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Shalom, everyone. Let's discuss the naure of what Yeshua` was trying to do during His "earthly ministry," that is, during His offer of the Kingdom to Israel. That statement both telegraphs what I'm wanting to talk about and leads the arguments I plan to propose. It is, indeed, a "leading statement." Some suggest that His primary mission was the Cross and His Sacrificial Death (and Resurrection), but that is NOT the "gospel" that He was talking about during His time of teaching. First, let's look at the word translated as "preaching": Sometimes, the word is translated from the verb form of the word translated "gospel," which means "good news": (I'm going to use Strong's definitions simply because they are a source of which many people are aware. It's not the sole source of my information, and Strong's makes mistakes from time to time, but it is still a short, straight-to-the-point source of information.) Let's start with Matthew 6:23-25: Matthew 6:23-25 (KJV) 23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 24 And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatick, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. 25 And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan. 2784 keerussoo (kay-roos'-so). Of uncertain affinity; to herald (as a public crier), especially divine truth (the gospel) -- preach(-er), proclaim, publish. So, the word translated as "preaching" means "heralding" as a town crier would do. In movies about the 1600s and 1700s, one sees town criers or heralds as pages that bring out a scroll of paper, unfurl the scroll vertically, and begin by saying, "Hear ye, hear ye!" They WERE indeed announcers, but they also had a mission: They were generally spokesmen for the king, declaring the king's decisions that were essentially to be treated as law! John the Baptist (Yochannan the Immerser) also had a mission: He was to be the herald for the coming King! Matthew tells us, Matthew 3:1-3 (KJV) 1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching (heralding) in the wilderness of Judaea, 2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (pronounced "eh-sah'-ee-ahs"), saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Which is a quotation from Isaiah (pronounced "yay-shaw'-yah") 40:1-5: Isaiah 40:1-5 (KJV) 1 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. 3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. Later, Isaiah or Yeesha`yahuw (or Yeesha`yah) said, Isaiah 52:1-10 (KJV) 1 Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2 Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. 3 For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed (bought back) without money. 4 For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am he that doth speak: behold, it is I. 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings ("gospel"), that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings ("gospel") of good, that publisheth salvation (deliverance; rescue); that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! 8 Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed (bought back) Jerusalem. 10 The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation (deliverance; rescue) of our God. Can you see it? This is not talking about "the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ" at all! That is NOT the "gospel" (that people think they know today) AT ALL! Here's what Strong's says about "gospel": 2098 euaggelion (yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on). From the same as euaggelizoo; a good message, i.e. The gospel -- gospel. 2097 euaggelizoo (yoo-ang-ghel'-id-zo). From eu and aggelos; to announce good news ("evangelize") especially the gospel -- declare, bring (declare, show) glad (good) tidings, preach (the gospel). 2095 eu (yoo). Neuter of a primary eus (good); (adverbially) well -- good, well (done). 32 aggelos (ang'-ghel-os). From aggelloo (probably derived from agoo; compare agele) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor -- angel, messenger. 71 agoo (ag'-o). A primary verb; properly, to lead; by implication, to bring, drive, (reflexively) go, (specially) pass (time), or (figuratively) induce -- be, bring (forth), carry, (let) go, keep, lead away, be open. 34 agelee (ag-el'-ay). From agoo (compare aggelos); a drove -- herd. (And, one should know that defining a word with the SAME WORD in its definition is circular reasoning. It's not helpful and does NOTHING to better the understanding of the word.) So, what do we get out of all this? We get that "euaggelion" is a "good message" and "euaggelizoo," from which we get our word "evangelize," means "to announce that good message (or good news)," "eu" meaning "good" and "aggelion" meaning a "message" (delivered by an "aggelos" meaning a "messenger"). Thus, a "euaggelos," from which we get our word "evangelist," means a "messenger who delivers good news." Furthermore, "angel" is a transliterated word coming from "aggelos," and STRICTLY means "a messenger," but MAY refer to one of God's special messengers that are supernatural. There's MUCH more to discuss, but that's a start. Now, why is this necessary to discuss? Well, people quote many Scriptures from the "Gospels," thinking they mean such-and-such when they don't have ANYTHING to do with such-and-such! People - well-meaning Christians - need to know what they're talking about.