The document provides an overview of the key messages and themes from a class on the Kingdom of God based on Jesus' teachings. It discusses how Jesus' message was that the Kingdom of God is at hand, which was different than the violent end times expected by Jews. It explores Jesus' use of parables like the banquet to convey the Kingdom, and how his love was "stupid" and "incomprehensible" in forgiving and showing compassion towards all.

1. Bible Alive: Jesus Christ Class Eight: The Kingdom of God II— Miracles and Message

2. The following presentation would be impossible without these resources

3. And most of all… By Father Roch A. Kereszty o. cist. Thank you Father Roch!

4. Setting the Tone “Hope consists in asserting that there is at the heart of being, beyond all data, beyond all inventories and all calculations, a mysterious Principle which is in connivance with me and which cannot will anything except that which I will if what I will DESERVES to be willed and is willed with the whole of my being.” —Gabriel Marcel

6. Setting the Tone If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. —Meister Eckhart

8. Setting the Tone There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Thy will be done”, and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way”. —C.S. Lewis

10. Let us Pray Merciful Father Thank you for inviting us to the Banquet of your Reign. Help us to see with eyes of faith Help us to listen with the Spirit of Humility. Help us likewise to go out and love our enemies, forgive others’ debts as you have forgiven ours. Poor in Spirit, we give you thanks for today and every day, By your Divine Presence, Amen.

11. Summarizing Last Class We saw that the Church never could have invented Jesus’ baptism at the hands of John the Baptist. We learned why also. We saw why Baptism is the “hermeneutical key” for understanding the meaning of Jesus’ ministry and message. We discovered how the inspired authors of the Synoptic Gospels choose mythic language in the temptation narrative and how all three attempts of the devil are variations on the one great temptation Jesus faced during his public ministry: To become the Messiah who fulfills the expectations of the people. We learned the outline of Jesus’ ministry.

12. The Message of Jesus

13. What was the message of Jesus? Mk 1:14-15, 8:35, 10:29, 13:10— Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel.” For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel… And the gospel must first be preached to all nations. The message of Jesus is the “Good News” or Gospel that “The Kingdom (or reign) of God is at hand!”

14. Matthean Theology & Gospel How does Matthean text in its editorial summaries recapitulate the teaching of Jesus (in Greek, to euanggeliontesbasileias)? See Mt 4:23, 9:35, 24:14— And he went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations; and then the end will come. Matthew’s theology has Jesus “proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom.”

15. Lucan Theology & Gospel How does the Lucan text present Jesus’ preaching (euaggelizesthai)? See Lk 4:18-19, 4:43, 8:1— “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preachgood news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” …But he said to them, “I must preachthe good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, preaching and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him… Luke prefers this medial verb-form to indicate the message of Jesus’ preaching.

18. Original Expression for Luke What is the meaning of the term euaggelizesthai, “proclaim the Good News,” in the light of its Old Testament usage? The terms euangellizesthai, “to announce Good News,” means in context to announce God’s VICTORY to Jerusalem. That’s the Good News. So the liberation from the Babylonian Exile announced by Isaiah’s disciples is a foreshadowing of what is happening now: Satan is on the retreat! The exile of sickness, death, and sin are CONQUERED! Through the word and works of Jesus, the power of Satan is on retreat. This is the beginning of the final victory over the powers that have oppressed and kept humankind captive in the shadow of death. Mt 13:17—[Jesus said] “Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.” Lk 10:23-24—Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

19. The New Age of the Good News A new age has dawned on humankind. What was happening to the world of those exposed to Jesus’ preaching? Mt 11:13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John… Lk 7:28, 16:16 “…I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he”… “The law and the prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and every one enters it violently…” The world as they knew it was coming to an END.

20. A Different ‘End of Days’ How is the drawing near of the Kingdom of God in Jesus’ preaching SIGNIFICANTLY different than the End of Days foretold in Jewish apocalyptic literature? Lk 17:20-21—Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” If you lack eyes of faith, you cannot perceive the hidden presence of the Kingdom or Reign of God.

