Salvation to the Ends of the Earth

Description

Few biblical topics are as important as mission. Mission is linked inextricably to humanity’s sinfulness and need for redemption, and to God’s provision of salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This “good news” of salvation must be made known! The saving mission of Jesus constitutes the foundation for Christian mission, and the Christian gospel is its message.

According to Andreas Köstenberger and Peter O’Brien, this significant theme has rarely been given its due attention in biblical theology. Motivated by their passion to see God’s mission carried out in today’s world, they offer a comprehensive study of the theme of mission. In Salvation to the Ends of the Earth they explore the entire sweep of biblical history, including the Old Testament, the second-temple period, each New Testament Gospel, Paul and his writings, and the General Epistles and Revelation.

Among other questions, Köstenberger and O’Brien examine whether or not Old Testament Israel was called to mission, whether second-temple Judaism should be characterised as a missionary religion, whether Jesus limited his earthly mission to Israel or also embarked on a Gentile mission, and whether or not there is continuity between the missions of Israel and the missions of Jesus and the early church. They write, “It is our sincere hope that our Christian mission, which is first of all God’s, will be founded on a biblical theology that takes its cue from the scriptural revelation as a whole.” To that end, they offer this New Studies in Biblical Theology volume as a service to the worldwide church.

CONTENTS

Series Preface
Authors’ Preface
Abbreviations

1. Introduction
A Biblical-Theological Approach
History, Literature and Theology
The Procedure Followed in This Work
Conclusion

2. The Old Testament
God’s Creation and His Purpose for Humankind
The Fall of Humankind and the Spread of Sin
The Call for Abram and the Nations
Israel and the Exodus
The Davidic Kingship and 2 Samuel 7
Jerusalem in the Purposes of God
The Restoration of Israel and the New Covenant
Jonah and Mission?
The Ministry of the Servant of Isaiah: Israel and the World
The Nations Within God’s Plan in the Psalms
Conclusion

3. The Second-Temple Period
Mission and Second-Temple Judaism
Mission and Graeco-Roman Religion and Philosophy
Conclusion

4. Mark
Introduction: The Character of Mark’s Gospel – Mark 1:1-14
Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee – Mark 1:15–6:29
Withdrawals from Galilee – Mark 6:30–8:26
Final Ministry in Galilee, Judea and Perea – Mark 8:27–10:52
From the Triumphal Entry to the Olivet Discourse – Mark 11-13
Jesus’ Passion and Resurrection – Mark 14–16
Mark’s Use of the Old Testament and Mission
Mission in Mark: An Appraisal
Conclusion

5. Matthew
Genealogy, Infancy Narrative and Early Galilean Ministry: Jesus the Representative “Son” – Matthew 1–4
The Sermon on the Mount: The Arrival of God’s Kingdom – Matthew 5–7
The Mission of the Twelve: “To the Lost Sheep of Israel” – Matthew 10
Jesus’ Ministry to Gentiles in Galilee and the Regions Beyond – Matthew 8:1–16:12
Jesus’ Ministry to His Disciples: The Formation of Jesus’ Community and the Matthean Mountain Motif – Matthew 16:13–20:34
Jesus’ Final Parables and Discourses and the Passion Narrative: Increasing References to a Universal Mission and Geographical Symbolism – Matthew 21–27
Jesus’ Resurrection and the “Great Commission” – Matthew 28
Mission in Matthew: Some Theological Soundings
Conclusion

6. Luke-Acts
Luke’s Prologue – Luke 1:1-4
Jesus and the Centurion’s Faith – Luke 7:1-10
Jesus’ Sending of the Twelve – Luke 9:1-6
Jesus’ Sending of the Seventy(-two) – Luke 10:1-24
Gentiles Participate in the Messianic Banquet – Luke 13:28-30; 14:23-24
The Rejection of Jesus by Jerusalem: His Passion and Death – Luke 19–23
The Lukan Great Commission – Luke 24:44-49
The Prologue to Acts – Acts 1:1-11
Pentecost and the Gift of the Spirit – Acts 2:1-41
The Pilgrimage of the Gentiles to Jerusalem? Witness in Jerusalem – Acts 3:1–8:1
The Gospel Spreads to Judea and Samaria – Acts 8:4-40
Paul’s Conversion and Commission – Acts 9:1-31
Cornelius and the Gentiles – Acts 10:1–11:18
The Spread of the Gospel to Antioch – Acts 11:19-30
Paul’s First Missionary Journey – Acts 13:1–14:28
The Council of Jerusalem – Acts 15:1-35
Paul’s Universal Mission and Testimony – Acts 15:36–20:38
Paul’s Arrest and Imprisonment – Acts 21–28
The Conclusion: An Open-Ended Mission to the Jews and Gentiles – Acts 28:17-31
Concluding Remarks

7. Paul
Paul’s Uniqueness as a Missionary in the Ancient World
The Significance of His Encounter with the Risen Christ
Paul’s Mission Within the Purposes of God
The Gospel Paul Preached
Fulfilling the Aims of His Missionary Apostleship: The Content of Paul’s Ministry
Pau, the Apostle to the Gentiles, and Israel in God’s Plan
The Place of Believers Within the Pauline Mission
Conclusions

8. John
Jesus’ Mission
The Disciples’ Mission
Implications
Conclusion

9. The General Epistles and Revelation
The Preservation of Orthodoxy in 2 Peter, Jude and 1–3 John
Adorning the Gospel in the Midst of Adversity: Hebrews, 1 Peter and Revelation
Conclusion

10. Concluding Synthesis
Summary of Findings
Some Concluding Observations and Implications
Mission and the Final Gospel

Appendix: Paul’s Use of Euangelion
Bibliography
Index of Authors
Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Reference
Index of Subjects