Anointed One is over, the hope is fulfilled. Among the implications, we note two:

 

A. For the Jews, the Anointed One would be a descendent of King David who would repeat what David had done; i.e., liberate the Jews from foreign domination and reestablish the Jewish state. In this view, the Messiah and the kingdom were a nationalist vision; i.e., the establishment of the Jewish nation and the extension of its power. Likewise, many believed that the Messiah or Christ would establish God's kingdom by force. Jesus was and remained a Jew seeking bring reform to his religion. However, he did not pursue a nationalist program nor advocate the use of force in establishing God's rule.

 

B. While accepting Jesus as the Messiah or Christ, some early Christians could not accept this different idea of the Messiah. Consequently, some biblical writers theorized that Jesus would return in "power and glory." Some have always waited for that to happen, some have built religious movements around predictions of when Jesus would return. Also, some have made a lot of money from such ideas.

 

5. The kingdom of God has come near or God's imperial rule is closing in. Today we might replace the vocabulary of kings and empires by speaking of a society of God, a commonwealth of God, a community of God, or even of God's domain or rule. Whatever words we use, the idea that God is about to do something leaves the reader wondering. What do you mean? What must I do? The answer comes quickly.

 

6. Repent or Change your ways: The gospel writers use the language of John the Baptist. When he spoke of repenting, he was speaking of confession, baptism for purification, and then living according to the rules of righteousness. As he expected God’s Messiah to come and take over the world, he warned that those who did not would be tossed aside.

 

Jesus never used the word repent, although he did call for a change in our way of living so that we can both see and live in an already present kingdom of God. By following his way, we discover a life in harmony with God and others. Like Jesus in the wilderness, it begins with the central question about where our trust and loyalties lie—to what or in what are we faithful?

 

7. Believe in the good news or put your trust in the good news. We often think of Jesus' resurrection as the good news, and it is in the sense of affirming Jesus' life and teachings. However, Jesus' definitions of the good news involved trusting that God is present in creation and that by following Jesus we will find our way to that kingdom or domain of God—to life as God meant it to be. Seeking harmony with God is different than seeking our own salvation. The latter is often focused on our own well being, not on our relationship with God and others. .

 

We can talk endlessly about the many theories of the human soul and eternal life, but we cannot confirm any of them. Jesus didn’t try. Instead, he provides us with a far more profound, sensible, and pragmatic principle:  Trust God in the here and now—everything else takes care of itself.  

 

 

Peter L. DeGroote