reign of god

christianity

from 380CE

The Pharisees

The most important of the three were the Pharisees because

they are the spiritual fathers of modern Judaism.

Pharisees

were in a sense blue-collar Jews who adhered to the

tenets developed after the destruction of the Temple; that is,

such things as individual prayer and assembly in synagogues

The Sadducees

were elitists who wanted to maintain the priestly caste.

The Sadducees

rejected the idea of the Oral Law and insisted on a literal interpretation of the Written Law; consequently, they did not believe in an after life, since it is not mentioned in the Torah.

rituals associated with the Temple.

The main focus of Sadducee life was

Essenes

A third faction, the __, emerged out of disgust with the other two.

Essenes

This sect believed the others had corrupted the city and the Temple.

Essenes

They moved out of Jerusalem and lived a monastic life in the desert, adopting strict dietary laws and a commitment to celibacy.

The Elite

Powerful and Wealthy

Roman Rulers

Herod the Great and his sons

Sadducees and Pharisees

the Local Rulers

chief priests

organization and administration of the temple

elders

lay nobility, the old aristocratic families who owned most of the land

interpretation of the KOG as an interior life

making Christian discipleship as too introspective, pietistic,

and apolitical; self-absorbed devotion

interpretation of the KOG as an interior life

religious direction is dependence and trust; surrender of one's mind & heart

interpretation of the KOG as an interior life

applied in contemplative/monastic traditions (a perspective that transforms the meaning of Song of Songs)

interpretation of the KOG as an after-life reality

this complements the interiority of #1; formation is overly concerned with a self-purification process that promotes an individualistic preoccupation with dependence and docility in order to obtain one's passport for eternal life

interpretation of the KOG as an after-life reality

an 'other-worldly' tendency

interpretation of the KOG as worldly prosperity being the palpable sign of the presence of God

health/wealth/prosperity oriented; Jesus was not poor—thus not against entrepreneurship

interpretation of the KOG as worldly prosperity being the palpable sign of the presence of God

materialistic tendency → wealth (economic progress) is the indicator of grace; may assume a hedonistic and consumeristic culture

The Emperor

was the Good Message/News even as people were forced to pay tribute and display homage to him

evangelion; good news

is a concept originally attached to the Lords/ Emperors who were bringers of “imperial blessings” and were considered as the Good News themselves.

gospel

was used at the time of the Roman Empire to herald the good news of the arrival of a kingdom - the reign of a king that brought a war to an end, so that all people of the world who surrendered and pledged allegiance to this king would be granted salvation from destruction.

Priene “Calendar” Inscription

It is called the ____ because it refers to the birthday of Augustus Caesar as the beginning of an era - the beginning of the gospel announcing his kingdom that heralded peace and salvation for his people…where accounts were due and the order of days were proclaimed.

Jesus

is thus heralded as the king who ends war by conquering people's allegiance, in contrast to the Roman Caesar.

3-pronged ministry

caring, prophetic, teaching

Malkut

refers primarily to authority, reign, or the exercise of sovereign power; not focused on a geographical area or realm nor to the people inhabiting the realm; the emphasis is on the ruling presence of God

your companion

refers to the same category as “your brother” and “the children of your people,” all explicitly referring to one’s fellow Jew.

Compassion

an affectional principle (in the context of assistance) that is more important than rational principles of rights, justice, etc.

networking

Collaboration with others

Mercy (eleos)

one's care toward the other reflects the ___ of God

Neighbor

is the giver and not the receiver.

Sin of the World

a biblical notion; an inauthentic mode of existence, a corroding pollution from a corrupted environment.

Social/Cultural Sin

the customs, traditions, arrangements, and the way of life (of the aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community) that produce unintended negative consequences;

Structural Sin

the pre-established connections, networks, or interlocking positions in society that produce unintended negative consequences

ecclesia

assembly around the person of Jesus; living in a community as brothers & sisters

coercive

ability to force or punish others

non-coercive influence

charismatic, positional, moral, expertise

STRUCTURE

The arrangement of and relations/interactions between the parts or elements of a whole or something complex

Colonialism

is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance.