We the churches have been the real reductionists. We have reduced the Kingdom of God to private piety.  

Key puzzles
1. Jesus” world
2. What he meant when he spoke of God
3. He acted as if he was in charge.  

We have seen religion and politics as watertight compartments.  

Additional difficulties  
Distortions of skepticism and conservatism or two Jesus myths  
Historical complexity of talking about Jesus and first century  

1. Roman Empire – Such as Augustus son of god
2. Israel expectations of king
3. God”s way of bringing about the story often cuts against the national narrative. And Jesus believed that this was happening in his own time.  He believed that as he came to Jerusalem he was embodying, incarnating the return of Israel”s god to his people in power and glory.  That by dying under them he might exhaust their power.  Theme of God”s sovereign, independent action. Promise of his return to Zion. In Jesus time there was a movement expecting this. Permanent house of David expected. Idea of God becoming king, seen on many psalms.  

Which have a triple theme-
1. Israel”s god is celebrated as king, his home is in the temple
2. The nations are brought under his rule  
3. When god is king, the result is proper justice

But how would he return? Zechariah passage entering Jerusalem on a humble donkey.  

By church Jesus was worship as Davidic king and returning god. In Jesus they believed, God himself had become king.  God is in charge in and through Jesus.  

Puzzles 63

1. So why did he die
2. It does not look like he is king  
Part 2 chap 6

Jesus healed people (defense of)
It is an announcement, not all actualized
Jews always thought they were part of God”s plan to fix world  
Jesus; God”s in charge now
Despite the delay — 600 years
How do  you sustain hope-by telling the story.  
Jesus used the exodus story as the setting for the climax to his career
Seven great themes in the exodus story
Jesus chose this as the carefully framed climax to his public career.  
Wicked tyrant
Chosen leader  
Victory of God
Rescue by sacrifice  
New vocation and way of life
Presence of God
Promised/inherited land
The significance was hope.  

P 74

They needed hope since they had a history of failing, eg Aaron and the golden calf. Jesus was talking about a new exodus.  Now I am at the start of chap 7, but I think I am not going to read the rest of the book.