RE-IMAGING JESUS FROM HIS PRAXIS OF THE REIGN OF GOD.

Definition/Meaning

Re-imagining

Re-imagining is a form of mental visualization to imagine again or anew especially to form a new conception of something that already exists.¹ Reimaging takes place when already there is an idea or some sort of picture in mind, in this subject we are trying to learn, how to reimagine Jesus from his praxis of the reign of God. History records Jesus‟ birth, ministry, teachings, death and resurrection that occurred in the past, but today's generation in the postmodern era has different kinds of understanding or imagination about Jesus which traditionally developed throughout the centuries but those traditional understandings at present may not be applicable in our own context due to drastic change in the present world. Hence, in-order to make our faith more tangible and relevant we need to reimaging Jesus, the Christ in our context, culture, society and individual.

Praxis

It is a process by which a theory, a concept acted upon or realized. It may also refer to acts of engaging, exercising, or practicing ideas.² The word praxis in this assignment refers to the ideas and practices of Jesus‟ time which were traditionally followed.

The Reign of God

Gospels present the kingdom of heaven as synonymous to the kingdom of God and we see it as the central theme of Jesus‟ preaching (Luke.4:43).³ The Kingdom of God (basileia tou theou) appears throughout the New Testament but the most is in the Jesus tradition.⁴ The word kingdom comes from the Greek word basileia which means kingship or rule, the present scholars replace the Kingdom of God with the reign of God.

The reign of God is not exclusively future and not dependent on territory because it is God's rule, we can see in this age as well as in the future also.⁵ The theological theme of the Bible is that the kingdom of God is something that convened by God's grace through the agency of human faith and entry into the kingdom has an ethical viewpoint.⁶ “The liberal theology believed that the kingdom of God could be realized on earth by means of the ethical-moral renewal of the human person”.⁷ So the kingdom of God is not based on the hierarchical order but it is on the rule or reign of God.

Literally the kingdom of God is not a political term in the gospels but when we look at it from the Jewish perspective, religion and politics were not divided and that bore political implication too⁸ but Jesus says that the kingdom of God has come near (Mt.3:2,4:17,Mk.1:15,Lk.10:9,11) which means God is taking over as king and to enter the kingdom is to come under his rule to accept him as king.⁹ Here, the concept of kingdom is purely referring to the reign of God as the King.

Paul in his Epistle to Romans¹⁰ states that, the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking because the life of a community under the kingdom of God is not established on food laws or ascetic practices rather than on the formative values of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.¹¹

People would say, look here it is, or there it is instead Jesus says the kingdom of God is in your midst because for Jesus the kingdom is not of this world (John.18:36)¹². In few places the subject of basileia is not God or heaven but the Son of Man who now exercises the kingship and came to inaugurate.¹³The kingdom of God is proclaimed to all and one becomes a citizen not by natural birth but by new birth in Christ (John.3:1)¹⁴ by repentance (Mat.4:17, Mk.1:14-15) by bearing fruits (Mat.21:43) and by service (John.13:3-11). The divine initiative in bringing people into the kingdom is vividly captured in the John‟s Gospel.¹⁵

There are many images and metaphors used to depict the kingdom of God in the gospels. On the other hand, Sermon on the Mount describes that the kingdom of God will be inherited by those who are poor in spirit, the mourners, the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers and those who tolerate persecution for the kingdom.¹⁶ The citizenship in the kingdom of God is not based on the merit or status in the society rather than only on the grace of God.

Postmodernism

Postmodernism literally means after modernity, Cornel West, who works in the fields of philosophy and theology defines that Postmodernism firmly refuses to suppose any one foundation as the privileged and unquestionable. Postmodern criticism is that it cannot accept any system of knowledge as absolute claim or foundation.¹⁷ There are number of interpretations and no interpretation can be regarded as superior to any other.¹⁸ Christopher Butler brings definition of Jean-Francois Lyotard, the author of La Condition Postmodern. “Postmodern as skepticism towards metanarrative. These metanarratives traditionally serve to give cultural practices some form of legitimation or authority”.¹⁹

Post-structuralism

Post-structuralism is an approach to literature that proceeds from the tenets of structuralism and affirms that the words have no absolute meaning and a text is open to an unlimited range of interpretations.²⁰

Deconstruction

Deconstruction is a method of critical analysis of philosophical and literary language which emphasizes on the internal workings of language, conceptual systems and the relational quality of meaning and on the assumptions understood in the forms of expression.²¹

Reader – Response

The above mentioned definitions are directly or indirectly have become a great challenge to the theologians and scholars of present days because India is a pluralistic country with variety of languages, cultures, ideologies and religions whereas the Bible speaks exclusively different settings. Further, in this case how can we stand as Jesus is the Christ and the Bible is ultimate way to God? Therefore reading the Bible from our perspective and relating it to our context is essential. In this case the reader response plays a vital role in bringing meaning to his/her context and seeks the reader's perception of the text in discovering the very meaning to once own life.²²

