The Christian & Politics (Part 3)

Last Week, We Began Looking at…

Words that We Categorize as “Religious”…

But that the 1st Century World Categorized as “Political”

Gospel, Christ, Church, Kingdom, Faith, Salvation, Lord, Son of God, etc…

Are Primarily Religious Words to Us

But to the Jews, Greeks, and Romans…

They were Highly Politicized Words

We Began with the Word “Gospel”

To 21st Century Americans…

“Gospel” is the Good News of Jesus’ Death, Burial, and Resurrection

But in Ancient Times (OT & NT Times)…

The Word “Gospel” Meant “Military/Political Victory”

In Literature Outside the Bible…

To “Gospelize” or Share the Gospel…

Was When a Messenger was Sent From the Battlefield…

To Proclaim Victory Over an Enemy

“Gospel” was Also Used When Speaking of…

The Emperor/Ruler’s Birth, Coming of Age, or Enthronement

There’s an Inscription that Speaks of the Birth of Emperor Augustus…

As the Beginning of Good News

Listen to How Similar the Language is to How We Talk About Jesus:

“[Augustus] has made war to cease and put everything in peaceful order; and the birthday of our god [emperor] signaled the beginning of ‘the gospel’ for the world because of him.”

We Began Looking at “Gospel” in the OT:

The Hebrew Equivalent to “Gospel” (Greek = euangelion) is:

(Noun) bĕśōrâ = “message; good news”

6 Times in the OT

(Verb) bāśar = to announce a message; to share good news

24 Times in the OT

We Looked at Several Examples of Where These Words Occur

And the Vast Majority of Their Uses…

Are in Regards to the Good News of Military/Political Victory and the Sharing Thereof

I’ll Give One More Example Along Those Lines:

The Prophet Nahum Prophesied of the Downfall of the World Power of that Time, Assyria

Northern Israel had Already Been Destroyed…

And Southern Judah was Subject to Them

But Nahum Told of a Coming Day When Assyria would No Longer Oppress God’s People

Their Defeat and Downfall was Coming

Nahum 1:15 (NASB95)

15 Behold, on the mountains the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah; Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is cut off completely.

The Gospel is the Good News of the Defeat of the Enemy of God’s People

The Messenger is Bringing that Gospel to the People

Gospel was Very Much About Military/Political Victory

Other Times, it is Used of a Ruler Being Enthroned

Our Next Example Capitalizes on that Aspect of Gospel

Notice the Similarity in Wording of These 2 Passages

Isaiah 52:7 (NASB95)

7 How lovely on the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace And brings good news of happiness, Who announces salvation, And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

The Gospel that the Messenger is Bringing is:

That the God of Jerusalem Reigns

This was a Message of Salvation for the People

God is Once Again King Over His People

No More Exile in Babylon

Our God-King has Rescued Us

Let’s Look at One More Example that will Launch Us into the NT:

Isaiah 61:1 (NASB95)

1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners;

Not Long After Jesus Began His Ministry…

He Read this Passage in His Hometown Synagogue…

And He Applied it to Himself

He was Anointed By God as King to Share the Gospel

What Did that Gospel Message Consist of?

Jesus is the Anointed King/Messiah

The Poor will Be Taken Care of

The Brokenhearted Pieced Back Together

The Captives and Prisoners will Be Set Free

Jesus is Now King and He is Coming…

Not Just to Take Away Sins…

But to Fix Everything that is Broken and Messed Up About this Fallen World

He is a King that is Going to Set Right What’s Been Made Wrong

When We Get to the NT, We Find Gospel as the Word:

euangelion = “good news, good message”

euangelizomai = “to proclaim good news”

In the Beginning of Mark’s Gospel Account to the Romans, We Read:

Mark 1:1 (NASB95)

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

This Sentence Doesn’t Stick Out to Us Very Much…

But it is Very Political

Gospel = Good News Typically About a New Ruler or Military Victory

Christ = Anointed King

Son of God = Sent From God, Special Relationship with God…

And Also Common Title of a King

So this First Sentence in a Letter Written…

Would have Sounded Extremely Political and Subversive…

To Christians in the Capital City of Rome

When They Thought of “The Beginning of the Gospel”…

They Thought About Caesar Being Born or Taking Power

When They Thought of “Son of God”…

They Likely Thought of Caesar as the Son of God…

Or Mediator of the Gods

Mark Started His Account with a Purpose:

To Show His Roman Readers that Jesus is King Over Caesar

He is the True Son of God Who Became Ruler of the World…

Not Through Military Might, But Through Suffering and Self-Sacrifice

When Jesus Began His Ministry, We Read:

Mark 1:14–15 (NASB95)

14 Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

The King has Arrived and His Rule is Soon to Come

It’s Time to Repent of Rebellious Living…

And Believe/Place Faith in/Give Allegiance to the Gospel Message

The Gospel Message is: God Reigns Over All Creation Through His Messianic King

Repent and Pledge Allegiance to Him

You Remember How Pilate Referred to Jesus When He was on Trial?

“King of the Jews”

Pilate Didn’t Take this Title Seriously Until the Jews Said this:

John 19:12 (NASB95)

12 As a result of this Pilate made efforts to release Him, but the Jews cried out saying, “If you release this Man, you are no friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar.”

Being “King” wasn’t a Religious Title

It was Purely Political

“If You Release Jesus, You will Be Releasing Someone Who Claims to Be King Over Caesar Himself”

Thessalonica was a Very Important City Under Roman Rule

Paul Traveled There to Proclaim the Gospel

Acts 17:2–4 (NASB95)

2 And according to Paul’s custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with a large number of the God-fearing Greeks and a number of the leading women.

Paul’s Main Point was:

Jesus is the Christ

He is the Anointed King

Then We Read this:

Acts 17:5–7 (NASB95)

5 But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the market place, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people. 6 When they did not find them, they began dragging Jason and some brethren before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have upset the world have come here also; 7 and Jason has welcomed them, and they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

“These People are Upsetting the Natural Order of Things!”

“They All Practice Things that Contradict the Decrees of Caesar!”

“They Say There is Another King Besides Caesar!”

“They Say that Jesus is the King!”

“Instead of Submitting to Caesar…”

“They’re Subverting and Giving Allegiance to Another King!”

Christianity was/is More Than Just a Personal Religion

It is Extremely Political

And Those Who Declare Allegiance to King Jesus are Often Hated By the World…

Because We Upset the Natural Order of Things

We Honor Our Leaders, But Our Allegiance Belongs to Another King

We Submit to Them When Their Ideas Align with Our King…

But We Subvert When They Don’t

Our Allegiance will Always Be with Jesus First and Foremost

That Often Makes Us Public Enemy #1 of World Governments

They Want Total Submission, But We Refuse to Give it

Seeing Gospel as a Political Word and Not Just a Religious Word is Important…

Because it Further Opens Our Eyes to the Truth

Jesus Didn’t Just Come to Save Us From Our Sins

He Came to Become King

And as King, He is Rescuing Us From Our Sins, Yes…

But Much More Than that

He’s Come to Defeat All Evil

He’s Come to Destroy the Effects of Sin (Corruption and Death)

He’s Come to Rescue Us From All These Things…

And Give Eternal Life to His People

He’s Come to Make All Things New/Good Again

Understanding the Fullness of the Gospel Message…

Will Encourage Us to Share it and Share it More Accurately

When We Share the Gospel with Others…

We’re Sharing the Good News that There’s a New & Better King

We’re Sharing the Good News that Satan, Sin, and Death have Been Defeated

We’re Sharing the Good News that Justice and Peace have Been Established

We’re Sharing the Good News that We are Going to Be Rescued When the King Returns

King Jesus has Come to Establish a New World Order

Jesus isn’t Just a Spiritual Teacher Who Tells Us How to Be Good

He is a King that is Going to Set Things Right for Those Who are Loyal to Him

What People Want Out of Politics is…

For Our Leaders to Establish a Utopian Society Where All is Good and Right in the World

What They Don’t Realize and What We’ve Failed to Properly Communicate…

Is that King Jesus has Began to and Will One Day Fully Establish that Very Thing

Everyone Wants What Jesus is Offering…

But Maybe Our Compartmentalizing of “Gospel” as Only a Religious Idea…

Has Undersold Just How Wonderful the Good News is