This chapter of Wright’s book fascinated me. I love listening to Wright as he speaks as an authoritative 1st Century scholar. He brings light into the context that Jesus was speaking. So often we look at the text of the Gospels without truly understanding the meta-narrative of the first century. And when you take the text out of context, all you’re left with is a con!
The larger picture that Wright refers to is that of Israel’s story of being rescued out of Egypt, being told and retold in different contexts. In Jesus’ day, this narrative was told with the Roman Empire signifying Egypt and Israel waited to be rescued by the Lord. Jesus spoke into this with his new Kingdom message. He ushered in this new Kingdom himself. He brought it by his presence, his ministry, and his death on the cross. But it didn’t stop there, he passed on his sacred mission to the disciples after his resurrection and by sending the Holy Spirit.
It’s an interesting perspective to look at everything Jesus said through the lens of the first century. I believe that they were spoken in the context of the day, but at the same time are somehow eternal and applicable today. I don’t think one needs to be a rigorous scholar of the first century to understand Jesus message, but I am so grateful for N.T. Wright and his contemporaries who help the rest of us along in our journeys to understand what Jesus meant.
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