2. Teachings of Reign of God

The Kingdom of God in Old Testament

The Reign of God means the ruling of God, the exercise of the will and purpose of God. To accept the kingdom means to submit ourselves to the rule of God in our lives and in the life of the society.²³ The expression the Kingdom of God is not found in the OT, this fact has led some scholar to deny its importance in the literature. However the kingdom of Yahweh does occur (IChr28:5,2chr 13:8) and there are few indirect references to Yahweh‟s kingdom by means of a personal pronoun or the equivalent. The idea of the Reign of God in the Hebrew Scripture has usually related to the widespread polytheistic nature myths among the people of Ancient Near East Monarchies. God then sustain his creation by making the land fertile. Yahweh has become king (Ps93:1, 96:10).The implied kingdom of God was not equivalent to the kingdom of Israel. Though Israel adapted Near Eastern idea of “Divine Kingship” for the earthly kings, God and the kings are not identical; the god/king of the world was also the god/king over the people of Israel, and therefore superior to any earthly “divine king”²⁴ In the Old Testament, the ultimate purpose of the future coming of the Lord and the Day of the Lord is the establishment of the Reign of God.²

Parable on the Reign of God in the Gospel

The word parable is derived from Greek word “parabole” which means a comparison or analogy.²⁶ In the Gospel we have more than sixty parables that Jesus used in his sermons regarding to the Reign of God to reveal the truth to his audience.²⁷ Some of the parable like the Sower, the seed growing secretly, the mustard seed and the leaven tell of the coming and growth of God rules.²⁸ Others like the lost sheep, the prodigal son and the labourers in the vineyard proclaim the grace of the God now inaugurating his rules, and take us to the very heart of Jesus‟ Good News. These parables are all riposte/reply the Scribes and Pharisees who had criticized Jesus for consorting with publican and sinners.²⁹ Other, again, like the hidden treasure, the costly pearls and the two builders suggest the kind of men require for entry the kingdom. As the trader sold all his assets and purchased the marvellous pearls, and how precious a place in God‟s kingdom!³⁰

Aspects of Reign of God in Parables

Let us see some of the important aspects of the Reign of God as under:

The kingdom of God belongs to the Poor

(Luke 16: 17-26): The Sermon on the Mount is addressed to the disciples. It is about the nature of the kingdom and life in the kingdom of God. Here Jesus mentioned that the coming of the Kingdom of God creates a crisis in human society. It challenges our accepted political, economic and social orders. When the kingdom comes, the foundation of the old order will crumble. The mighty will be cast down and the lowly lifted up also they will be satisfied in the kingdom of God. This is what happens when we live in the kingdom of God.³¹

The parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:31-32)

This parable deals with the sphere within which the kingdom power exercises itself. Just as the small mustard grows into the mighty tree, so the sphere of the operation of the redeeming power of God in the kingdom is not limited to the small nation of Jews, but will spread until it embrace the whole of the human race. Also the fowls of the air lodging under the shadow of the tree indicate a kingdom and a dominion which stretched unto the end of the earth (Daniel 4:21-22).³² Just so, Jesus is saying, the reign of God which may now seem a thing of small importance is destined to span the earth and embrace in its sweep the Gentile from afar. Unimaginable endings from unremarkable beginnings are the point of the parable of the Mustard Seed.³³

The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat (Mathew 13:24-30)

In this parable, Jesus point to the nature of this kingdom-power, namely that operates against the power of the kingdom of Satan. In the same earth, weed and wheat grow side by side, the one shown by the farmer and the other by his enemy. So in this age the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan exist together until the time of harvest which is the end of the ages.³⁴ This parable has popularly assumed that the good seed represents true Christians and that the darnel/weed represents spurious believers within the Christian communities and the harvest represents the final kingdom and judgement of God.³⁵

Understanding of the Reign of God

The meaning of “Reign of God” or “kingdom of God” can be understood as God‟s kingship, rule, order, sovereignty or merely God‟s activity or action.³⁶ The reign of God is the central theme of the preaching of Jesus. To understand the meaning of the reign of God is to understand the message of Jesus.³⁷

Envisioning of the Reign of God

Jesus preached the reign of God, inviting all „to repent and enter the Reign of God.‟ The reign of God represented a new age, the messianic age when God‟s will would be done on earth as in heaven.³⁸ In the reign of God, the tax collectors, the sinners, the prostitutes, the Samaritans and the Gentiles are accepted. When the kingdom comes, the mighty will be cast down and the low will be lifted up.³⁹ The wealthy and the mighty of this world depend on their wealth and influence. The poor have nothing to depend upon except on God. The poor are favored in the kingdom not only because injustice is done to them but also because they trust in God.⁴⁰

Saying of Reign of God

Jesus‟ gospel is none other than the good news of the reign of God. Mark says “Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, „the time is fulfilled, and the reign of God is at hand: repent, and believe the good news‟” (Mk. 1:14-15).⁴¹ The Reign of God is presented in the gospels under four different aspects: as a dynamic reign or rule (Luke 23:42), as a future apocalyptic order that will be established at the end of the age (Mark 10:23-30), as a present reality among people (Matthew 12:28; Luke 17:20), and as a present realm into which people enter. (Matt 11:11; Luke 7:28; 16:16).⁴²

Son of Man and Reign of God

The expression “Son of Man” (ben-adam) had become in the Aramaic of Jesus time an expression to mean simply “man” (bar ethas).For generation the most intriguing term for Jesus has been the only one he applied to himself „the son of man.‟ Jesus used it in different ways: i). “Son of man” means simply “human” (Mk.2:27; Matt.12:31-32). ii). “Son of man” applies to Jesus earthly career, including his suffering and death. (Mk.8:31; 9:31). iii). “Son of man” refers to the heavenly man who will be associated with the Parousia and the consummation of the kingdom in power and glory. (Mk.13:26). Matthew makes explicit the relationship between the son of man and the future consummation of the kingdom. (Matt. 25:31-34).⁴³

Reign of God- Present and Future

One of the complex aspects of the Kingdom teaching in Jesus preaching is his reference to the Kingdom as both present as well as future.⁴⁴ Jesus speaks of the kingdom in both present and future tenses. Many sayings speak of the kingdom as already present e.g. (Mk. 1:15) and the future in (Matt. 6:10; Lk. 13:29).⁴⁵ Jesus announced the kingdom as grace, as gift from the father, through proclamation, through storytelling, through acts of healing and forgiveness and through parabolic action such as the open table for public sinners, offering his flesh and blood at the Last Supper.⁴⁶ In John, Jesus tells his listeners that “an hour is coming and has now come” (present) when the dead will hear the Son‟s voice and live (5:25). He then says, “an hour is coming” (future) when all those in the tombs will rise, either to life or judgment (5:28-29). Thus „the reign of God has come near‟ means God is taking over as king, and to enter the reign of God is to come under his rule, to accept him as king.⁴⁷

Ethics of the Reign of God

Matthew‟s focus on Jesus‟ kingdom teaching is based on the preparation and practical doing of the will of God (Mt.28:18-20; Luke 15:7).⁴⁸ The kingdom teaching of Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew envisions that in times of crises, we need to discern the real essence of the kingdom message and enact it in our daily life in order to transform and build a better world. In Matthew gospel the word „righteousness‟ occurs seven times, five occurrences are in the Sermon (5:6, 10, ;6:1, 33) and two occurrences are related to the way of John the Baptist (3:15; and 21:32).⁴⁹ Matthew‟s particular understanding of righteousness is to do the will of God according to the teaching of Jesus. It is used for good behavior and right conduct. In the Gospel of Matthew, righteousness is the gateway to entering the kingdom of heaven.⁵⁰

Paul says that “the reign of God is not eating and drinking but justice, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”. (Rom.14:17).⁵¹ For Paul, to be a Christian is synonymous with a life lived under God‟s sovereignty, in the power of the Spirit, a life worthy of the God who calls us into his kingdom and glory. It is a life lived under the lordship of Christ, within the kingdom of Christ. God received us from the domain of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His dear Son (Col 1:13).⁵² Paul‟s emphasis should become our own. It is the central concern of the kingdom which should determine our conduct.⁵³

Re-imagining Jesus from the Praxis of Reign of God Agencies/offices of Jesus from the Praxis of Reign of God

Prophet

Jesus as the prophet does not kept the ideal prophetic charterer as the Israelites traditional prophets. He ate and drink with the people from the different phases of the life, he kept the company with the people normally on or beyond the borders of respectable society.⁵⁴ Jesus‟ way of prophetic ministry to the people was a critique to the traditional understanding prophets. Jesus was known among many other things as someone who could speak with power and authority, it is not referring to the tone of voice. Which was not based on the learned quotations from Torah. But he appeared to be founding a new school of his own, a new branch of Torah-interpretation.⁵⁵Jesus was announcing the message from the God of Israel as the covenant.

His announcement of the kingdom was a warning of immanent catastrophe, a summons to an immediate change of heart and direction of life, an invitation to a new way of being new Israel. Jesus announced that the reign of Israel‟s god, so long awaited, was now beginning; but, in the announcement and inauguration itself, he drastically but consistently redefined the concept of the reign of god itself.⁵⁶

Through the announcement of the reign of God, Jesus was giving a reminder to the Israel as well as the warning about the social practices of the Jewish religion. The people were expecting a political liberator like Moses- the leader prophet, who delivered people from Egyptian bondage. The prophetic office of Jesus is the office which has continued in the line of Old Testament prophetic ministry in culminating the future hope of the reign of God.

Messiah/ Christ

The term Messiah is often used in popular expression and in theological discussion to refer to the promised one of Jewish hope. The Hebrew term Mashiakh refers to “anointed one”.⁵⁷Jesus regarded “Messiah” as a foundational term that brings together several portraits into one figure of hope.⁵⁸Jesus is both a righteous and suffering servant as well as messiah. A messiah who is as exalted can be is also a Messiah who is humbled unto death.⁵⁹The central role of Messiah is a view rooted in Jewish hope. This is the central figure of God‟s promise, who brings righteousness through forgiveness and the spirit. Messiah‟s suffering formed the basis for establishing a new relationship with God and with those who shared in the blessings of Messiah entering into their lives.⁶⁰

King

Jesus was introduced onto the stage of history as one „born to be king‟ and he died on the cross under the sign, „King of the Jews‟. When Jesus began his ministry he came announcing the “reign of God” which was contrast to the scribal priestly teaching.⁶¹ Based on the teaching, the crowd who heard him tried to force him to become their king. Jesus did not fulfill the Jewish expectations about the king. Jesus clearly identified himself with the hopes and fears of the oppressed masses and he announced that the kingdom of God belonged to them.⁶²

Priest

The Jewish concept of priest is the proper mediator between God and his people.⁶³Priesthood of the believer is only access to Christ‟s priesthood.⁶⁴Through the priesthood of Jesus, believers are accessing to God. Christ‟s priesthood is the priesthood of grace and not of obedience to commandments. Humanity has no efficacy with God apart from Jesus Christ. Human beings are always come to God through Christ‟s priesthood.

Liberator

The Galilean episode of Jesus‟ ministry has a universal projection in the context of a people who struggle and suffer for their total liberation.⁶⁵ His liberating interpretation concerning the observance of the Sabbath is concerned as an attack on the law (Mt 12. 1-14). Jesus did not rebel against Sabbath but against the ideological use of the Sabbath. The liberation aspect in Jesus‟ ministry was humanization and the solidarity with those who suffer.⁶⁶

Advocate of Reign of God

The concept of the Kingdom of God (Reign of God) appears throughout the NT, but most of all in the Jesus tradition. The central theme of the message of Jesus was about the immanence of Reign of God. Jesus was focuses on the actualization of the reign of God. Jesus tried to fix the dates and times for the invasion of the Kingdom by stresses its presence “among you” (Luke 17:20-21). Jesus demonstrates the unsurpassable and underived love of God, which evidences the eschatological quality of the coming reign.⁶⁷ In the reign of God, beggars will be blessed (Luke 6:20), the despised will be invited to the great banquet (Luke 14:16-24), the lost will be sought (Luke 15: 1-7), forgiveness will be pronounced (Matt 18:21-22; John 7:53- 8:11). The sovereign God gives the kingdom (Luke 12:32).⁶⁸ Jesus‟ message was all about the reign of God. Christ exercises divine reign to the comfort of believers.

Praxis of Jesus from the Praxis of Reign of God

Fulfillment of the Law

Matthew emphasizes that Christ came to fulfill the law (5:17-20). He is referring to the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesy. The fulfillment envisaged by Matthew points out some changes in the law concerning the food and the Sabbath Regulations (12:1-14).⁶⁹The same arguments are seen in the theology of Luke (1:32-33, 54-55; Acts 2:16-36) and Apostle Paul (Rom 1:2; 3:21) as well. Both of them are agreeing on the fulfillment of the law is same as the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesy.The synoptic tradition contains the sayings which are comfortable with the law. Jesus in no way totally abrogates the law in an antinomianism of principle. His messages were very close to the reign of God, often relates positively to the Decalogue.⁷⁰ In Matt. 5:21-30 he radicalizes the sixth and seventh commandments. In Mark 7:7:9-13 he interprets the fifth commandment in support of the first.⁷¹Jesus did not abolish the law, rather he himself gave the interpretation and became the fulfillment of the law through the life he led during the earthly ministry.

Salvation

The word salvation is mentioned from the very mouth of Jesus Christ was only once in Luke 19:9. There it may refer to himself as the personification of salvation imparting pardon to Zaccheus, or to that which is evidenced by the transformed conduct of the publican. In the message of Jesus the promise of salvation predominates, and the thought of judgment is less prominent.⁷²The thought of reign is stressed in all seriousness. Easter event announced the nearness of God‟s kingdom and it demonstrates his message and work. After Easter, salvation was connected to with the cross and resurrection of Jesus as the saving events in which God draws near to and justifies humanity.⁷³

Liberation

Freedom or liberation in the Gospels does not refer to the kinds of political and social freedom which so readily occur to modern minds. Jesus is independent of all parties and groups in Judaism and free with regard to Jewish traditions. This freedom has many social and religious conventions. In other words Jesus is free to associate with any and all who heed his message, just as God loves both sinner and saint. The traditional suffering Christ came to be seen, not just as a symbol of suffering to be identified with, but also and especially as a symbol of protest against that suffering and, above all, as a symbol of liberation.⁷⁴ This image better conveys the relevance of Christ for a continent of oppression because it is “liberating,” and better recovers the identity of Christ-without losing his totality-because it directs us to “Jesus of Nazareth.”⁷⁵ Christ is seen, and this and other terms are used to describe him, above all as liberator, with the power to liberate from the various types of slavery that afflict the poor, to give direction to the liberation and to inspire believers to be its active agents. From this point of view, this image is essentially soteriological for the present, but it also has a New Testament origin in a very precise sense: it retrieves the Jesus of Nazareth sent “to bring good news to the poor and to proclaim release to the captives” (Luke 4:18).⁷⁶ From this central fact it revalues the whole life, action and destiny of Jesus in such a way that Christ the liberator-without any implication of ignoring the totality of Christ -is, first and foremost, Jesus of Nazareth, the so-called historical Jesus.

Re-imagining Jesus in contemporary contexts

Feminist, Dalit, Tribal and Adivasi Perspective

The feminist way of highlighting the feminine aspects of Jesus can be done accepting the aspects of the uses of the female image Sophia (Wisdom) as an image of Jesus. Jewish tradition personified the wisdom of God as female, the so called wisdom Christology.⁷⁷Some feminist thinkers are arguing that the biblical tradition of a make Jesus addressing his male Father is not an exclusive source but a re-source for thinking about Jesus. Jesus‟ vision of the kingdom was all-inclusive; he opened up table fellowship to sinners, poor, women, even prostitutes.⁷⁸ Another argument to see Jesus in feminist thought is to portray the Christ in the Gospel as the prophet who was speaking on behalf of the marginalized and who challenged the social and religious hierarchical structure of the society.⁷⁹ Women in the gospel represents the lowly, the last who will be the first in the reign of God. The concept of the self-emptiness of Jesus (kenosis) talks about the emptying of the patriarchy.⁸⁰ The argument about the use of the name Christ is also representing the maleness of Jesus. The feminists prefer to use the female term Christa rather than the masculine Christ.⁸¹The feminist theologians are trying to interpret Jesus from different aspect and to identify themselves with the androcentric Christology from the reign of God.

Dalit understanding of Christ is beginning from the faith in Jesus Christ has liberating power. In relation to this, a particular attention is paid to the position of Dalits in society and the circumstances that were placed on their shoulders as a yoke during so many centuries. Jan Peter Schouten quoting M.E Prabhakar says that, “For the Indian Christian Dalits, to know Jesus Christ is to realize that the God of Jesus will save them from inhumanity, social oppression, economic- exploitation and cultural subjugation”.⁸²Belief in Christ is directly linked here to the battle for an improved existence for the oppressed in the society. The role of Jesus Christ as a sufferer identifies Him with the sufferings of Dalits. Another image of the Dalit Christ is based on Christ‟s feeling of being „Godforsaken‟ in the midst of his intense agony on the cross. This is also related to Dalit pathos. Jesus‟ Dalitness is best symbolized by the cross. Jesus becomes Dalit in the fullest possible meaning of that term as „the broken, the crushed, the split, the torn, and the driven asunder man‟. The feeling of God forsakenness is reflected in Jesus‟ cry, „My God, my God why have you forsaken me‟. The feeling of being God-forsaken is the core of Dalit experience and consciousness. By sharing in this experience, Jesus becomes a Dalit and this is another example of Dalit Christology based on the epistemological premise of pain and pathos.⁸³ Dalit Christology has consistently identified Jesus as a Dalit and as a suffering servant in terms of Jesus‟ brokenness, which mirrors the brokenness of the Dalits. It isthrough this brokenness that God‟s glory will be made manifest.

Jesus belongs to a culture, which he transcends. This is a challenge applicable to all members of tribal societies. The more they belong to their culture in a genuine way the greater will be the possibility of their transcendence and the more will they be able to touch the real depths of their cultural identity. Many of the tribal are conscious of their changed identity, a new obtaining from the appearance of Jesus Christ in their personal, family and the community life. Their lives has received a new perspective. The newness is, however, not such that the tribal people forget past or is uprooted from the tradition of their groups, rather an integration of both the tribal and Christian life into a new creation'.⁸⁴

Adivasi‟s understanding of Christ is as Paramadivasi in the context of Adivasi. The meaning of the word Paramadivasi is based on the three Sanskrit roots, parammeans „supreme‟ adi means „primordial‟; and vasi means „dweller‟. Just as the adivasis are the original dwellers, so too Jesus the word can be metaphorically construed as Paramadivasi, the Supreme Primordial Dweller.⁸⁵

Economical

The Classic interpretation of Jesus‟ economic position was that He lived a humble life in poverty and this was the example that Christian should do. This was in many respects the backbone of Rauschenbusch‟s Social Gospel. Rauschenbusch‟s contention that being poor was equitable with being Godly and meek clearly place God on the side of the poor and against any and all forms of economic stability or success.⁸⁶Jesus became poor to identify himself with the poor and the needy. It was for the culmination of God‟ glory in the life of Jesus Christ. This belief advocated that Jesus was primarily and exclusively concerned about the poor and that he saw material possessions, wealth, and the wealthy as being evil.

Political

The political understanding of Christ has to start with the „recall of political crucifixion and divine resurrection of the Christ who was executed as a „rebel‟ and the consequence of discipleship.‟⁸⁷ The memory of the passion and resurrection of Christ is at the same time both dangerous and liberating. The death of Christ was death of a political offender. So it was a dishonor and shame according to the social values.

Critical Evaluation

There is a structural similarity between the situation of Jesus‟ time and those in our own time.In the light of Christian faith, practice, and worship Christology reflects systematically on the person, being and doing of Jesus of Nazareth. In seeking to clarify the essential truths about him, it investigates his person and being and work.It sees objective oppression and dependence lived out subjectively as contrary to God‟s historical design. Re-imagining Jesus puts us in direct contact with his liberative program and the practices with which he implements it. The traditional understanding of Christ kept the marginalized and the oppressed from the knowledge of Christ in their own contexts. The re-imagining Jesus from different viewpoints brings a relation with the human beings in his/her contexts. This sheds light on the chief elements of Christological faith, which is following his life and his cause in our Christian life.Jesus reveals the Father and how to reach father, and the abstract reflections or theories does not provide us that access. This method raises a critique of humanity and society as they appear, this signifies a crisis, not a justification for the world. Jesus calls for a transformation rather than an explanation.

