A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

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A B i b l i ca l Vi s i on, Par t I I : Mas ter i ng the New Tes tament Wi tnes s to Chr i s t

God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first command ment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

C. On the in-breaking of the Kingdom of God in his person: his parables

1. One-third of all his parables are on the Kingdom of God.

2. Through his parables he reveals a new picture of the Kingdom of God.

a. It is not national blessing and Gentile destruction.

b. It is spiritual, rooted in humility, grace, and love.

c. It is both present and still future.

D. On his unique identification with the poor and the lost

1. His inauguration at Nazareth, Luke 4.18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 2. His authentication of his Messiahship to John the Baptist, Luke 7.20-23 – And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’” [21] In that hour he healed many people of