It's been fun spending time considering each of those 5 phrases in Jesus's gospel to his Jewish people:
. TIME'S FULFILLED!
. THE REIGN OF GOD('s Help)
. IS AT HAND, NEAR.
. GIVE UP YOUR AGENDAS &
. GIVE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
This reflection is about the second one, which is often exchanged (in Jesus' mouth & in his apostles' & evangelists' communications too) for 2 other phrases, and sometimes for several other different ones as well.
The message of God's influence and gift
is sensitive to time, and people group,
and situation, place, event, we lift
our words and language from. The chicken coop
might use the term of "pecking order" to
communicate a kind of rule of law,
which draws some nuances in people who've
ex-per-yen-ced family life diff'rent-ly or
might use this term comparing diff'rent rules
by diff'rent rulers, like that time when he
called all the twelve together to help who'll
sometimes want to rule quite an-i-mal-ly.*
New Covenant, between humans & God
is one way to describe new life's message.
New kingdom, with new kind of King who's got
a diff'rent way of ruling, diff'rent edge.
The kingdom of our God and of his Christ,
the life of ages (past and yet to come),
knowing God, or known by him sufficed
to talk of God's own fam'ly, daughter, son.
What kinds of ways can you, if God's own life,
his spirit, or the presence of Jesus
has been experienced amongst you, rife
with learning to love, as this God loves us -
what ways could you describe truly today
this Way of God's True Life that's come right here,
this message of the Most Excellent Way
the one in charge would rule, suff'ring no fear.
* 42 Jesus called them to him.“You know how it is in the pagan nations,” he said. “Think how their so-called rulers act. They lord it over their subjects. The high and mighty ones boss the rest around. 43 But that’s not how it’s going to be with you. Anyone who wants to be great among you must become your servant. 44 Anyone who wants to be first must be everyone’s slave. 45 Don’t you see? The son of man didn’t come to be waited on. He came to be the servant, to give his life ‘as a ransom for many.’ ” NTFE, Mark 10:35-45
Sometimes it is the people who come to Jesus and those around him who have different ways of talking about the same idea, sometimes it is Jesus himself who seems to choose which wording is most apt, sometimes it is the evangelists or apostles who choose which phrases to major on, though all use all (or most), of these differently nuanced wordings to speak of the same big secret to, or longing associated with, or meaning of, or purpose for… human existance.
On what basis would they choose their wording? An important question, with important answers! How would you word the question? And then answer it? [I'll tell you my thoughts when you've told me yours - I got in first!]
. some synonyms are synonomous, and have a similar oval or area of meaning, with similar nuances, or similar contexts in which they are used. Some have only a small overlap in their contextual application. The choice of which words to use in the first instance may be simply vocabulary, and traditional cultural favourings… In the second instance, the specific nuances and "additional accoutrements" may be an important consideration e.g. in different human cultures there are slightly different meanings to an offer of "a drink" (which could be hot, or cold), or "a cuppa" (which is mostly hot). And within the options being communicated by "a cuppa", the options consideted are mostly tea, coffee, or hot-chocolate. They mostly have the same biological, psychological, & social functions. Hydration, pleasureable smells/ tastes, cafination, but some drinks may have alcohol or carva involved. But there are different nuances desired by different offer-ers, and offer-ees. And an offer-er may make their choice of what to offer by what is available at the time, or what they know about the subcultural group, what they feel they want to (or are allowed to) have in their own house or establishment, or what they know of the individual they are offering a beverage to. All of this can likewise be said of the gospel, or proclamation, or message of life, or knowledge of God, that is offered by the First Century Christian Evangelists or Apostles.
. what actual motivation or impetus is affecting the offerer depends on their knowledge, maturity, capacity, and their audience - who are being offered to.
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