Lorenzo Palon

In reality, the reason we often fail to act on Jesus’ teachings may be because we don’t fully understand them. We often interpret Jesus’ message through the teachings of Paul, emphasizing ideas such as forgiveness and love. While these are certainly significant, it’s important to recognize that Jesus primarily focused on teaching about the immediacy of the “kingdom of God”.

I’ll try to use Mark’s gospel to help us, where it says “the time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent and believe the good news.” Now, let us begin with that first word, “The time is fulfilled.” The moment you hear language like that, you have to understand that you’re dealing with a broad biblical concept that can be put into the categories of promise and fulfillment. There has been promise, and there is now fulfillment. The category of promise and fulfillment essentially belongs to eschatology. Eschatology simply means having to do with the time of the end, that the promise has to do with the end. In fact, that’s the Greek word “eschaton,” which, translated into English, means “the end.” Everything is looking forward to the end. The kingdom of God belongs to the category of a time that is being fulfilled.

The kingdom of God is closely linked to the expectations of the Jewish people about the end of the world. In simpler terms, we should interpret the kingdom of God in line with the hopes the Jewish people had for their future savior. According to their beliefs, the Messiah was not meant to come during a normal period of history; rather, the Messiah’s arrival marked the end of history and the beginning of a new era. This new era was not a continuation of history, but a completely new phase known as the New Age. Therefore, they anticipated the Messiah’s arrival at the end of time, and it’s this timeframe that we should consider when understanding their beliefs.

Therefore, for us to understand that, we have to go back to the Old Testament just a bit and try a little to understand the nature of this hope by the time Jesus comes on the scene. Now, what I’m interested in here now is not in a full-scale understanding of the Old Testament hope so much as I am in giving a quick overview of that Old Testament hope so that we can come to the point that John the Baptist steps on the scene and announces the nearness of the coming of God’s rule.

The place to begin, I suppose, is at the beginning, but let’s begin more in the middle with David. The reason for beginning with David is that everything finally focuses on David. The reason for that is a very simple one. David ruled during the time of Israel’s greatest glory. Besides that, he was a kind of model for Israel and its life as a person who was truly given to God. Despite his sins, he was still the man who was given to God; he was God’s King, God’s King par excellence.

After David and Solomon, the glory days faded. Soon after Solomon’s time, the people of Israel began to hope for a better future. We don’t know all the details, but they held onto this hope, focusing on the idea of David and his reign. They idealized the past kingdom of David and looked to it as a model for the future. David became the symbol of the perfect king, and his rule was seen as an ideal time. The people hoped that God would bring about a similar situation in their midst again. This hope was not unfounded, as they had been promised much more than they were currently experiencing. Instead, they had endured a long period of civil war and conflict between the northern and southern regions, with kings who did not obey God.

There was a growing concern in Israel about the restoration of David’s fortunes in the future, which was seen as a hopeful prospect. The prophets then began to speak about this future hope, calling it the “day of the Lord.” However, they added an important twist to this concept. They announced that the day of the Lord would be a day of judgment. This judgment would not only be directed at Israel’s enemies, but also at Israel itself. The reason for this judgment was that Israel, as God’s chosen people, was not living in accordance with God’s principles. Instead of advocating for the oppressed, the widows, and the orphans, they were oppressing the poor and vulnerable. They were expected to plead the case of the oppressed because that’s how God acted. Throughout the law, God revealed Himself as the one who would care for the oppressed, the marginalized, the foreigners, the widows, the orphans, and all those who needed someone to speak up for them. God said, “I will do it, and therefore you must do it.” Israel had been called to do this. Instead of fulfilling this calling, they exploited the poor and seized the possessions of their less fortunate neighbors. Examples of this behavior can be found in various historical accounts, like Ahab taking his neighbor’s vineyard, which was the final straw that led to God’s judgment on Ahab. In addition to oppressing the poor, Israel was deeply involved in various forms of idolatry and sexual immorality. These offenses were interconnected, forming a significant part of the reasons for God’s judgment.

In the prophetic oracles, there are often announcements of either salvation or judgment, along with the reasons for them. Idolatry is often seen as the main reason for judgment, followed closely by the oppression of the poor. Sexual immorality is also significant and is often connected to idolatry in the prophetic oracles, as seen in passages like those in Amos.

In Amos chapter two, God delivers a message about the unjust actions of the people of Israel. He condemns them for mistreating the righteous, exploiting the needy, and disrespecting His holy name. The punishment for their wrongdoing is pronounced, highlighting the theme of judgment prevalent in the prophets’ teachings. This judgment is accompanied by the promise of salvation for the righteous who follow God’s will. The impending judgment is described as a time of justice and righteousness, which historically manifested in the form of the Babylonian captivity. Despite the anticipation of restoration bringing salvation, it resulted in great disappointment for Israel. The book of Malachi further illustrates the despair that characterized this period. Subsequently, during the intertestamental period, the people of Israel, no longer an independent nation, grappled with their fate, as foretold by the prophets. This era laid the groundwork for the emergence of apocalyptic writings.

And it is among the apocalyptists, the hope for the future is kept alive. The essential character of the apocalyptic expression of hope for the future is that they had given up on God doing anything within history, all the way through the Old Testament. Instead, they looked for God to bring history to an end and usher in a brand new age. This is reflected in the New Testament with the language of “this age” and “the age to come.” They envisioned the end in cataclysmic terms, expecting a dramatic conclusion to this evil age and the coming rule of God. After the Maccabean period, there was intensified hope and expectation that God would finally step in and bring justice.

In the midst of that fervor, a wild-looking man emerged in the desert of Israel. He had an odd outfit and an even stranger diet. He made a significant announcement, warning that a big change was imminent. “God’s rule is about to take over. Are you ready for righteousness to prevail?”

When someone got baptized in the past, it was a way for them to show they knew they had done wrong things and were preparing for God’s judgment. Jesus also got baptized and something amazing happened at that time. A voice from heaven confirmed that Jesus was the Messiah, and the Holy Spirit appeared as a dove. After this important event, Jesus began sharing a different message, telling people that God’s rule was near. Something important happened to Jesus in the desert, where he had to deal with what had happened during his baptism. In the desert, Jesus was tested by Satan in ways connected to his special relationship with the Father and his destiny as the suffering servant King. The testing lasted for 40 days and ended with three intense challenges.

It was a test to see if Jesus would abuse his unique connection with God by using his divine powers for his own gain. Throughout his time on earth, Jesus performed many miracles, but never for himself. All his acts of mercy and kindness were for others, not for his personal benefit. Even though he did escape from difficult situations, there is no record of him using a miracle to do so. When the devil tempted him with power and glory, Jesus chose a different, humble path. This sets Jesus apart from other religious figures, highlighting the contrast between his message of love and grace and the pursuit of power and triumph. Without being impudent, I would say that God took a risk by sending Jesus as a humble servant, rather than a conqueror, to win over people through love and grace, instead of force and power.

The power of love in overcoming adversity cannot be overstated. It serves as a stronghold against the forces that seek to bring us down, offering us the resilience and determination needed to persevere. In moments of great trial, the choices we make define us, much like the moment when Jesus resisted the temptations presented by Satan. This act of unwavering strength and conviction in the face of adversity serves as an example to us all, reminding us of the importance of staying true to our beliefs and principles even in the most challenging of circumstances.

The Kingdom of God is not merely a physical location, but a divine reign over humanity’s affairs. When Jesus spoke of the Kingdom, He referred to a time when God’s rule would prevail. It’s not just about a future event; it’s a present reality. The paradigm shift promised by the Kingdom isn’t just a reversal of fates but a celebration, a feast where even the outcasts are welcomed at the table.

Jesus emphasizes that the Kingdom is both a future hope and a present experience. We cannot ignore this tension but must embrace it. Our understanding of the New Testament hinges on our ability to reconcile these seemingly conflicting aspects of the Kingdom.