It's been fun spending time considering each of these five phrases in Jesus's gospel to Jewish people (according to Mk1:15):
. TIME iS FULFILLED*!
. THE KINGDOM/REIGN OF GOD('S HELP)
. IS NEAR.
. GIVE UP YOUR AGENDAS &
. GIVE YOUR ALLEGIANCE TO THIS ANNOUNCEMENT.
This reflection is about the first phrase*:
TIME IS FULFILLED!*
The story started, has its climax now,
and all the time so far has come to this:
I know this for the king t'whom all will bow
said so in this announcement here of his.
This is no lonely "one off" kind of thing,
but next step in a story going strong.
So far there's old, old prophets witnessing,
and John the Washer, Anna, Simeon,
and Magi from the East see star in sky,
and something happ'ning under a fig tree,
and Jesus summarizes all this by
"Time is fulfilled!" Those sent by him, too see -
for, Peter to some others, Gentile folk
(Cornelius - Centurion, Caesarea),
starts up his Message with the spirit's poke -
reminds them of God's work fulfilled past years.
And Paul to Athens' Greek philosophers
sees indications in the city's life
of God's involvement. In their lives there were
some signs of insights, poets, prophets rife.
The Christ's evangelists (First Century)
learn this from Jesus as they do their thing.
For Phillip, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, all see,
and draw attention to this ful-fill-ing.
Fulfilling work of that creative love
that was before our story was on stage.
The human tale; with parent from above
who knows us from before we came of age.
His work, that's he who covenanted with
the fam'lies of the Earth as he gave voice,
in friendship, with no force of arms to kith
& kin, but love of life & health, for choice.
Can you join in this line of heralds true
who look around to see what God's been at,
and help folk to see that this ain't just new,
God's been at work, and is, and will be that.
And then the next step, would be to make plain,
as herald of that one, the news he told;
his leadership's begun, he'll come again,
he calls us to - allegiance, & - be bold!
* The first phrase of Jesus's rendition of the gospel, which Mark tells us that he went heralding in all the villages throughout his state of Galilee: "Now after John was imprisoned, Jesus went into Galilee and heralded the gospel of God. He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!” … He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can herald there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” So he went into all of Galilee heralding in their synagogues and casting out demons. Mark 1:14-15, 38-39
Peter, to the Jewish throngs in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2, below, and how Peter interprets the current event, the opposite of God's previous work at Babel, for the people: as a fulfillment of their prophets' words. And then interprets the events of the last several years, in the life of Jesus, as a fulfillment of their prophets' words, before he gives his clear announcement, what their response should be, and tries to persuade them to make good their responses.)
Peter to a Jewish audience on the day of Pentecost
"But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say. In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ‘And in the last days it will be,’ God says, ‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And I will perform wonders in the sky above and miraculous signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will be changed to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes. And then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know – this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. But God raised him up, having released him from the pains of death, because it was not possible for him to be held in its power. For David says about him, ‘I saw the Lord always in front of me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced; my body also will live in hope, because you will not leave my soul in Hades, nor permit your Holy One to experience decay. You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of joy with your presence.’ “Brothers, I can speak confidently to you about our forefather David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did his body experience decay. This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the Holy Spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear. For David did not ascend into heaven, but he himself says, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:14-36
Peter to Cornelius' (non-Jewish) household (Acts 10)
"Talking things over, they went on into the house, where Cornelius introduced Peter to everyone who had come. Peter addressed them, “You know, I’m sure that this is highly irregular. Jews just don’t do this—visit and relax with people of another race. But God has just shown me that no race is better than any other. So the minute I was sent for, I came, no questions asked. But now I’d like to know why you sent for me.” Cornelius said, “Four days ago at about this time, midafternoon, I was home praying. Suddenly there was a man right in front of me, flooding the room with light. He said, ‘Cornelius, your daily prayers and neighborly acts have brought you to God’s attention. I want you to send to Joppa to get Simon, the one they call Peter. He’s staying with Simon the Tanner down by the sea.’ “So I did it—I sent for you. And you’ve been good enough to come. And now we’re all here in God’s presence, ready to listen to whatever the Master put in your heart to tell us.” Peter fairly exploded with his Announcement of God's leader: “It’s God’s own truth, nothing could be plainer: God plays no favorites! It makes no difference who you are or where you’re from—if you want God and are ready to do as he says, the door is open. The Announcement our leader sent to the children of Israel—that through Jesus Christ everything is being put together again—well, he’s doing it everywhere, among everyone. “You know the story of what happened in Judea. It began in Galilee after John heralded a total life-change. Then Jesus arrived from Nazareth, anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, ready for action. He went through the country helping people and healing everyone who was beaten down by the Devil. He was able to do all this because God was with him. …Acts 10:27-38
Paul to a Jewish synagogue in Antioch in Pisidia:
