What is "The Good News?"

[EBA]

Tell me, what is "The Good News?"

Peace be to all.

[marco]

[Replying to post 48 by marco]

Marco!!!! I find great joy in conversing with you! Maybe, we are making the good news to complicated. Grace, the good news is grace! Despite all our rather unpleasant quirks, we are given grace.

Yes I recall in my lunatic boyhood singing about Christ's coming to give the Good News to the poor, telling sinners that they are sinners no more and setting prisoners free, which is a rather risky business.

If the Good News is that we have been given a divine Christmas present of grace I wonder why the hand-out was selective. I don't think that after Christ there was a historic overflow of goodness. But how can I disagree with such cheerful optimism without appearing to be Mr. Scrooge crying humbug.

[Peds nurse]

[Replying to post 51 by marco]

Sweet Marco! Grace is not selective, but perhaps we are in recognizing it.

[onewithhim]

the News is that there is a coming Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven.

If Jesus came to spread this "good news" then he wasted a lot of time in telling us umpteen other things. This is a footnote to what he said, only an interpretation, rather than a main message.

Are we saying that Jesus, then, was an unsuccessful communicator?

How can you say that when the main thing Jesus talked about was the Kingdom? The two BIG points in the prayer he taught us to pray were his Father's name and the Kingdom. (Matt.6:9,10) Much has been said about this in these threads, which you have apparently not read. What, for heaven's sake, are the "umpteen other things" that he talked about that were a waste of time?

[brianbbs67]

The law and the prophets, if I had to start a list. Christ covered a lot of ground though. So could be almost anything.

[marco]

How can you say that when the main thing Jesus talked about was the Kingdom? The two BIG points in the prayer he taught us to pray were his Father's name and the Kingdom. (Matt.6:9,10)

FOR YOU the two big points are what you've selected. I don't recall in the Lord's prayer the mention of his Father's actual name. He showers holiness on it certainly. The mention of the kingdom is a metaphor to be unfurled.

Much has been said about this in these threads, which you have apparently not read. What, for heaven's sake, are the "umpteen other things" that he talked about that were a waste of time?

You take non-acceptance as not-read. Somebody's modern explanation of the word "kingdom" does not provide fact. Of course he spoke of umpteen other things: Samaritans, mustard seeds, foolish virgins, the meek, the fig tree, commemorating the bread he broke, his blood being wine, vines and branches, building on sand and so on and so on. The kingdom is just another metaphor for paradise. King is a metaphor.

[JehovahsWitness]

The kingdom is just another metaphor for paradise. King is a metaphor.

Whatever it means metaphor or not, it is a fact that the bible record has Jesus speaking about the "kingdom" more than any other subject. I personally don't think any of the things Jesus spoke about was {to quote you} "a waste of time" and I daresay there are many millions of people that would agree with me.

I don't accept your interpretation of what the kingdom is.


JW





WHAT

What is God's Kingdom and what will it do? [video included]
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 402#865402

Are we to understand the Kingdom to be a LITERAL government that will rule over this literal planet earth?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 630#865630

What is the dictionary definition of the word "kingdom"?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 897#886897

Does the Kingdom government meet the criteria of a real government?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 759#883759

What is God's Kingdom? [Q&A]
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 714#885714

WHEN

When did God's kingdom begin ruling?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 378#883378

If Jesus has been ruling since 1914 why have there been on significant improvements in world conditions?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 772#883772

How could Jesus be appointed king in 1914 if he was given "all authority" in 33 CE?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 355#829355

What had Jesus been doing PRIOR to 1914?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 622#883622
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 989#886989

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/book ... om-of-god/
[/quote]

RELATED POSTS


What do Jesus' words "the kingdom is within you" mean?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 934#865934

Can we see evidence of Kingdom action today?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 865#835865

What measures has the Kingdom already taken? [Q&A]
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 788#835788

What will those ruling in this government (The Kingdom) actually DO in the future?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 622#878622

What will life be like on earth when God's kingdom government is the only government?
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 454#886454

Did Jesus admit to Pilate to being a king
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 494#884494
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 960#886960

[onewithhim]

How can you say that when the main thing Jesus talked about was the Kingdom? The two BIG points in the prayer he taught us to pray were his Father's name and the Kingdom. (Matt.6:9,10)

FOR YOU the two big points are what you've selected. I don't recall in the Lord's prayer the mention of his Father's actual name. He showers holiness on it certainly. The mention of the kingdom is a metaphor to be unfurled.