Conclusion

The Reign of God is a Christian concept that refers to God's rule over the world and humanity. It's also known as the Kingdom of Heaven or the Kingdom of Salvation. It encompass in the Old Testament and New Testament paradigm. Postmodernism and Post Structural nullify the reign of God. The Parable which teaches the reign of God envision the spectrum. The Praxis of Jesus from the Praxis of Reign of God joined the line with contemporary context.

¹. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reimagine. Viewed on 15th Nov 2014 at 4:00pm.

². https://www.google.co.in/?gws_rd=ssl#q=what+is+the+definition+of+praxis. Viewed on 15th Nov 2014 at 5:00pm.

³. I.H. Marshall, New Dictionary, (Hyderabad: Logos Bhavan, 2014), pg.647.

^2. Eerdmans. Brill, The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Vol.3, (Boston: Grand Rapids, 2003), pg.125

⁵. Kevin J Vanhoozer, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, (Michigna: Grand Rapids, 2005), pg.420.

⁶. Leland Ryken, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery…, pg.480.

⁷. Claudia Janssen, Bodily Resurrection, in Journal for the Study of the New Testament, (London: The Cromwell Press, 2000), pg.65.

⁸. Kevin J Vanhoozer, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible…, pg.421.

⁹. Kevin J Vanhoozer, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible…, pg.420.

¹⁰. Romans 14:16.

¹¹. Leland Ryken, James C. Wilhoit, and Tremper Longman III, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, (England: Inter Varsity Press, 1998), 480.

¹². Kevin J Vanhoozer, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible…, pg.421.

¹³. Kevin J Vanhoozer, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible…, pg

¹⁴. Leland Ryken, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery…, pg.480.

¹⁵. Leland Ryken, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery…, pg.479-480.

¹⁶. Leland Ryken, eds., Dictionary of Biblical Imagery…, pg.480.

¹⁷. A.K.M.Adam, What is Postmodern Biblical Criticism?, (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995), pg.15.

¹⁸. www.as.ua.edu/ant/faculty/murphy/436/pomo.htm#basic premises. Viewed on 20^th Nov, at 4:00pm.

¹⁹. Christopher Butler, Postmodernism A very Short Introduction, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2002), pg.13.

²⁰. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/poststructuralism. Viewed on 15th Nov 2014, at 3:00pm.

²¹. https://www.google.co.in/?gws_rd=ssl#q=what+is+deconstruction. Viewed on 15th Nov 2014, at 2:00pm.

²². Blomberg, Craig L.; Kelin, William W and Hubbard, Robert L, Introduction to Biblical interpretation, (Dallas: Word Publishing,1993),438 -439.

²³. T.V. Philip, The Kingdom of God is Like This (Delhi: ISPCK, 2000),1.

²⁴. Dennis Duling, “Kingdom of God” The Anchor Bible Dictionary Vol-4. Edited by David Noel Freedman (New York:Doubleday, 1992), 50.

²⁵. G.R Beasley Murray, Jesus and the Kingdom of God (Grand Rapids: William B. Erdmann‟s Publishing company, 1986), 17.

²⁶. A.M. Hunter, The Parables then and Now (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1971), 10.

²⁷.A.M. Hunter, Christ and the Kingdom (Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew Press, 1980), 28

²⁸. A.M. Hunter, Christ and the Kingdom ..., 30.

²⁹. A.M. Hunter, The Parables then and Now..., 12.

³⁰. A.M. Hunter, Christ and the Kingdom ..., 30

³¹. T.V. Philip, The Kingdom of God is Like This…, 8.

³². H.V Martin, The Kingdom of God (Madras: The Christian Society for India,1952), 61³³ A.M. Hunter, The Parables then and Now (London: SCM Press Ltd, 1971), 45.

³⁴. H.V Martin, The Kingdom of God …, 62.

³⁵. G.R Beasley Murray, Jesus and the Kingdom of God…,132.

³⁶. Mortimer Arias, Announcing The Reign of God (Lima Ohio: Academin Renewal Press, 2001), 42.

³⁷. R.S. Barbour, The Kingdom Of God and Human Society (Britain: Redwood Books, 1993), 140.

³⁸. T.V. Philips, The Kingdom of God is Like This (Delhi: Cambridge Press, 2000), 7.

³⁹. T.V. Philips, The Kingdom of God is Like This….,8.

⁴⁰. T.V. Philips, The Kingdom of God is Like This….,9.

⁴¹. Mortimer Arias, Announcing The Reign of God (Lima Ohio: Academin Renewal Press, 2001), 2.

⁴². http://cdn1.russellmoore.com/documents/russellmoore/kingdom-of-god.pdf accessed on 24-11-14. 9:10pm

⁴³. Mortimer Arias, Announcing The Reign of God…., 33.

⁴⁴. Ken R. Gnanakan, Kingdom Concerns: A Biblical Exploration towards a theology of Mission (Bangalore: Theological Book trust, 1989), 103.