On the Sabbath they went to the meeting place and took their places. After the reading of the Scriptures—God’s Law and the Prophets—the president of the meeting asked them, “Friends, do you have anything you want to say? A word of encouragement, perhaps?” Paul stood up, paused and took a deep breath, then said, “Fellow Israelites and friends of God, listen. God took a special interest in our ancestors, pulled our people who were beaten down in Egyptian exile to their feet, and led them out of there in grand style. He took good care of them for nearly forty years in that godforsaken wilderness and then, having wiped out seven enemies who stood in the way, gave them the land of Canaan for their very own—a span in all of about 450 years. “Up to the time of Samuel the prophet, God provided judges to lead them. But then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul, son of Kish, out of the tribe of Benjamin. After Saul had ruled forty years, God removed him from office and put King David in his place, with this commendation: ‘I’ve searched the land and found this David, son of Jesse. He’s a man whose heart beats to my heart, a man who will do what I tell him.’ “From out of David’s descendants God produced a Savior for Israel, Jesus, exactly as he promised—but only after John had thoroughly alerted the people to his arrival by preparing them for a total life-change. As John was finishing up his work, he said, ‘Did you think I was the One? No, I’m not the One. But the One you’ve been waiting for all these years is just around the corner, about to appear. And I’m about to disappear.’ “Dear brothers and sisters, children of Abraham, and friends of God, this message of salvation has been precisely targeted to you. The citizens and rulers in Jerusalem didn’t recognize who he was and condemned him to death. They couldn’t find a good reason, but demanded that Pilate execute him anyway. They did just what the prophets said they would do, but had no idea they were following to the letter the script of the prophets, even though those same prophets are read every Sabbath in their meeting places. “After they had done everything the prophets said they would do, they took him down from the cross and buried him. And then God raised him from death. There is no disputing that—he appeared over and over again many times and places to those who had known him well in the Galilean years, and these same people continue to give witness that he is alive. “And we’re here today bringing you the announcement of his leadership: the Message that what God promised the fathers has come true for the children—for us! He raised Jesus, exactly as described in the second Psalm: My Son! My very own Son! Today I celebrate you! “When he raised him from the dead, he did it for good—no going back to that rot and decay for him. That’s why Isaiah said, ‘I’ll give to all of you David’s guaranteed blessings.’ So also the psalmist’s prayer: ‘You’ll never let your Holy One see death’s rot and decay.’ Acts 13:13-35
Paul to (non-Jewish) Greek philosophers in Athens:
"So Paul took his stand in the open space at the Areopagus and laid it out for them. “It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with. “The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ Well, if we are the God-created, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think we could hire a sculptor to chisel a god out of stone for us, does it? “God overlooks it as long as you don’t know any better—but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he’s calling for a radical life-change. He has set a day when the entire human race will be judged and everything set right. And he has already appointed the judge, confirming him before everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:22-31
Phillip the evangelist:
"Forced to leave home base, the followers of Jesus all became missionaries. Wherever they were scattered, they heralded the Announcement about Jesus. Going down to a Samaritan city, Philip heralded the Announcement of the Messiah. When the people heard what he had to say and saw the miracles, the clear signs of God’s action, they hung on his every word. Many who could neither stand nor walk were healed that day. The evil spirits protested loudly as they were sent on their way. And what joy in the city!" Acts 8:3-8
Later God’s angel spoke to Philip: “At noon today I want you to walk over to that desolate road that goes from Jerusalem down to Gaza.” He got up and went. He met an Ethiopian eunuch coming down the road. The eunuch had been on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and was returning to Ethiopia, where he was minister in charge of all the finances of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. He was riding in a chariot and reading the prophet Isaiah. The Spirit told Philip, “Climb into the chariot.” Running up alongside, Philip heard the eunuch reading Isaiah and asked, “Do you understand what you’re reading?” He answered, “How can I without some help?” and invited Philip into the chariot with him. The passage he was reading was this: As a sheep led to slaughter, and quiet as a lamb being sheared, He was silent, saying nothing. He was mocked and put down, never got a fair trial. But who now can count his kin since he’s been taken from the earth? The eunuch said, “Tell me, who is the prophet talking about: himself or some other?” Philip grabbed his chance. Using this passage as his text, he heralded Jesus to him. Acts 8:26-35
Mark 1:2-7 even though Mark is primarily addressing a mixed audience (of people who are culturally Jewish & non-Jewish) in Rome, he still starts off showing that this Announcement of the leadership of Jesus, God's Christ, starts with him fulfilling hints made centuries before in ancient prophet's words, and fulfilling the clear message given by God's most recent prophet, John the Baptist (Washer) (Mark 1:2-8)., and includes a quote of Jesus to his Jewish audience, speaking of himself as fulfilling their Jewish prophet's words (Mark 14:49). Interestingly, in Mark's original text, although he shows both Jesus' and his disciples' Jewish penchant for referencing current life as needing to be understood as fulfillment of "signs", scriptures, or prophecies (Jesus in Mark 2:23-28, & Mark 8:14-21; disciples in Mark13:1-4), or at least in the light of them; he does not make constant reference, himself, as the narrator, to the Jewish scriptures being fulfilled, as do both Matthew & to some extent John. Although he still makes reference, as narrator, to characters' lack of understanding of the present, by the light of past experienced events (Mark 6:49-52). And tells his story in such a way that listeners/readers will be led by questions posed by his story to look for fulfillment. e.g.
