2018-01-05

What Gospel?

Read Isaiah 40:1-55:13 together sometime.. Good news to the hearers of the prophecy/message in Isaiah 52:7. From reading this, it seems that that bit could have been written in the time of exile to Babylon after the destruction of Jerusalem. The people would  (if it were me) have taken heart at the sound of a "Lord Redeemer."... Good news to the hearers of Jesus' words in Mark 1:14 and 15. Jewish people who were in their country again, and yet not free to rule themselves entirely. Leasing their own land, might have been their general feeling and experience. Still, there would be a desire to have God's kingdom there with them, and some might have welcomed Jesus' proclamation of "turn away from your sins, and believe what I am saying!" It might have sounded a bit similar to the sorts of things that prophets used to say, and a possible similarity to what the Lord himself said in 2 Chronicles 7:14  "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land." From what I gather, the Israelites may have believed that theirs was the Kingdom of God, God having chosen them to make his temple with, God who chose to lead them out of Israel and into a land which he called them to, a land flowing with milk and honey. so he was their God, and they were His people.

Commit everything you do to The Lord, Trust Him, and He shall bring to pass. Psalm 37:5 (PM Version)



Yes... Most of this is true... according to
my understanding of it's use back then...
but still it seems to me we've missed a few
important things they would have "seen"  clear when

at first these "readers" saw (more, "hearers", heard)
the "euangelion", the message, which
was heralded to them by spoken word,
and some responses clearly encouraged!

Responses like that "metanoia" and
then "pistis" which Josephus called for from
that rebel soldier he called on to stand
with him, with new allegiances to come...

thus holding a new view of how this world
would work, and who is shepherd, of what sheep,
and holding faithfull to that, not to shirk,
and keeping wakefull (not to fall asleep).

But still the question's begged: "What did they hear
when first they heard this message right to them?"
The "euangelion" of Christ appeared,
and what was understood by those who ken?



Isa 52:7 (LXX)  - ὡς ὥρα ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς πόδες εὐαγγελιζομένου ἀκοὴν εἰρήνης ὡς εὐαγγελιζόμενος ἀγαθά ὅτι ἀκουστὴν ποιήσω τὴν σωτηρίαν σου λέγων Σιων βασιλεύσει σου ὁ θεός

Mark 1:14-15 - μετὰ δὲ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τὸν Ἰωάννην ἦλθεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν Γαλιλαίαν κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ λέγων ὅτι πεπλήρωται ὁ καιρὸς καὶ ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ μετανοεῖτε καὶ πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ

Yup, they talk of blessed messengers who announce the euangelion (εὐαγγελόν - the Gospel, the Good News).

The first two verses speak of this "Good News". The question is what did they think this euangelion that was announced was (was it that Christmas prices in this state have been reduced by their previous added GST?)

It may need further explaining later, but let's get the announcement right.

I feel like the last three verses are explaining some of the many ramifications of the announcement...

Check what is meant by a "gloss". What gloss would you use for the Greek word euangelion, instead of these English words "Gospel", or "Good News", that is likely to fit with the assumptions and experience of First Century hearers or readers of the words from Isaiah and Mark (& a passage like 1Thess 2:1-16)?

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