Tag: History

The Political Nature of the Gospel

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There is a page on this site where readers can submit questions or suggest topics. Recently I received the following question:

Is the gospel political?

The answer is: Yes, but not in the way that many people might think of the word “political.”

A King and a Kingdom. The City of God and the City of Man.

The fact is that the gospel is political because it has to do with a king (Jesus) and a kingdom (the Kingdom of God).

The word “politics” comes from the Greek term politiká, first used by Aristotle, which refers to “the affairs of a city (polis in Greek).”

The promise of the Messiah, through the Hebrew prophets, was the promise of a king, who would come, from the line of David. These promises of the Messiah being a savior-king go all the way back to Genesis 49, in the promise to Judah, that “the scepter would not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes.”

David then received a promise that this promised savior-king would come through his family line, and establish a kingdom which would have no end (2 Samuel 7).

Isaiah later made the promise that this son promised to David would actually be God himself, come to Earth to establish this eternal kingdom:

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

This is why the Gospels of Matthew and Luke begin with a genealogy, which shoes that Jesus is the rightful heir of King David. It’s the reason why the Magi came to pay homage to the new King of the Jews (Matthew 2), and why Herod the Great tried to kill Jesus as a baby.

However, Jesus made it clear in his Kingdom Parables (Matthew 13), for example, that His Kingdom was fundamentally different than a mere earthly kingdom – something he stated explicitly in John 18:36.

And yet, we are told that Jesus currently reigns from Heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father.

What is the Kingdom of God?

A kingdom is a realm in which a king has authority and dominion. Thus, the Kingdom of God is the realm in which God is recognized and submitted to as king.

In this sense, Jesus rules and reigns from Heaven as King now, and he also reigns as King over the lives and areas here on Earth of those who recognize him as king and submit to him (see: Luke 17:20-21) – and the day is coming, when the Kingdom of God will come to Earth, and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:11)

One day, the City of God will descend upon the City of Man – and the Heavenly City will come to Earth (see Revelation 21).

Jesus describes the “upside-down” values and culture of his kingdom in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

Thus, the gospel is political – in that it is concerned with the affairs of a King, a City (the new Jerusalem) and the Kingdom (the Kingdom of God).

The Political Language of the Gospel

Interestingly, when Jesus told Pontius Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), the word he used for “kingdom” is the same word that was used in the Greek language to speak about the “Roman Empire.” In other words, Jesus was contrasting his kingdom with the kingdom of Rome.

Further, early Christians and the biblical writers – who were inspired by the Holy Spirit – used the same political vocabulary to describe their “politics” as Rome did.

For example, as Christians, we tend to think that the words gospel, Lord, Savior, and Son of God are “Christianese” buzzwords that are foreign to the popular culture. But in the first century, these terms were not unique to Christianity; they were also used by Rome to refer to its own king and kingdom.

Two common titles used for the Roman emperor were lord (kurios) and savior (soter). And since the emperors were viewed as divine, they were also called “son of god” or in some cases just plain “god.” These divine lords were believed to have brought unprecedented peace to the world, which they referred to in Latin as the Pax Romana, or “peace of Rome.” Rome was known for securing such peace and justice through warfare. And whenever Roman leaders returned home from another military victory, heralds were sent throughout the empire to announce the “gospel”—the good news—that Rome had been victorious. 

All these terms were commonly used to praise the Caesars of Rome. Christians stole these titles and applied them to their Jewish Messiah, who was also killed by Rome because of the claims that he was king. Remember, this was the question that was asked of Jesus during his trial before his crucifixion: whether he was a king.

When the early Christians hailed Jesus as Lord and Savior, you need to hear a faint first-century echo: Caesar is not.

This is why, in Acts 17, when Paul proclaimed the gospel of Jesus in Thessalonica, the message created an uproar in the city – not because the people were offended at the thought of a new religion, but because they understood that the Christians were proclaiming a king other than Caesar!

“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also…and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.”

Acts 17:6-7

If Paul was merely preaching about a privatized religious experience, the authorities wouldn’t bat an eye. But Paul announces that Jesus is Lord and Savior. And this means that Caesar is not. 

Imagine that in a town like Philippi, where the Roman flag waves high and stories of military victories are swapped in the streets, there was a small group of people who believe that a crucified Jew, rather than Nero, is the true Lord, Savior, and bringer of good news, justice, and peace. [1]

What This Means for Christians Today

As Christians, we still confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior – not any political leader or party today. Our primary citizenship is in Heaven, from which we await our Savior (Philippians 3:20).

And yet, like the people of God in exile in Babylon, we are called to engage in, bless. and pray for the place that we live in now (Jeremiah 29:4-7), that we may live godly and peaceable lives, and we are to pray for the salvation of the leaders and others around us (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

We are called to be salt and light, showing the world around us God’s love and truth through our actions and words (Matthew 5:13-16).

Our ultimate hope, therefore, is a political hope – but not in the sense of the politics of this world. Our hope is the cosmic politics of King Jesus, as we await the fullness of the coming of his Kingdom and its city: the New Jerusalem.

To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:17

Further Reading

See also: The Gospel of Caesar Augustus, & What It Tells Us about the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Reference

[1] Sprinkle, P.M., Fight (pp. 122-123).

Podcast Episode: Was It Necessary for Our Salvation that Jesus be God?

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In this episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I explain why it was necessary that Jesus be God in order to save us.

This is an important question during the Advent and Christmas seasons, in which we celebrate the coming of Jesus to us in order to save us.

In Matthew 1:21, we read that an angel told Joseph to name Mary’s child “Jesus,” because he would save his people from their sins.

How could this child save people from their sins? And what does it mean that Jesus is “Immanuel,” which means “God with us”?

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Was It Necessary for Our Salvation that Jesus be God? – Theology for the People

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://nickcady.org/2018/12/06/was-it-necessary-for-our-salvation-that-jesus-be-god/

Is Christmas Pagan?

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Some time ago, I addressed some common, but incorrect claims that the origins of Easter are pagan: “Does Easter Come from Ishtar?”

But what about Christmas? Does Christmas have pagan origins?

Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice

Did Christians simply take over the Roman pagan festival of Saturnalia and repurpose it as a celebration of Jesus’ birth Is that why we celebrate Christmas around the same time as the winter solstice?

I used to believe this one myself. However, upon further investigation, it would seem this is not how the celebration of Christmas on December 25 came about. Here’s why:

We don’t actually know what time of year Jesus was born. The one thing we know is that it was almost certainly not in late December. The reason for this is because Luke’s Gospel tells us that the shepherds were watching their flocks by night, sleeping in the fields. In Israel it gets too cold in the winter for that; shepherds sleep outside from about March-September. Clement of Alexandria wrote that some believed May 20 was Jesus’ birthday, others believed it was April 19 or 20, still others believed it was in late March. [1]

Early Christians, along with the majority of ancient cultures, did not celebrate birthdays in the same way we do today. Only two of the four Gospels talk about Jesus’ birth. The early Christian writer Origen dismissed birthdays as something only celebrated by tyrants, such as Pharaoh and Herod in the Bible. [2]

Things changed in the early 300’s AD with the beginning of the celebration of Epiphany, which commemorated the revealing of the Messiah to the Gentiles at the coming of the Magi to see Jesus after his birth. This was celebrated in early January in the Eastern church, not because they believed this to be the birthday of Jesus, but because of how it fit into the liturgical calendar which gave a plan for teaching through key events in the Gospels every year.

The Western (Latin speaking) part of the church wanted to have a festival similar to Epiphany, and decided that since they did not know when exactly Jesus was born, they would have their festival of the celebration of the incarnation and the birth of Jesus in late December, before Epiphany – since the Magi would have arrived after the birth of Jesus.

Again, the decision of this date was based on liturgical calendars, not on the taking over of pagan festivals. It was considered significant, however, that the coming of “the light of the world” should be celebrated at the time of the year which is darkest in the Northern Hemisphere. After this date, the days get longer and the darkness wanes. This symbolism was not lost on early Christians, but rather considered to be a great symbol of the effect of Jesus’ entrance into the world.

