It's strange how modern Christians, especially in the U.S., have twisted the use of the Greek word Evangel into a tool of conversion or propaganda. From street evangelists to televangelists, the public broadcasting of a particular version of Christianity has been practiced for about three centuries. It is a narrow definition of Christianity or 'gospel' that focuses on personal salvation. It was reduced to an after- death spiritual plan to avoid hell and enter heaven. Given a choice between dying as a sinner destined for the wrath of God and an eternity in hell OR dying as a believer, whose sins were forgiven by Jesus so that one might live in heaven for an eternity with God, the person was persuaded to make a confession of faith, say a prayer of repentance, and receive forgiveness that led to an amendment of life and a life of holiness. Belief becomes a litmus test for whether a person is blessed or cursed by God. I've heard preachers say, "Get 'em saved and Get 'em in a church". Jesus' death and resurrection becomes a personal tool by which I get forgiveness for sins and a ticket to eternal life in heaven. This is not the good news, as it is written in the New testament stories of Jesus.
Since the Great Awakening revivals of the 18th and 19th centuries, public preaching of the Bible in the U.S. has ignored whole aspects of the character of the gospel as it was presented by Jesus, the first Christians, and the New testament evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John--writers/interpreters of the story of Jesus of Nazareth, about whom the content of the gospels was written). Good news was about something far greater than whether or not a few believers get to go to heaven, while all the rest are subject to divine punishment in hell. In fact, if this were the "gospel" it would not be good news for a whole lot of people. It would just be bad news.
So, what is the good news presented by Jesus of Nazareth to the 1st century world? And how is it still good news for 21st century people? In three parts, we will walk through the story of a people and their God.
PART 1. An ancient people long to be free
The good news was first, old news. It began with an emerging belief in one God, the creator of heaven and earth. This belief developed and was codified in the writings of the Book of Genesis. God the creator was a speaking God. God spoke creation into existence. And God spoke to people in a personal way, making contact between heaven and earth. This one God had called a people to live in a covenant relationship (an ancient code of agreement whereby two parties agree to certain conditions by which they will coexist in harmony or mutuality. A marriage is a kind of covenant, whereby two families are joined together in a sharing of a common life). This covenant required sacrifice, a sign in the flesh of a people's faithfulness. Abraham, the founder, and his offspring undertook the covenant of circumcision---a sacrifice in the flesh and sign of their commitment to God. This covenant in the flesh related to the virility and fruitfulness of human creatures, recognizing that life comes from God and not from men.
This covenantal relationship with a family of middle eastern nomads was tested by a tribal/ethnic crisis in about the 16th century BC. These Nomads had settled in the ancient superpower of Egypt, had been subjugated as migrant slaves, and been subjected to population control through the elimination of firstborn male children. It's a horrible story. The story is found in the ancient book of Exodus: the story of Moses, the LORD (YHWH or GOD) and the Hebrews. It is a story about power and control, as the great and might Pharaoh faces off against the God of the universe. Guess who wins. As a result, the Hebrews' identity as God's people is confirmed in their miraculous liberation. A second covenant is established with them.
This covenant included a rule of law, a way of life, traditions and customs peculiar to this community of people---the Hebrews, or the Israelites. This covenant was sealed by divine protection and provision that was remembered annually as the Passover, a celebration of liberation from Egyptian servitude and exploitation. The covenant was further codified in the books of the law, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. A priestly, holiness code was embedded in their identity as God's faithful people enters the wilderness. All along, the desire of God is to live in relationship with these people, to speak and be heard, to love and obey, to free and to serve.
So, the good news was a story of a covenant relationship that involved liberation from oppression and a rule of law or way of life, called the Torah whereby these people would be set apart and identified as this God's holy people. The story was a story of freedom through divine mercy and obedience to divine commands.
The good news continued as these people settled in a land. This land was already settled by other tribes. The Hebrews displaced or annihilated these tribes in a season of bloody conquest and occupation that is recorded in the books of Joshua and Judges. They believed that the God who liberated them from Egypt also prepared this place for them to live. Understandably, the divine endorsement of colonialism and the subjugation or annihilation of native peoples continues to cause deep enmity and hatred between groups, in the Middle East and in other parts of the world. Racial and ethnic cleansing in the name of God continues to threaten stability and harmony between groups and nations. It is hard to read divine endorsement of massacres. But it was part of the story that will later make the good news good.
Over time, these warriors grew into a monarchy. But as a political entity, they were small and obstructive. Larger global powers always threatened to or carried out regime change and mass deportations through armed conflict. Exile, destruction of sacred places, taxation, military occupation, and pollution of ethnicity through intermarriage caused great turmoil for Israel. Identity and calling were disrupted, reformed, and disrupted over and over again. For the better part of 800 years, the people of Israel lived under oppressive outside rule. Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans all overpowered this relatively small, but strategically important seaside nation called Israel. Its a wonder and a miracle of God that they still exist.
The good news came at a time of painful oppression and threat. The Romans were a powerful military empire that occupied the land and built entire cities within Israel. Rather than deport the people, they moved in and settled among them. Political leaders from within Israel were made loyal puppets of the Emperor. King Herod and his sons were Jewish rulers in the 1st century, who were permitted to retain leadership for purposes of social control. Fellow Israelites were enlisted to support the empires' nation-building work. Forced to live beside non-Israelites, their distinctive lifestyle was threatened. Rome's occupation ushered in a time of hardship, division, and hopeful longing in Israel. It was during this time that everything changed.
During this time, religious/political factions developed within Judaism in response or reaction against the Roman imperial occupation. Pharisees maintained a legal approach to identity and culture retention. They kept themselves holy (set apart from non-Jews) by adherence to the written law. Sadducees developed an alliance with Rome in order to maintain the ancient Jewish temple rituals and traditions that had been codified in the law books and practiced by the priesthood since the building of the temple in the 10th century and its restoration in the 6th century BC. Power resided in the temple and the Sadducees intended to protect it. Zealots were revolutionaries, who sought to use violence to overthrow the occupying Roman powers. They incited riots, protest, and terrorist attacks to disrupt the Roman presence. Their actions were often met with harsh penalties, including state execution by crucifixion. Crucifixion was the means by which Romans executed political criminals and publicly dehumanized their enemies. It was also a means of detraction because of the long-suffering death crucifixion rendered on its victims.
Essenes were desert monastics who desired to maintain ethnic and religious purity by establishing a fringe community outside the city in Judea (southern Israel). They waited with urgent patience for the coming of a Messiah--foretold in ancient prophecy that promised that their God would remember them, hear their cries, rescue and redeem the people by sending a divine representative, a man who would become a King of the Jews. This Messiah would usher in an age of peace, freedom, prosperity, and joy. He would renew the covenant and rebuild the nation as the blessed family of God. Other nations would surrender and serve them. The ancient writings of the prophets spoke of a time and a person who would come to save Israel. They longed for a certain kind of freedom in order to practice the law of God---to love the Lord their God with all their hearts, minds, bodies, and souls. Some in Israel believed that that time had come.
Enter Jesus of Nazareth.
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