21. Not What Was Expected… Unlike Apocalyptic Jewish literature, where the ‘End of Time’ is accompanied by signs of cosmic upheaval, such apocalyptic signs do not accompany the drawing near of the Kingdom in Jesus’ preaching. Healings, exorcisms and raising the dead as well as preaching to the poor and converting sinners are signs that do not compel acceptance. Why? They can be misinterpreted. Some misinterpret them as evidence of Jesus being diabolically possessed. But with eyes of faith, one can see the Kingdom in these “mighty deeds” of Jesus.

22. The Good News is Surprising Jews expected the coming of the King either through violent warfare or perfect obedience to the Law. Is this how Jesus came? Nope. Jesus and his ministry of the Kingdom has appeared as a pure gift of God’s initiative. IT WAS IN NO WAY MERITTED. It does not presuppose conversion; rather it calls for conversion. Kereszty explains—the Kingdom of God appears in the ministry of Jesus, not as the result of Israel’s conversion but rather as a pure gift on God’s initiative.

24. Jesus risked alienating the crowds to drive this point home—he would not accept the role as political Messiah. The Reign of God cannot come through military or political movements.

26. Stupid Resistance In Jesus’ preaching on the Kingdom God’s power is seen as one of incomprehensible love—why would people resist this love? This love is an unsettling and upsetting love, not only for the religious hypocrite, but also for the devout Jew who sought righteousness and avoided wickedness. Jesus not only allowed sinners to come to him like John the Baptist did, he went after them. He not only forgave their sins; he ate with them! Jesus’ God pays the SAME AMOUNT to the worker hired in the last hour of the day (the sinner who repents at the final hour) as to the worker who has endured the whole heat of the day’s labor (the self righteous and law-abiding Pharisee or Essene). What sort of God is this? What sort of love is this??

27. What kind of love is this?? Lk 7:36-50 Cf Mk 14:3-9 Mt 26:6-13 Jn12:1-8

28. Lk 15:3-7 Cf. also Mt 18:12-13 What kind of crazy love is this?? One out of 99??

29. Jn 4:1-30 What kind of insane love considers the defiled half-breed, the enemy, the apostate, the prostitute and repeat fornicator, the person in absolute darkness?

30. Lk 10:25-37 This is a CRAZY, STUPID, INCONCEIVABLE love……

31. Luke 10:38-42 What kind of love is this that accepts a woman as a disciple!!??

32. Mt 18:1-5 Cf. also Mk 9:33-37 Lk 9:49-50 What kind of love is so SHAMEFUL as to place a child or servant in the place of Greatness???

33. Mk 2:1-12 Cf. also Mt 9:1-8 Lk 5:17-26 (see also Jn 5:1-18) This love is Incomprehensible.

34. Lk 15:11-32 What kind of love is this??

35. Incomprehensible Love The love of Jesus’ God is, in Greek, moron—a“stupid, foolish love” (see Lk 15:1-32). It is the love of a FOOLISH shepherd who leaves 99 sheep for the a troublesome one that has been lost—think how outrageous that is! It’s like that of a CRAZY woman who frantically sweeps the house until she finds ONLY one coin! Or like a Father whose ungrateful son abandons him and squanders everything of the family inheritance he gave him, and abandoning his dignity he runs to embrace him, not even waiting to hear him finish his confession before he has dressed him in his finest attire and celebrates his return to life in the Banquet!

36. The Banquet What is the central image of the Kingdom? The Festive Banquet is the central image of the Kingdom. Both the law-abiding Pharisee (who is in terrible condition as he, the elder brother, resents his father’s generosity toward his brother) and repentant sinner are invited into the central image of the Kingdom. Mt 8:11—“I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.” Lk 13:28-30—“There you will weep and gnash your teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves thrust out. And men will come from east and west, and from north and south, and sit at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

38. The Central Image of the Kingdom More on the Festive Banquet: The Festive Banquet, in Jesus message, relates to metanoia, a complete change of heart and way of life—this begins with accepting the invitation to God’s banquet. Loving one’s enemies becomes the characteristic attitude of one who undergoes metanoia. If I accept the invitation to the banquet there must be included in me a gratitude for an UNDESERVED forgiveness for my sins, and I must therefore adopt the same attitude toward those who sinned against me. If I don’t imitate God’s forgiveness, rest assured God will revoke forgiving my sins. Only in this way can I “prove” that I have accepted the love of God.