Here’s what’s so interesting: there is a document from about 350 AD which tells us that Romans celebrated the festival of Sol Invictus Natali (the birth of the unconquered sun) on December 25, and that same document also tells us that Christians celebrated the birth of Jesus on this same day. There is no earlier evidence or report of a Roman pagan festival on December 25. In other words, it is just as likely that the pagan Romans chose this day for their pagan festivals because Christians were already celebrating the birth of Jesus on this day, and wanted to have their own counter-festival, than that Christians chose this day because of an existing pagan festival.

Furthermore, there is nothing particularly pagan about celebrating anything at the darkest part of year, right before the days start getting brighter. Judaism, for example, celebrates Chanukah – the Festival of Lights, in which they light candles in the darkness to celebrate God’s faithfulness at this same time of year. Pagans don’t own the symbolism inherent to the orbit of the Earth.

Are Christmas Trees Pagan?

There is some evidence that Roman pagans liked to decorate their homes with greenery during winter festivals, and that early Christians decorated their houses with greenery during Epiphany as well.

It should be remembered that in the ancient world, decorating with greenery in the winter was also common because it was bleak outside and they didn’t have Wayfair.com to depend on for affordable home decor.

Some people claim that these verses in Jeremiah are speaking about the practice of Christmas trees:

“Learn not the way of the nations…for the customs of the peoples are vanity.
A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.

Jeremiah 10:1-5

Sounds like a Christmas tree, right? Except that’s not what it’s describing. What Jeremiah is describing is the creation of a household idol out of wood. Isaiah talks about a similar practice in which people would fashion an idol out of wood, stone, or metal, and then worship the very object they had just created.

The history of the Christmas tree dates back to medieval Europe, in the 14th and 15th centuries, during which December 24 was celebrated as “Adam and Eve Day” which was celebrated with the decorating of “paradise trees” by attaching apples to them (think how much bulbs look like apples) – a rarity during the winter, so they were considered treats. Because it was winter, and especially in Northern Europe, evergreen trees were popular to use for this. [3]

Modern Pagan Christmas?

Perhaps of bigger concern is the way in which our modern consumeristic Christmas traditions can detract from the celebration of Jesus and the incarnation which Christmas is meant to celebrate.

May we, even in the joys and the fun of our modern celebrations, not lose sight of what it is that we are celebrating this season: that to people like us who live in deep darkness, a light has shone; the promised Messiah has come to save us from our sins and give us the light of life forever! That is certainly something worth celebrating.

Liturgy: Going Through the (Right) Motions

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In this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Aaron Damiani on the topic of liturgy.

Aaron Damiani is a pastor and the author of the book: Earth Filled with Heaven — Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments and other Ancient Practices of the Church.

In this episode, Aaron and I discuss some of the practices that Christians have traditionally done in their worship services, and how Christians today can benefit from incorporating some of those formative practices.

Additionally, we discussion some of the pitfalls or potential downsides of a liturgical approach to worship and discipleship, and some ways that High Church and Low Church Protestants can learn from each other in order to create an intentional order or service which helps develop healthy disciples of Jesus.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Liturgy: Going Through the (Right) Motions – Theology for the People

Aaron Damiani is a pastor and the author of the book: Earth Filled with Heaven — Finding Life in Liturgy, Sacraments and other Ancient Practices of the Church. In this episode, Aaron and I discuss some of the practices that Christians have traditionally done in their worship services, and how Christians today can benefit from incorporating some of those formative practices. Additionally, we discussion some of the pitfalls or potential downsides of a liturgical approach to worship and discipleship, and some ways that High Church and Low Church Protestants can learn from each other in order to create an intentional order or service which helps develop healthy disciples of Jesus. If you benefited from this episode, please share it with others, and if you would like to help the podcast, the best way to do that is by leaving a rating or review on your podcast app.

How is Gluttony a Danger to Your Soul?

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In this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Mike Neglia about the topic of gluttony.

Gluttony is one of the “Seven Deadly Sins” – but why is gluttony a sin? And what constitutes gluttony? Is calling gluttony a sin actually a form of “fat-shaming” – or it is actually a danger to your soul?

In this episode, Mike and I talk about the origin of the Seven Deadly Sins and what the Bible has to say about gluttony. 

