tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35482291.post283917209009850603..comments2023-05-06T19:17:22.300+10:00Comments on Hebel: 20 Centuries in 20 Posts Part IMatthew Moffitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00546422699620482793noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35482291.post-9423397434105400952011-05-04T08:03:02.314+10:002011-05-04T08:03:02.314+10:00Hi Alex,
Thanks for partially pre-empting the nex...Hi Alex,<br /><br />Thanks for partially pre-empting the next post: the inclusion of and mission to the Gentiles, which flows out of the original purpose of Israel: a royal priesthood, a holy nation. It's through the renewal of Israel that the nations will be blessed.<br /><br />MattMatthew Moffitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00546422699620482793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35482291.post-77571423786761235852011-05-04T00:08:29.223+10:002011-05-04T00:08:29.223+10:00Hi Matt,
I saw your post on Katie Bolton’s facebo...Hi Matt,<br /><br />I saw your post on Katie Bolton’s facebook page and it grabbed my interest! I like what you say about Jesus mission as focused on Israel. As I’ve heard it said – the Gospels are the conclusion of the Old Testament. Such an understanding properly roots Jesus, and thus our understanding of him, in his proper context and so helps us to avoid mis-reading the Gospels. However, I’m not sure I’d go as far as to say that Jesus mission was exclusively focused on Israel. His mission was to Israel, but always with a view to the nations. Jesus came to call Israel back to covenant faithfulness, but the Sinai Covenant was also an expression of the Abrahamic Covenant: Israel were to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:6) so that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you (them)” (Gen 12:3). Abraham was chosen with a view to blessing the nations, and Israel were chosen with a view to furthering this purpose. Both Covenants were established by God to fulfill his creation intention to extend his blessing and rule to all of creation (Gen. 1). And so Jesus was not only the Davidic King, he was also the seed of Abraham (Gal 3:16), and the seed of Gen. 3:15, that God raised up to restore his creation intention. Jesus mission to Israel must be seen in the context of God’s wider purposes to restore the world, ie. to save both Jews and gentiles. This is why he closes Matthew’s gospel with the words: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” and Luke’s Gospel with the words:” “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” And so as much as the Gospels close the Old Testament, they also inaugurate the New Testament. So I guess I would say Jesus came to Israel with a view to restoring the world, and not just to renew Israel. <br /><br />Blessings,<br />AlexAlexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12518960053405283631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35482291.post-30859454900940820192011-05-03T11:49:46.833+10:002011-05-03T11:49:46.833+10:00This is possibly the most helpful blog post I have...This is possibly the most helpful blog post I have ever read. The gospel is church history. Love it :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com