39. Exploring the Festive Banquet Read Mt 18:21-35— Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

40. Love of Enemies & Metanoia The most characteristic attitude of one who undergoes metanoia is love of enemies. No love of enemies? Then it is all rubbish. Only in loving your enemies can one “prove” that they have accepted and understood the love of God.

41. More from the Festive Banquet What is another aspect of metanoia in Jesus’ preaching and the Festive Banquet image? We are called by Jesus to become “little children.” Can little children earn their living? Nope. Are they independent? No way. They are COMPLETELY dependent on their parents. No matter what happens they trust in their parents’ care. They are convinced that their parents are able to what is best for them. Thus a disciple is one who unconditionally, trustingly, lovingly and joyfully surrenders to God as one’s Father and gratefully accepts the kingdom as pure gift.

43. Misery helps people cry out to God because everything else has failed. In that very moment they do so, the kingdom of God is theirs. So being guests at the banquet in the Kingdom of Heaven is a celebration for those who have accepted the invitation and were reborn as little children.

45. The Phenomenon of Jesus’ Miracles

50. The Healings Interpreted Note how the healings are described with the same verb as describing the raising up of Jesus: Mt 8:15—[Jesus] touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served him. Mt 9:5,7—For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?... And he rose and went home. Mk 2:12—And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!" Lk 4:39—And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them. Lk 5:25—And immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and went home, glorifying God. Lk 17:19—And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

51. The Essence of Faith What is the essence of the faith Jesus demands? Read Mk 5:35-36—While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” The essence of faith demanded by Jesus is: when facing the empirical evidence of death as the final end of human life, trust in God who brings his creation back to a new life in and through Jesus.

52. True Faith & Faith Today The faith that Jesus asks for—is it contrary to what many people TAKE for faith in our society? Mk 9:23—And Jesus said to him, “If you can! All things are possible to him who believes.” YES. We often kid ourselves, “Believe you can do it and you can do it!” Jesus never speaks of faith as confidence in one’s own UNLIMITED power. The “faith the size of a mustard seed,” the faith that can move mountains, does not mean push yourself beyond your limits. It is very different from that. It is faith in God’s almighty power and in his absolute Goodness available for us in Jesus. This faith tells God: I trust that you alone are almighty and good and therefore I surrender myself to you completely. “If you WANT you can make me CLEAN.” By subjecting himself or herself to God in UNCONDITIONAL obedience, the believer in some sense shares in God’s limitless power; he can do WHATEVER God wants him to do with the strength that God provides. In this sense Jesus alone has THE FULNESS OF FAITH—he is the archetype and leader of our faith and we only participate in his fullness.

53. Are the Miracles Historical? Rudolf Bultmann: “One cannot use electric light and radio and believe in the spirits and in the miracles of the New Testament at the same time.” Kereszty—Few exegetes today would subscribe to Bultmann’s self-confident pronouncement. HOWEVER, There is no consensus on the extent to which legendary developments amplified the miracle traditions.

54. Are Jesus’ Miracles Historical?? What evidence do we have for the historicity of Jesus’ miracles in general? Jesus performed REAL miracles, despite what Rudolf Bultmann says. Again there is no consensus as to the extent to which legendary developments amplified the miracle traditions. Thus a Christian theologian cannot, on the basis of the doctrine of inspiration, exclude the possibility that some miracle stories of the bible are ENTIRELY legendary and that others have undergone amplification. Human traditions DO develop in this way. However, the assistance of the Holy Spirit DOES assure us that such amplifications or legendary developments CORRECTLY interpret the meaning of what Jesus truly said and did.