Mike is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Cork in Cork, Ireland. He is also the leader of Expositors Collective, and the host of the Expositors Collective Podcast.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

How is Gluttony a Danger to Your Soul? – Theology for the People

Gluttony is one of the "Seven Deadly Sins" – but why is gluttony a sin? And what constitutes gluttony? Is calling gluttony a sin actually a form of "fat-shaming" – or it is actually a danger to your soul? In this episode I speak with Mike Neglia about the origin of the Seven Deadly Sins and what the Bible has to say about gluttony.  Mike is the Lead Pastor of Calvary Cork in Cork, Ireland. He is also the leader of Expositors Collective, and the host of the Expositors Collective Podcast. For more articles and content, visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org

Wealth, Poverty & the Bible: How Do Finances Relate to Faith?

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On this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Mason Mortimer.

Mason is a graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College and has worked in the financial services industry for 17 years.

In this episode we discuss what the Bible has to say about money, wealth, and poverty. How should we think biblically about financial matters, including investments and retirement?

We discuss how Christians have related to money historically, such as those who take vows of poverty. Finally, Mason gives us some very practical advice about stewardship, investment, and financial planning.

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Wealth, Poverty & the Bible: How Do Finances Relate to Faith? – Theology for the People

Mason Mortimer is a graduate of Calvary Chapel Bible College and has worked in the financial services industry for 17 years. In this episode we discuss what the Bible has to say about money, wealth, and poverty. How should we think biblically about financial matters, including investments and retirement? We discuss how Christians have related to money historically, such as those who take vows of poverty. Finally, Mason gives us some very practical advice about stewardship, investment, and financial planning. If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org

Why Does Jesus’ Ascension Matter for the Gospel and for Us? – with Michael Payne

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On this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, I speak with Michael Payne, worship pastor at White Fields Community Church, about Jesus’ ascension into Heaven.

Is the ascension simply something that happened, which we acknowledge, or did it actually accomplish something which could not have happened otherwise? How did the early Christians and the Church Fathers understand the ascension? What difference should the ascension make for our lives today?

In 2021, I asked Mike to teach on the Ascension, as part of our Eastertide series, “The Risen Life,” in which we looked at the appearances of Jesus in the Gospels after His resurrection. As Mike studied and prepared for that teaching, he found that the ascension really deserves more attention than it generally gets in most churches today.

In this episode, I speak with Michael about his discoveries, and he explains what the church has lost by not focusing enough on Jesus ascension, and he explains why Jesus’ ascension matters for the gospel and for us.

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Does the Ascension Deserve More Attention? – Why Does Jesus' Ascension Matter for the Gospel and for Us? – Theology for the People

In this episode, Nick Cady and Michael Payne discuss Jesus' ascension into Heaven and why it matters for the gospel and for us.  Is the ascension simply something that happened, which we acknowledge, or did it actually accomplish something which could not have happened otherwise? How did the early Christians and the Church Fathers understand the ascension? What difference should the ascension make for our lives today? If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org

Saint Patrick: Differentiating Myth from History – with Shane Angland (Mdiv) from Ennis, Ireland

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March 17 is St. Patrick’s Day, and on this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast I speak with Shane Angland (Mdiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) about the true story of St. Patrick, and how we can know the difference between what is myth and what is historically true when it comes to him.

Did Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland? Did he face off with druids? Did he use the shamrock as a teaching tool to explain the Trinity? Did you know that Patrick wasn’t actually Irish – and that he fought against human trafficking?

Shane explains how the true story of Patrick is actually much better than the legends, and that there are actually writings from Patrick which are available today. He also shares about the ongoing legacy of Patrick in Ireland and beyond.

