James Quiggle
Someone made the claim, “Jesus Christ did not preach the Christian salvation message during his earthly ministry. Jesus preached the Kingdom, not the Christian Gospel.”
The Four Gospels are essentially OT narrative forming a bridge between two ages. They begin with the message of Messiah-King and end with the message of Messiah-Redeemer. The message of Messiah-King included all the elements of the “Christian” message of salvation.
The emphasis of the message changed from Messiah-King to Messiah-Redeemer when Messiah-King was rejected (beginning at Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; John 7:2). From then on Messiah-King, in preparation for his ascension, taught the apostles faith in Messiah-Redeemer: Jesus crucified and resurrected; the gospel message of sin, the Savior, and salvation; faith in Messiah-Redeemer and Messiah-King. But that message grew out of the message of Messiah-King.
Do you think the apostles invented the Christian message of salvation?
The message John Baptist and Jesus Christ preached at the beginning of Christ’s ministry had all the elements of the Christian gospel. The call to repent implies something to repent from. John made clear that “something” was sin. John also made clear the object of faith was the coming Christ—the Messiah-King—for they preached, “The Kingdom of God is the next event on God’s calendar,” or as John and Christ said it, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.”
Early in his ministry Jesus preached the message of repentance toward sin and faith in the King of the Kingdom: faith in Messiah-King. That was Israel’s expectation, that is what Psalm 2 had taught them to expect, a coming Messiah-King, cf. Luke 1:33. No Jew during Christ’s earthly ministry expected a Messiah-Redeemer. The subject never comes up in any discussion with the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees, or chief priests. The disciples-apostles rejected the notion—the Christ (Messiah) was the King, he could not die. Redemption was national rescue from captivity to the Gentiles. If we want an example, look at the Ethiopian eunuch’s confusion about Isaiah 53, in Acts 8:32–34.
When the message of Messiah-King was rejected, the emphasis changed to the message of Messiah-Redeemer—a message applicable to both Israel and pagan Gentiles—repentance toward sin and faith in the Messiah-Redeemer that we understand as the “Christian” gospel. Peter certainly understood, Acts 2:36, “This Jesus, whom you crucified, God has made both Lord and Messiah.” Not only Messiah-King, but also Messiah-Redeemer. “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Messiah,” Acts 2:38.
So, did Christ preach the “Christian” gospel: Christ crucified and resurrected, 1 Corinthians 15:3–4? My response is John 6:47; 12:46; Luke 13:3; John 10:28; 12:25; Matt. 9:13. (I am using my translation of these passages.)
— John 6:47, “Amen amen I say to you, the one believing on me has eternal life.”
— Luke 13:3, “I say to you, no, but if you do not repent, you also will perish.”
— John 10:28, “”And I give them life eternal; and never no never will they perish for the age; and never will anyone take them out of my hand.”
— John 12:25, “The one loving his life looses it, and the one hating his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”
— Matthew 9:13, “But go, and learn what is “Mercy I desire, but not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
In these verses we see the gospel: repentance toward sin and faith in Christ. “the one loving his life loses it”; “if you do not repent, you also will perish”; “I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners”; “the one believing on me has eternal life”; “I give them life eternal.”
Christ himself made it clear he was the Savior, John 14:1; 6:50–58, The disciples understood Christ was the Savior, John 6:68–69, “Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom will we go? You have the words of eternal life. And we have believed and have known that you are the holy one of God.”
The gospel message appropriately began with the proclamation of repentance from sin and faith in Messiah-King. When this message was rejected, the emphasis changed to repentance from sin and faith in Messiah-Redeemer. Both messages are “Christian.” Christians believe in Messiah-Redeemer and look toward Messiah-King. The apostles did not invent the Christian Gospel, they received it from Jesus.