57. However, if we accept the resurrection of Christ by faith, we cannot a priori object to the admitting the historicity of Jesus’ raising people from the dead as a PROPHETIC sign of his own resurrection and to the coming of the Kingdom in power.

58. To suggest that the daughter of Jairus or the young man of Nain only appeared dead is pure speculation without any support from the text.

60. What is it then? It is a philosophical presupposition, a world-view IMPOSED on scientific matters.

61. We have seen already how the Christian doctrine of Creation itself is the philosophical and theological context that provides analogies for understanding the resurrection of Christ. This applies also to the miracles of Jesus. God enables the natural cause to transcend its power and produce a disproportionately greater-than-normal effect.

62. In all miracles, the natural actions of Jesus are not by-passed, but rather are enabled by the divine power to transcend their natural results.

65. However with eyes of faith, the miracles “open up for us,” don’t they? We can only understand these mighty deeds of Jesus in light of the Kingdom.

67. Breaking Bread & Crisis How is the multiplication of the loaves a turning point in the ministry of Jesus? Kereszty answers that the feeding of the multitudes seems to mark a turning point in the relationship between Jesus and the crowds. It is attested to in all four gospels. Jn 6:14-15—When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself… The Messianic uprising occasioned by feeding the multitude would explain why Jesus wanted to separate his disciples from the enthusiasm of the crowds.

68. Historical?? Explain the evidence for its historicity and the meaning of this sign. BUT if the crowds in the dessert had proclaimed Jesus as their Messiah-King there HAD to be GOOD REASON for it. In other words, let’s be consistent and address the challenge of I. de la Potterie (Kereszty, p. 119)—if you are going to claim that this story demonstrates the historicity of a messianic uprising around Jesus DON’T REDUCE the historical kernel of the multiplication of the loaves to merely a kind “sharing of their provisions” with one another. That’s SIMPLY TOO UNREMARKABLE to spark a messianic fever plus ignite a rebellion against Rome. A truly miraculous multiplication of loaves? That could make plausible the people’s outburst. There was a Jewish belief that the Messiah would renew the manna miracle from the Exodus as a new Moses: Dt 18:15—[Moses said] “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren—him you shall heed…”

69. The Syrian Apocalypse of Baruch 2 Baruch 29:3-8— And it shall come to pass when all is accomplished that was to come to pass in those parts, that the Messiah shall then begin to be revealed. And Behemoth shall be revealed from his place and Leviathan shall ascend from the sea, those two great monsters which I created on the fifth day of creation, and shall have kept until that time; and then they shall be for food for all that are left. The earth also shall yield its fruit ten-thousandfold and on each vine there shall be a thousand branches, and each branch shall produce a thousand clusters, and each cluster produce a thousand grapes, and each grape produce a cor of wine. And those who have hungered shall rejoice: moreover, also, they shall behold marvels every day. For winds shall go forth from before Me to bring every morning the fragrance of aromatic fruits, and at the close of the day clouds distilling the dew of health. And it shall come to pass at that self-same time that the treasury of manna shall again descend from on high, and they will eat of it in those years, because these are they who have come to the consummation of time. Jewish intertestimental literature is repetitive with this theme; it demonstrates perhaps reason behind the crowd’s preoccupation for ‘manna from heaven’ in the Johannine text—see Jn 6:30-66.

70. A Prophetic Sign-Action It seems the people mistook the miracle as an Apocalyptic sign to trigger a political Messianic age. What did the miracle really mean? The event highlights the unwillingness or the inability of the crowds for metanoia. This is a watershed event concerning Jesus’ relationship to the crowds. They want Jesus to be the Messiah on their own terms, the leader in an uprising against Roman political power. Notice that this happens in the desert, by the way—tying this not only to the Exodus narrative, but to the Gospels’ Temptation accounts. Jesus REFUSES their position because it is Satanic. They refuse the invitation to the Banquet. But there is more besides: this prophetic sign-action prepares the Eucharistic Banquet in which the food that creates communion is the very Body and Blood of the Messiah himself. We can only see this in light of the resurrection. Questions & Assignment