Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PREACHING, PROCLAMATION

In both the OT and NT, the oral address plays a decisive role in shaping the identity of the people of God. God’s spokesmen “preach” and “proclaim” God’s deed to the people, challenging them to acknowledge the divine will for their lives. In the NT the English verbs commonly render Gk. kērýssō and euangelízō, which may be used synonymously. The content of the preaching may be described with the corresponding nouns kḗrygma and euangélion. Other terms belonging to the same semantic domain include “to speak the word of God,” “exhort,” and “witness.”

The LXX rarely employs kērýssō and euangelízō for the proclamation of the prophets (cf. Jonah 1:2; Jer. 20:8). NT usage is based primarily on the language of Isa. 40–66. Isa. 52:7 employs euangelízō twice to describe the one who “brings good news” and “proclaims peace.” In Isa. 61:1 the prophet declares God’s call for him to “preach good news (euangelízō) to the poor” and “proclaim (kerýssō) liberty to the captives.”

C. H. Dodd’s definition of preaching as “the public proclamation to the non-Christian world” is only partially valid, inasmuch as the verbs “preach” and “proclaim” (as well as synonyms) are also used for the oral address to the believing community (Rom. 1:15; 1 Thess. 2:9; cf. 2 Tim. 4:2). However, the verbs are most commonly employed for the prophetic announcement of God’s eschatological acts and the call to believe, often in terms that echo Isa. 52:7; 61:1. John the Baptist (Matt. 3:1) and Jesus “proclaim” (4:17) the gospel of the kingdom (4:23). Similarly, the Synoptic Gospels portray Jesus’ mission in terms of his “proclaiming” the kingdom (Mark 1:14; cf. vv. 38-39, 45). According to Luke 4:18, Jesus identifies himself as the prophet of Isa. 61:1, whose mission is to “proclaim good news to the poor.” When he calls disciples, he sends them out to “preach” to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matt. 10:7, 27). The disciples continue this ministry by preaching the kingdom (Acts 20:25; 28:31).

A common topic in Paul’s letters is his own recollection of his preaching ministry, which began in the missionary proclamation and continued in his work with the churches. He understands his mission as that of the herald of Isa. 52:7 (Rom. 10:15). He describes the content of his message variously as “Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:23), “Christ Jesus” (2 Cor. 1:19), “Jesus Christ as Lord” (4:5), and the gospel (11:7; Gal 1:11; 2:2; 1 Thess. 2:2, 9). He recalls the creedal formula of 1 Cor. 15:3 as the content of the preaching which the community had originally believed (v. 11). Paul indicates the relationship between the original proclamation and the subsequent pastoral ministry in 1 Thess. 2:9-13, where he equates his preaching of the gospel (v. 9) with the task of community formation in which he took on the paternal role of “encouraging, comforting, and urging” his community to “live lives worthy of God” (v. 12).

Bibliography. C. Brown, “Proclamation,” NIDNTT 3:44-68; C. H. Dodd, The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments (Chicago, 1937).

James W. Thompson

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

PREACHING, PROCLAMATION

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)