⁴⁵. R.S. Barbour, The Kingdom Of God and Human Society….,6.

⁴⁶. Mortimer Arias, Announcing The Reign of God…., 69.

⁴⁷. R. T. France, “Kingdom of God,” in Dictionary for Thological Interpretation of the Bible, edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer (London: SPCK, 2005), 420.

⁴⁸. C. H. Dodd, Gospeland Law: The Relation of Faith and Ethics in Early Christianity(Cambridge: University Press, 1963), 125.

⁴⁹. Benno Przybylski, Righteousness in Matthew and His World ofThought (Cambridge: University Press, 1980), 99

⁵⁰. http://repository.divinity.edu.au/19/9/DTh-_Chapter_4.pdf. Access on 24in-11-14

⁵¹. G.B. Caird, New Testament Thology. Completed and edited by L.D. Hurst (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995), 134.

⁵². G.B. Caird, New Testament Thology……,135.

⁵³. Joel B. Green, “Kingdom of God,” inNew Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Thology, edited by David J. Atkinson, and David H. Field (Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 1995), 531.

⁵⁴. N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, (London: SPCK, 1999), 149.

⁵⁵. N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God, 171.

⁵⁶. N. T. Wright, Jesus and the Victory of God,172.

⁵⁷ Darrell L. Bock, “Messiah/Messianism”, Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2005), 503. 503-506

⁵⁸. Bock, “Messiah/Messianism”, 505.

⁵⁹. Bock, “Messiah/Messianism”, 505.

⁶⁰. Bock, “Messiah/Messianism”, 506.

⁶¹. C. Norman Kraus, Jesus Christ Our Lord: Christology from a Disciple’s Perspective (Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1987), 130.

⁶². C. Norman Kraus, 134.

⁶³. Mini S. Johnson, Christology: Biblical and Historical (New Delhi: Mittal, 2005), 162⁶⁴. Ira Messenger, In the Name of Jesus: Substitution Gospel (Bloomington: iUniverse, 2010), 214.

⁶⁵. Norberto Saracco, “The Liberating Options of Jesus” in Sharing Jesus in the Two Thirds World edited by Vinay Samuel & Chris Sugden (Bangalore: Partnership in Mission-Asia, 1983), 53. 49-60.

⁶⁶. Norberto Saracco, 54.

⁶⁷. Wilhelm Pratscher, “Kingdom of God: NT”, in The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O Vol.3 edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003), 125.125-127,

⁶⁸. Wilhelm Pratscher, “Kingdom of God: NT”, in The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O Vol.3…125.

⁶⁹. P. A. Blair, “Law”, New Bible Dictionary 3^rd editon, edited by D. R. W. Wood, (Leicester: IVP, 1999), 676-677. 672-677.

⁷⁰. Hans Hübner “Law: NT” in The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O Vol.3 edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003),210. 208- 216.

⁷¹. Hans Hübner “Law: NT” in The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O Vol.3,210.

⁷². Wilhelm Pratscher, “Kingdom of God: NT”, in The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O Vol.3…125.

⁷³. Jürgen Roloff, “Salvation: Biblical Understanding of Salvation”, inThe Encyclopedia of Christianity P- Sh. Vol-4 edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003), 819. 818- 831.

⁷⁴. Jon Sobrino, Jesus the Liberator: A Historical-Theological Reading of Jesus of Nazareth(trans. Paul Burns and Francis McDonagh. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1993), 12.

⁷⁵. Sobrino, Jesus the Liberator, 12

⁷⁶. Sobrino, Jesus the Liberator, 13.

⁷⁷. Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen, Christology: A Global Introduction, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academics, 2003), 200.

⁷⁸. Kärkkäinen, Christology: A Global Introduction, 200.

⁷⁹.Kärkkäinen, Christology: A Global Introduction, 200.

⁸⁰. Kärkkäinen, Christology: A Global Introduction, 200.

⁸¹. Kärkkäinen, Christology: A Global Introduction, 200.

⁸². M.E. Prabhakar, „Missions in a Dalit Perspective‟, in V. Devasahayam (ed.), Dalits and Women: Quest for Humanity (Madras: GLTCRI, 1992) (pp. 71–89), pp. 86–7.

Jan Peter Schouten, Jesus as Guru: The Image of Christ Among Hindus and Christians in India(trans. Henry Jansen and Lucy Jansen Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V. 2008), 243.

⁸³. Peniel Rajkumar, Dalit Theology and Dalit Liberation: Problems, Paradigms and Possibilities (Farnham: Ashgate, 2010), 53.

⁸⁴. Joy Thomas, “Missiological Perspectives on Tribal Mission” in Migration and Mission in India (ed. Jose Joseph, and L. Stanislaus; Delhi: ISPCK, 2007), 72. 67-83.

⁸⁵. Samuel George, Christology (Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2013), 85.

⁸⁶. Christopher Signil, Race, Faith, and Politics: 7 Political Questions That Every African American Christian Must Answer (Florida: Christian House, 2012), 45.

⁸⁷. Jurgen Moltmann, The Crucified God: The Cross of Christ as the Foundation and Criticism of Christian Theology (New York: Harper& Row, Publishers, 1973), 326.

