Repent & Believe the Gospel of the Kingdom

“Believe” in Matthew, Mark & Luke - Part 5:

We are examining the use of the Greek word “Pisteuo,” usually translated “believe” in each of the 35 occasions Matthew, Mark and Luke used it. Two studies ago (Vol 3, No 35) we considered the first time in New Testament (NT) history “believe” is recorded as having been uttered, that being when the Angel Gabriel told the Priest Zacharias that because he did not believe (God's Word as delivered by Gabriel) that his wife Elizabeth was going to conceive and bare a son he would be rendered deaf and dumb until his son John the Baptist was born. Our last study examined the second time in NT history “believe” is recorded, that being when uttered by Zacharias' wife Elizabeth who pronounced blessings on Mary the mother of Jesus because Mary believed the Word of God spoken to her by the Angel Gabriel. Today we go to the third occasion in NT history believe is recorded as having been spoken; this by Jesus Christ Himself; “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14 & 1514 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

. We will consider the primary elements in these two verses, which are as follows:

1) The significance of Jesus Christ's words,

2) The time referred to as “being fulfilled,”

3) The gospel of the Kingdom of God being preached,

4) The implications of that Kingdom being “at hand,”

5) The significance of repentance and belief.

The significance of Jesus Christ's words: The Bible reveals that God communicated with mankind at varies times and by varies means throughout history, Hebrews 1:11 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

. Briefly, He spoke personally with Adam; both before and after Adam sinned. Then many men and women who followed, including Noah, Abraham, Moses and prophets received God's Word by various means. In some cases God told them they were to be involved in miraculous events. In each such case it was the power of God's Word that got the job done and not that of the person involved. The men and women who received God's Word were the human instruments through whom He worked; they merely acted by faith in His Word. For example, God's Word informed Moses as to what to do and the Red Sea would part to allow the Children of Israel to cross on dry land. Moses believed God's Word and thus it was by faith that he stood and held up his arm while the sea did as God's Word said it would. The point is that it was the power of God's Word that accomplished what the Word had proclaimed, just as in the cases of Joshua at the walls of Jericho, Gideon and Samson defeating Israel's enemies, etc.

The significance here is that Jesus Christ was in actuality God's Word incarnate, John 1:1 & 141 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

; Hebrews 1:1 - 31 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:

. So, we find the same Word of God that communicated to those Old Testament Saints and was the power that accomplished all those wondrous events that was born of a woman and came into the world. But, He was more. He was also the Man Jesus Christ. Thus, He filled at least two roles: 1) as the living Word of God He revealed God's mind to mankind and in Him resided the power to accomplish what He spoke, John 1:1 & 14 & Hebrews 1:1 - 3; 2) As a man He came to do His Father's will, Luke 2:4949 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

; Matthew 26:39 & 4239 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

; John 5:3030 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

, and so He Himself exercised faith; “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of (the “our” is not in the original) faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:22 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

.

At the time He spoke these words Jesus was 30 years old and just beginning His earthly ministry: “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14 & 15. Thus, the very Word of God Himself was “...preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mark 1:14 & 15.

What did Jesus mean when He said the time was fulfilled? Paul tells us in Galatians 4:4 & 54 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

that when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ...” God knew beforehand the date and time He would send His son to live and die. He revealed this many years before through the Prophet Daniel as recorded in Daniel 9:24 - 2724 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

25 Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

. We don't have space here to go through the various points of Daniel's prophesy but the reader is referred to pages 625 & 626 of George Williams' “The Student's Commentary” for a plausible explanation of what was revealed through Daniel. Quoting from Williams' closing statement summarizing his explanation of the ninth chapter of Daniel: “The unique glory of this prophecy is that it alone foretold the time of Messiah's appearing, and the very year of His crucifixion.” (I will add that the Great Tribulation is also foretold in the last two verses of this chapter, i.e., Daniel 9:26 & 2726 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

27 And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

. This part of Daniels prophesy has not as yet been fulfilled, but it will be and this will be discussed in future studies.)

Continued in the next study.