Good News for All Nations

The Book of Revelation applies messianic promises of the Old Testament to the present reign and exalted status of Jesus Christ . Jesus has governed the Cosmos since his death and resurrection. He is seated at the right hand of God, where he rules as the prince of the kings of the earth. “ The woman produced a son who is the shepherd of the nations… And her child was caught up to God and his throne .”

Jesus will arrive at the end of the present age, rewarding his saints but judging and condemning his enemies . Jesus will arrive at the end of the age “ on the clouds of heaven ,” as promised in the Scriptures. The Day of the Lord will mean the completion of the Kingdom of God, the end of death, the new creation, and the judgment of all men.

The figure of the Son of Man in the Book of Daniel is the source of Christ’s self-designation - The Son of Man . The term “ Son of Man ” is the self-designation heard most often on the lips of Jesus in the gospel accounts. It is from the vision of Daniel of the “ one like a Son of Man ” who received “ the dominion and kingdom .”   All the tribes of the Earth will mourn when “ they see the Son of man coming on the clouds of Heaven .”

The Parable of the Sower provides the key to understanding the parables of Jesus. The story’s point is that the Kingdom of God began to invade the present age starting with the proclamation of the Gospel by the “ Son of Man .” That process commenced with his announcement of the Good News when he was in “ Galilee of the Nations .” Ever since then, the Kingdom has been advancing across the Earth though largely unnoticed by humanity and even by many of his followers.

In the  Gospel of Mark , Jesus is “ on the way ” to Jerusalem his death at the hands of his enemies. The theme of his inexorable journey is repeated in  Mark , beginning with John the Baptist who came to “ prepare THE WAY of the Lord .” He would complete his mission as the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ of the  Book of Isaiah  when he was tried by the priestly leaders of the Temple and faced death outside the walls of the City of David at the hands of Rome.

Disciples are summoned to adopt the same mind that Jesus had when he poured out his life unto death for the sake of others – Philippians 2:5-11. Jesus fulfilled the role of the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ described in the  Book of Isaiah . Unlike Adam, he did not attempt to grasp the “ likeness of God ,” but he humbled himself and submitted to a shameful death on the Roman cross. Therefore, God exalted him and made him “ Lord ” over all things. His exaltation did not precede his death; his enthronement followed it, and he died utterly alone.

Religious leaders from Jerusalem began to object to the looseness of Jesus to their Sabbath traditions, but he used the opportunity to show that the “ Son of Man ” is “ Lord ” even over that day. God did cease His creative activities on the seventh day, but its formal establishment as a regulated day on which no work was to be done did not occur until the  Torah  was given through Moses at Mount Sinai (“ Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy ”).

The touch of the Nazarene cleansed a leper from ritual impurity, restoring him physically  AND  religiously. Moreover, Jesus touched the leper  BEFORE  he was cleansed of his ritual defilement. Any concern over contracting “uncleanness” did not prevent the Messiah from healing a son of Israel. In fact, the Son of Man’s touch drove out the disease and the impurity - (Mark 1:40-45).

Jesus did not allow scruples over purity regulations to keep him from healing the sick and delivering the oppressed from demonic spirits. Neither Sabbath restrictions nor Levitical rules on ritual purity were intended to prevent human needs from being met, at least, not if the Messiah of Israel was present and implementing the Kingdom of God.

Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness, and the effects of his victory were demonstrated as he exercised authority over demonic forces upon his arrival in Galilee where he began to proclaim the Good News – “ Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near! ” For, in Jesus of Nazareth, “ The people that sat in darkness Saw a great light. And to them that sat in the region and shadow of death, to them did light spring up .” With the appearance of the “ Son of Man ,” the era of salvation had commenced.

The present literary unit in Chapters 1 and 2 of the Gospel of Mark includes five stories that highlight the authority of Jesus as the “ Son of Man .” Moreover, shows the growing conflicts between him and the religious authorities from Jerusalem, especially over issues of ritual purity and Sabbath regulations. There are parallels between the present story and the preceding one about the cleansing of the leper.

After defeating Satan, Jesus began proclaiming the “Good News” of the Kingdom in Galilee – “ The season is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel .” The term “Kingdom of God” is a summary statement that meant different things to different people, but the man from Nazareth identified his mission with the glorious “ Son of Man ” figure described in the  Book of Daniel .