Get Your Pretense On!

Chapter 2: The Principle of Reversal and the Upside-Down Kingdom of God • 43

Of all the “many times and many ways” God revealed his glory and word to the prophets of his intent to restore creation, the final and distinctive way in this age was the revelation given through his Son. In every respect the coming of Jesus is the coming of the Kingdom’s presence in this world. The preaching and ministry of John the Baptist corresponds to the ministry of Elijah who would declare the coming of Messiah (Matt. 11.2-6). The inauguration of Jesus’s ministry at Nazareth begins with his quotation of Isaiah and the ministry of Messiah, which he said, was fulfilled in their hearing that Sabbath morning: And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. [17] And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, [18] “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, [19] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” [20] And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. [21] And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” ~ Luke 4.16-21 All of Jesus’s acts – including his miracles, exorcisms, teaching, healings, and his person – gave a clear sign that the Kingdom had come in part through his incarnation. The reversal of God’s Kingdom was on full display! Jesus’s exorcisms and confrontations with demonic forces revealed that God was reestablishing his rule among humankind (e.g., Luke 10.18ff.; 11.20), and his teaching and claim of absolute authority on earth confessed God’s intent to restore his rule under Christ, visible for all to see (cf. Mark 2.1-12; Matt. 21.27; 28.18). The “strong man” ravishing