Jesus's regular unexplained self references to himself as "the son of Adam" (Mark 2:10,28; 8:31-38; 9:9-12,31; 10:33,45; 13:26; 14:21,41,62);
Jesus's quotation of the Daniel passage that includes "let the reader understand" (Mark 13:14);
Jesus's exasperation and careful torpedoing of his disciples' mis-understandings of what was meant by his warning to "be on guard against the leaven of the Pharisees & Herod". Mark's record of their continuing lack of understanding, and then Mark's own lack of explanation to his readers/listeners, who have less of a chance of understanding than Jesus' apostles who were present with him (Mark 8:14-21); etc)
Mark is, like his Master Jesus, before him, leading his readers/ listeners into more interaction with the reader/ teller/ story-text, & possibly other texts, which in turn sets up a practice of looking for understanding, & therefore (in Mark's world-view) fulfillment. This practice of allowing the Jews to use scripture as Jews do, and asking & training all readers/ hearers to use life & experience in God's world as an important source for gaining wisdom, understanding, & skill, appears to me to fulfill Mark's desire to honour the Jewish setting of his 'story', whilst simultaneously honouring the mixed cultural character of his Roman audience.
Matthew often takes pains to show his Jewish audience that Jesus's birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven all fulfill ancient prophecies about God's promised leader of humanity (Matt 1:22; 2:17; 4:14; 12:17; 26:54). And even points out things obscure beforehand to the unlearned, that have come to light since the coming, e.g. The numbers of descendants in Jesus's genealogy, between major events. The Magi from the East, leave (their homes, in Persia ?) on a sign (in the heavens) that is not mentioned by Matthew as being connected to Jewish prophecies, and after a not too circuitous route (allowing a place for Jewish prophecies) find the unweaned child.
Luke and John (John 12:35-38; 17:12; 18:32; 19:28-36; 15:25) are often at pains to show that Jesus's life is lived in the context of a larger story that was going strong and that provided expectation and climax, and of which the coming, life, death, resurrection, ascension & giving of the spirit of Jesus to his people, is to be seen as a fulfillment, climax, and start of a new phase. They each quote old prophecies that are being fulfilled, but contra to Matthew's & to some extent John's method of the narrator's aside, Luke simply speaks of the whole story being "the things that have been fulfilled among us", then angels telling news that gets fulfilled, and the central character, Jesus, claiming his own life and various aspects of it, as a fulfillment of prophecy (Luke 1:1,20; 1:45; 4:17-21; 18:31; 21:22-24; 22:16,35-38,47; 24:44-45), in Luke's second book to Theophilus, Acts, Luke continues his habit of the characters themselves speaking of this fulfillment (Acts 1:16; 3:18; 13:23,27,29). Luke sees fulfillment as going beyond the scriptures, & tells us about a number of separate instances of Jesus being a fulfillment for people with expectant spirits: The shepherds on the night of his birth, are let into the secret by a sky full of Angels. They go from the surrounding countryside into the township and find the baby born that night; The holy spirit leads a Godly man, old Simeon to connect with the child in the temple at his mother's post birth offering, and to recognise him as God's hoped for anointed leader of humanity - Messiah. And an old prophetess Anna, sees and hears that meeting, & "gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were waiting for God to set Jerusalem free." (Luke 2:38). It was not an event "on its own", or "done in a corner", or with no precedent (the Book 2 of Luke, Acts 26:25-29).
Yet strangely, it may well involve much that is very personal to very many people, like the shepherds, the Magi, Mary, Joseph, Simeon, Anna, or in John's record, Jesus' first meeting with the sceptical Nathaniel: Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one whom Moses wrote about in the book of the Law and whom the prophets also wrote about. He is Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” answered Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, he said about him, “Here is a real Israelite; there is nothing false in him!” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “I saw you when you were under the fig tree before Philip called you.” “Teacher,” answered Nathanael, “you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus said, “Do you believe just because I told you I saw you when you were under the fig tree? You will see much greater things than this!” And he said to them, “I am telling you the truth: you will see heaven open and God's angels going up and coming down on the Son of Man.” John 1:45-51 (with Jesus' last sentence being a clear allusion to Jacob's (preMosaic) "ladder", recognition of a gateway or portal into the Eden-like "house of God - shared with humanity" (Gen 28:10-22).
This is clearly the fulfillment of their best hopes & dreams.
