A couple of days ago I shared my struggle with the Greek word κηρύσσω (kerysso), I mentioned that when I encounter the word in the text I tend to render the word, “proclaim” or “herald.” Mark 1:14 (here @ Bible Gateway) is an instance.
Reading through this the other day, after changing preach to proclaim, I asked, what is being proclaimed. The object of the verb is “gospel”? The next question, based on the timeline of Mark, was what gospel? Christ has not died, thus He has not risen from the grave, so what was He proclaiming?
We, or at least I, tend to gloss over words like this that are familiar. I “know” what gospel means. However, the exercise of recasting “preach” to “proclaim” led me to question if I really knew what was Christ was communicating here. So I looked up the word, εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), in one of the tools I have that allow me to see the meaning of Greek words throughout the classical and koine period. I found that the word meant, good tidings, good news. It especially was used in the announcement of an emperor’s accession to the throne.
Consider that for a second. In the first century that is how the word was used. Now think about the implications of using that understanding of the use of εὐαγγέλιον in Mark 1:14 (here @ Bible Gateway) along with my rendering of κηρύσσω.
“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the accession of God to the throne.”
In the context that sheds a different light on Mark 1:15 (here @ Bible Gateway). It may explain why the kingdom of God is at hand.
However, there are multiple other implications if this is a correct understanding of the language.
The point of all this is not necessarily the meaning of Mark 1:14 – 15 (here @ Bible Gateway), rather, it is a thinly veiled encouragement not to take any of the words in the text for granted. That does not assume you know the meaning.
This was reinforced this morning when I met with a man to discuss our study on “in Christ”. But I will share that in the next post.
We, or at least I, tend to gloss over words like this that are familiar. I “know” what gospel means. However, the exercise of recasting “preach” to “proclaim” led me to question if I really knew what was Christ was communicating here. So I looked up the word, εὐαγγέλιον (euangelion), in one of the tools I have that allow me to see the meaning of Greek words throughout the classical and koine period. I found that the word meant, good tidings, good news. It especially was used in the announcement of an emperor’s accession to the throne.
Consider that for a second. In the first century that is how the word was used. Now think about the implications of using that understanding of the use of εὐαγγέλιον in Mark 1:14 (here @ Bible Gateway) along with my rendering of κηρύσσω.
“Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the accession of God to the throne.”
In the context that sheds a different light on Mark 1:15 (here @ Bible Gateway). It may explain why the kingdom of God is at hand.
However, there are multiple other implications if this is a correct understanding of the language.
The point of all this is not necessarily the meaning of Mark 1:14 – 15 (here @ Bible Gateway), rather, it is a thinly veiled encouragement not to take any of the words in the text for granted. That does not assume you know the meaning.
This was reinforced this morning when I met with a man to discuss our study on “in Christ”. But I will share that in the next post.
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