Bibliography

A.M, Hunter. The Parables then and Now London: SCM, 1971

Adam A.K.M. What is Postmodern Biblical Criticism?, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995. Arias,Mortimer.Announcing the Reign of God.Lima Ohio: Academic Renewal, 2001.

Barbour, R.S. The Kingdom Of God and Human Society. Britain: Redwood Books, 1993.

Beasley, Murray G.M. Jesus and the Kingdom of God. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1986.

Blair, P. A. “Law”. Pages 672-677 of New Bible Dictionary 3rd editon.Edited by D. R. W. Wood. Leicester: IVP, 1999.

Bock, Darrell L. “Messiah/Messianism”, pages 503-506 of Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible.Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academics, 2005.

Brill Eerdmans. The Encyclopedia of Christianity, Vol.3, Boston: Grand Rapids, 2003.

Butler Christopher. Postmodernism A very Short Introduction, New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Caird,G.B. New Testament Thology. Completed and edited by L.D. Hurst. Oxford: Clarendon,1995.

Dodd, C. H. Gospel and Law: The Relation of Faith and Ethics in Early Christianity.

Cambridge: University Press, 1963.

Dulling, Dennis. “Kingdom of God”.The Anchor Bible Dictionary Vol-4. Edited by David Noel Freedman .New York: Doubleday, 1992.

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Edited by Kevin J. Vanhoozer. (London: SPCK, 2005).

George, Samuel.Christology. Kolkata: SCEPTRE, 2013.

Gnanakan, Ken R. Kingdom Concerns: A Biblical Exploration towards a theology of Mission. Bangalore: Theological Book trust, 1989.

Green, Joel B. “Kingdom of God,” in New Dictionary of Christian Ethics and Pastoral Thology.Edited by David J. Atkinson, and David H. Field. (Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 1995), 531.

H.V, Martin. The Kingdom of God. Madras: The Christian Society for India, 1952 Hübner,Hans. “Law: NT”. Pages 208- 216 in Vol.3 ofThe Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O

edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003. Hunter A.M. Christ and the Kingdom. Edinburgh: The Saint Andrew, 1980.

Janssen Claudia. Bodily Resurrection, in Journal for the Study of the New Testament, London: The Cromwell Press, 2000.

Johnson, Mini S. Christology: Biblical and Historical. New Delhi: Mittal, 2005. Kärkkäinen,Veli-Matti.Christology: A Global Introduction.Grand Rapids: Baker Academics,

2003.

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Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald Press, 1987.

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Messenger, Ira.In the Name of Jesus: Substitution Gospel. Bloomington: iUniverse, 2010.

Moltmann, Jurgen.The Crucified God: The Cross of Christ as the Foundation and Criticism of Christian Theology. New York: Harper& Row, Publishers, 1973.

Prabhakar, M.E. „Missions in a Dalit Perspective‟, in V. Devasahayam (ed.), Dalits and

Women: Quest for Humanity (Madras: GLTCRI, 1992) (pp. 71–89), pp. 86–7.

Pratscher, Wilhelm “Kingdom of God: NT”. Pages 125-127 in Vol.3 of The Encyclopedia of Christianity J-O edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003.

Przybylski,Benno.Righteousness in Matthew and His World of Thought. Cambridge: University Press, 1980.

Rajkumar, Peniel.Dalit Theology and Dalit Liberation: Problems, Paradigms and Possibilities. Farnham: Ashgate, 2010.

Roloff, Jürgen. “Salvation: Biblical Understanding of Salvation”. pages818- 831 inVol-4 ofThe Encyclopedia of Christianity P-Sh. Edited by Ervin Fahlbush etal. Grand Rapids, Michigan: WBE, 2003.

Ryken Leland, Wilhoit James C, and Longman III Tremper. Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, England: Inter Varsity Press, 1998.

Saracco,Norberto. “The Liberating Options of Jesus”.pages 49-60in Sharing Jesus in the Two Thirds World.Edited by Vinay Samuel & Chris Sugden. Bangalore: Partnership in Mission-Asia, 1983.

Schouten,Jan Peter.Jesus as Guru: The Image of Christ Among Hindus and Christians in India.Translated by Henry Jansen and Lucy Jansen Amsterdam: Rodopi B.V. 2008.

Signil, Christopher.Race, Faith, and Politics: 7 Political Questions That Every African American Christian Must Answer. Florida: Christian House, 2012.

Sobrino, Jon. Jesus the Liberator: A Historical-Theological Reading of Jesus of Nazareth.Translated by. Paul Burns and Francis McDonagh. Maryknoll, New York: Orbis Books, 1993.

T.V, Philip.The Kingdom of God is Like This. Delhi: ISPCK, 2000

Thomas, Joy. “Missiological Perspectives on Tribal Mission” in Migration and Mission in India.Edited by Jose Joseph, and L. Stanislaus. Delhi: ISPCK, 2007. 67-83.

Vanhoozer Kevin. J. Dictionary for Theological Interpretation of the Bible, Michigna: Grand Rapids, 2005.

William W Klein, Craig L Blomberg, and Robert L Hubbard. Introduction to Biblical interpretation, Dallas:Word Publishing ,1993.

Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. London: SPCK, 1999.

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