Disciples Global Network

Иисус прибыл в Галилею, провозглашая “ Царство Божье " – “ Покайтесь, ибо приблизилось Царство ”. Однако природа его царства радикально отличалась от правительств и идеологий существующего мирового порядка, и Иисус неоднократно отказывался от политической власти, особенно когда сатана предлагал ее.

In the Gospel of Mark , Jesus is “ on the way ” to Jerusalem his death at the hands of his enemies. The theme of his inexorable journey is repeated in Mark , beginning with John the Baptist who came to “ prepare THE WAY of the Lord .” He would complete his mission as the ‘ Suffering Servant ’ of the Book of Isaiah when he was tried by the priestly leaders of the Temple and faced death outside the walls of the City of David at the hands of Rome.

The Book of Revelation concludes with an image of the immense and glorious city of “ New Jerusalem ” populated by the “ innumerable multitude ” of men and women redeemed from every nation. It represents the fulfillment of the covenant promises to Abraham of “ land ” and “ blessings to all the nations .” All this has been accomplished by the shed “ blood of the Lamb .” The City of God will be populated!

После предсказания о его смерти два ученика начали соперничать за высокие посты в его грядущем Царстве. Мысля в соответствии с представлениями этого мира о политической власти, они не понимали, каким Мессией был (и остается) Иисус, и, следовательно, что значит следовать за ним, “ куда бы он ни пошел ”. Однако вскоре в Иерусалиме он продемонстрирует, как человек достигает “ величия " в Царстве Божьем.

Jesus summons us to become “ perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect ,” yet how can we emulate the perfect righteousness of God? His explanation is clear – By performing acts of mercy for others,  especially our enemies . Self-sacrificial love is the heart of the Gospel and the essential nature of the merciful God. Was Jesus not the Messiah who submitted to an unjust death on our behalf when we were yet the “ enemies of God ”?

Paul argued that adopting the rite of circumcision would constitute regression to something rudimentary, and an earlier stage in the redemptive history of God’s people. If Gentile believers did so, they would be obligated to keep the whole Law, and they could easily find themselves “ severed from Christ ” - (Galatians 5:1-4).