Here is a link to an article Shane wrote, which is mentioned in this episode: St. Patrick, Grey Wolves, and the Cimbid King

If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

The True Story of Saint Patrick of Ireland – with Shane Angland, MDiv from Ennis, Ireland – Theology for the People

March 17 is St. Patrick's Day. What is the true story of St. Patrick? Shane Angland (MDiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) joins the podcast today to help us know the difference between what is myth and what is historically true when it comes to St. Patrick. Did Patrick really drive the snakes out of Ireland? Did he face off with druids? Did he use the shamrock as a teaching tool to explain the Trinity? Shane explains how we can know the difference between what is true about Patrick and what is fable, and how the true story of Patrick is much better than the legends. Here is a link to the article Shane wrote, which is mentioned in this episode: St. Patrick, Grey Wolves, and the Cimbid King If you find this episode interesting or helpful, please share it with others and leave a rating and review on your podcast app, as that helps other people discover this podcast and its content. Make sure to visit the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org

Special Report: The Russian Invasion of Ukraine: How to Pray & How to Help – with George Markey

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This week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast is a discussion I recorded in Budapest, Hungary this week with Pastor George Markey of Kyiv, Ukraine.

This was originally recorded for KWAVE Radio in Southern California, but I am putting it out here as well, so more people can hear it.

George has lived in Ukraine for the past 30 years, and is the overseer for the Calvary Chapel churches in the country.

In this episode, George shares his perspective on what is going on as Russia is attacking Ukraine, as well as stories of how God is working in the midst of it. We also discuss needs, what is currently being done, and how you can get involved and help. Finally, George shares how he personally prays for Ukraine during this time.

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

The Russian Invasion of Ukraine: How to Help & How to Pray – with George Markey – Theology for the People

Recorded in Budapest, Hungary this week with Pastor George Markey of Kyiv, Ukraine, originally for KWAVE Radio in Southern California. George has lived in Ukraine for the past 30 years, and is the overseer for Calvary Chapel churches in Ukraine.  In this episode, George shares his perspective on what is going on as Russia is attacking Ukraine, as well as stories of how God is working in the midst of it.  We also discuss needs, what is currently being done, and how you can get involved and help. Finally, George shares how he personally prays for Ukraine right now. Please share this episode with others, subscribe to the podcast, and check out the Theology for the People blog at nickcady.org

Did the Reformation Reach the East? The Surprising History of Cyril Lucaris and Eastern Orthodoxy’s Reaction to the Reformation – with Shane Angland

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Many people assume that the Protestant Reformation was something that only affected the Western, or Roman Catholic Church, but in this week’s episode of the Theology for the People podcast, Shane Angland (Mdiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) shares the incredible story of how the Reformation reached the East. 

Shane explains how Martin Luther actually referenced the Eastern Orthodox churches as examples of Christianity which were not subject to the dictates of Roman papal authority, and he tells the story of Cyril Lucaris, the Greek Orthodox theologian and patriarch of Constantinople, who was highly influenced by the Reformation and its principles.

Shane resides in Ennis, Ireland. He spent years working in Ukraine as a missionary with IFES and serving in a Calvary Chapel church in the city of Kharkiv, before going to Dallas for seminary.

Next month, Shane will be back on the podcast, sharing the true history of Saint Patrick of Ireland, explaining which parts of the commonly-told stories about Patrick are myth, and which parts of the story are often not told, but deserve to be. Stay tuned and keep an eye out for that!

At the end of this episode, listen for a preview of my forthcoming book, The God I Won’t Believe In: Facing Nine Common Barriers to Embracing Christianity. 

Click here to listen to the episode, or listen in the embedded player below.

Did the Reformation Reach the East? The Surprising History of Cyril Lucaris and Eastern Orthodoxy's Reaction to the Reformation – with Shane Angland – Theology for the People

Many people assume that the Protestant Reformation was something that only affected the Western, or Roman Catholic Church, but in this episode, Shane Angland (Mdiv, Dallas Theological Seminary) shares the incredible story of how the Reformation reached the East.  Shane explains how Martin Luther actually referred to the Eastern Orthodox churches as examples of Christianity which were not subject to the dictates of Roman papal authority, and he tells the story of Cyril Lucaris, the Greek Orthodox theologian and patriarch of Constantinople, who was highly influenced by the Reformation and its principles. Shane Angland resides in Ennis, Ireland. He spent years working in Ukraine as a missionary with IFES and serving in a Calvary Chapel church in the city of Kharkiv, before going to Dallas for seminary. At the end of the episode, listen for a preview of my forthcoming book, The God I Won't Believe In: Facing Nine Common Barriers to Embracing Christianity.  Visit the Theology for the People blog site for articles and more.