When General Douglas MacArthur said:
“People of the Philippines, I have returned!”
And eyewitnesses saw him wading ashore that October day.
When the eyewitnesses told people what they saw, the inference was that this was MacArthur doing exactly what he'd promised a couple of years or so before, "I shall return".
The inference wasn't that his coming-ashore that day was merely some unrelated incident with no real connection to MacArthur's promise and purpose.
Same with the gospel. The apostles didn't merely pick details in Prophecy out of their context like they were standalone details and say, "There you are, Jesus fulfilled that, I saw Him!". No, they were claiming that the intended fulfilment of the Old Testament's story itself was being achieved by Jesus and by His work.
The 'gospel' is the announcement of that achievement which had begun to be rolled-out. That's why the gospel is called "The Gospel 'of the kingdom' " - because it's not just about the King - but about His kingdom.
"The gospel of the kingdom" means:
If it's not about the kingdom, it's not 'gospel'; and,
If it's not about the gospel, it's not 'the kingdom'.
The kingdom is inseparable from the gospel, and the gospel is inseparable from the kingdom.
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 'is' the gospel of the kingdom of God.
That is the claim the New Testament is making - with eyewitness records - and the power of God to back it up.
“People of the Philippines, I have returned!”
And eyewitnesses saw him wading ashore that October day.
When the eyewitnesses told people what they saw, the inference was that this was MacArthur doing exactly what he'd promised a couple of years or so before, "I shall return".
The inference wasn't that his coming-ashore that day was merely some unrelated incident with no real connection to MacArthur's promise and purpose.
Same with the gospel. The apostles didn't merely pick details in Prophecy out of their context like they were standalone details and say, "There you are, Jesus fulfilled that, I saw Him!". No, they were claiming that the intended fulfilment of the Old Testament's story itself was being achieved by Jesus and by His work.
The 'gospel' is the announcement of that achievement which had begun to be rolled-out. That's why the gospel is called "The Gospel 'of the kingdom' " - because it's not just about the King - but about His kingdom.
"The gospel of the kingdom" means:
If it's not about the kingdom, it's not 'gospel'; and,
If it's not about the gospel, it's not 'the kingdom'.
The kingdom is inseparable from the gospel, and the gospel is inseparable from the kingdom.
The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 'is' the gospel of the kingdom of God.
That is the claim the New Testament is making - with eyewitness records - and the power of God to back it up.
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