Much has been said about this in these threads, which you have apparently not read. What, for heaven's sake, are the "umpteen other things" that he talked about that were a waste of time?

You take non-acceptance as not-read. Somebody's modern explanation of the word "kingdom" does not provide fact. Of course he spoke of umpteen other things: Samaritans, mustard seeds, foolish virgins, the meek, the fig tree, commemorating the bread he broke, his blood being wine, vines and branches, building on sand and so on and so on. The kingdom is just another metaphor for paradise. King is a metaphor.

No, I say a person didn't read what I said when they keep asking the same questions or offering comments that have already been answered. It would be great if, instead of repeating yourself, folks here would comment directly on what has already been posted, including the links provided.

Whether or not Jesus uttered his Father's actual name in his model prayer, the Father has a name. To tell people about the Father and not use His personal name is beyond reason. How can someone describe YOU without mentioning your name?

The kingdom does include paradise on Earth, and it is a real government. (Daniel 2:44) Jesus indicated that by means of the kingdom there would be conditions on Earth, of peace and harmony, just as there were peaceful conditions in heaven.

[marco]

[quote="JehovahsWitness"]


I don't accept your interpretation of what the kingdom is. [quote]

Nor I yours. The explanation given in your reference accepts that Jesus said the Kingdom is within you but then suggests that Jesus could not have meant inside the person when this is a perfectly good explanation. The obvious is discarded to accord with some preconceived notions and because Jesus happened to have Pharisees in his audience it is supposed he could not have meant the kingdom is inside them. Jesus is simply saying that righteousness, the ways of heaven, should be found in everyone. He is not in condemnatory mode nor is he stating, factually, that between liver and kidney is the kingdom.

As it happens, the Egyptians entertained the same notion. And it is a perfectly understandable one, in line with us being Temples of the Holy spirit. Did not Jesus say he would destroy the Temple and in three days rebuild it? He was speaking metaphorically.

Incidentally, the mention of the phrase "kingdom of heaven" over a hundred time is not an example of preaching or explaining. We are now discussing what the phrase means and we cannot agree.

[marco]

It would be great if, instead of repeating yourself, folks here would comment directly on what has already been posted, including the links provided.

It is toil enough to comment on the suggestions of other posters without having to correct the mistakes of unknown contributors from the Great and Holy Internet. I find their explanations generally flawed and sometimes silly.

Whether or not Jesus uttered his Father's actual name in his model prayer, the Father has a name. To tell people about the Father and not use His personal name is beyond reason. How can someone describe YOU without mentioning your name?

With tremendous ease. They discuss some article I have written and simply quote "the writer." Jesus would speak of "the father". It would be unusual, I think, for him to employ "Jehovah" since children do not normally use their parents' names when speaking of them. So in this you are completely wrong.

The kingdom does include paradise on Earth, and it is a real government. (Daniel 2:44) Jesus indicated that by means of the kingdom there would be conditions on Earth, of peace and harmony, just as there were peaceful conditions in heaven.

I feel this explanation is bordering on the fanciful. Why would heaven model itself on man's practices? The use of "government" and "kingship" in connection with future post mortem existence is fatuous, if meant literally. We can cope with figurative usage, which was almost certainly what was meant.

[onewithhim]

I don't accept your interpretation of what the kingdom is.

Nor I yours. The explanation given in your reference accepts that Jesus said the Kingdom is within you but then suggests that Jesus could not have meant inside the person when this is a perfectly good explanation.

It really is not a good explanation because he was speaking to the Pharisees who he compared to hypocrites and snakes. (See Matthew chapter 23.) How could they have the kingdom inside themselves?