Q; Is the "gospel of the kingdom" a different gospel?
Jerry: Short answer: Yes...but the word "different" is not what I would use. I would say it is another aspect or revelation about "the gospel."
When we use the word gospel, keep in mind that it means "good news." Revelation begins after the fall and progresses through the Bible.
The first mention is in Genesis called the proto-gospel is is the foundation from which the revelation of this good news progresses.
The good news comes after the bad news of the fall in Genesis 3.
We read:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:15
The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. Genesis 3:22
To be brief....the "promised Seed" will be the heart of this good news. We can extrapolate four points.
Man is a sinner under the authority of the Serpent.
God is sending the Seed to save man from the power of sin, the condemnation of the law, and the authority of the Serpent.
Until the Seed comes innocent animals will be sacrificed to shed their blood for atonement, their skins removed to cover the sinner, the bodies of the sacrifice will be consumed by fire on an altar.
For the sacrifices to be effective the sinner will need to believe in the coming Seed and receive the blood sacrifice for their atonement to be justified before God.
This continues through history.
Again to be brief... the next aspect of the gospel that is revealed was to Abraham, Moses, David and the nation of Israel.
Israel was given earthly promises of the land, the priesthood, and the kingdom. When Israel forgot the gospel, Prophets would restate these promises.
The next aspect of this good news is that the Seed would come from Israel as the Prophet, Priest and King. He would, through His sacrifices make the old covenant null and void. He will make a new and everlasting covenant with Israel that would be given to the Gentiles through them. To receive these promises will be by faith through God's grace. A blood sacrifice will be needed to atone for sin to satisfy the righteous requirement of the law.
When John the Immerser came the all of this was declared as part of the "gospel of the kingdom"
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." Matthew 3:2
Jesus came and offered this kingdom to Israel.
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
Israel rejected the King and the offer of the kingdom, so Jesus suspended it for a future generation of Israel to accept it.
“Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. Matthew 21:43
Peter, through his scribe Mark revealed that concurrent with "the gospel of the kingdom" was the "gospel of Jesus." Remember Mark was written for Gentiles to share the good new about Jesus as their savior.
The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. Mark 1:1
This gospel is built on the proto-gospel of the promised Seed, contains aspect of what was revealed to Israel through Abraham, Moses and David. So the gospel of Jesus is heavenly...no promise of a land or a kingdom. However there will be the priesthood of believers offering spiritual sacrifices.
All of this answers the second question: "so, where is this differentiation in the Bible? The differentiation is the progression of revelation starting from the proto-Gospel.
Q; Where did Jesus teach two gospels?
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
....metanoia towards the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:47
Jerry: Jesus only taught to Israel the gospel of the kingdom to Israel.
“Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ Matthew 10:5 & 6
This would change when Israel rejected Him and the offer of the kingdom. The emphasis would be more on His person and less on the coming kingdom....the Olivet discourse is the shift that the King will return and establish His kingdom.
Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Matthew 23:38 & 39
We read in John 12:20-36 when the Greeks came to inquire about Jesus....the aspect of the gospel being focused on Jesus is emphasized.
Only after His resurrection would Jesus tell his apostles to preach to Israel "the gospel of the kingdom" and to Gentiles "the gospel of Jesus."
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:45-47
Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Acts 1:6
The last time the apostles taught the gospel of the kingdom was when the Sanhedrin rejected the gospel and later murdered Stephen.
....that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. Acts 3:20 & 21
Jerry: When I say "I will be brief" it really means "I will say what I can, but I have to leave out a lot that I wish I could say."
Q: Does this mean the second coming can't happen until the gospel is preached to every single human being?
Jerry:
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. Matthew 24:14
The key is the word "and"....
We have verses 4-18 which are the "birth pains" that continued from Jesus' ascension and will increase in frequency and intensity until the Kingdom is birthed after Jesus' second coming.
We have verses 19-14 that covers the mid-point of the tribulation during the "war against the saints"....see Daniel 7:21 & 22 and Rev. 13:7 this is why Jesus says "this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
This is why Jesus would say in verse 22
“If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Jesus will end this war....not the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. This gospel of the kingdom will continued to be reached by the tribulation saints until Jesus' second coming..."then the end will come."
What is Jesus waiting for?
For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Matthew 24:39
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