"The least of these..."

Greg Wilson said:

Hello,

My name is Greg Wilson, and I am a tentative sabbath-keeper, seeking to follow God wholly in everything, and there is a passage of scripture that I am concerned about, which is:

--
Matthew 5:17-20, NASB :

"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven."
--

So, in reference to the Law, Jesus says whoever keeps and teaches the least of the commandments shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. I want to be called great, not just to be called great, but to follow God in the whollest way possible.

But, if we were to follow the least of the commandments, (aka all of them!), that would include things like animal sacrifice, and stoning people for certain things. I would need to study the law better to understand these things.

In Hebrews, I know that it says "Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin." (Now that we're forgiven, we don't need a sacrifice for sin). So that seems to go against Jesus telling us to keep and teach the commandment to do sacrifice.

How does this apparent contradiction get worked out, my fellow believers?

Also, would Jesus ever want a Messianic community to be started where discipline followed the laws about stoning, etc?

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Leviticus 23
1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
ב דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה, אֲשֶׁר-תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ--אֵלֶּה הֵם, מוֹעֲדָי. 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The appointed seasons of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, even these are My appointed seasons.
ג שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים, תֵּעָשֶׂה מְלָאכָה, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, כָּל-מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: שַׁבָּת הִוא לַיהוָה, בְּכֹל מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם. {פ} 3 Six days shall work be done; but on the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of work; it is a sabbath unto the LORD in all your dwellings. {P}
ד אֵלֶּה מוֹעֲדֵי יְהוָה, מִקְרָאֵי קֹדֶשׁ, אֲשֶׁר-תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם, בְּמוֹעֲדָם. 4 These are the appointed seasons of the LORD, even holy convocations, which ye shall proclaim in their appointed season.
ה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן, בְּאַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר לַחֹדֶשׁ--בֵּין הָעַרְבָּיִם: פֶּסַח, לַיהוָה. 5 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at dusk, is the LORD'S passover.
ו וּבַחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַזֶּה, חַג הַמַּצּוֹת לַיהוָה: שִׁבְעַת יָמִים, מַצּוֹת תֹּאכֵלוּ. 6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD; seven days ye shall eat unleavened bread.
ז בַּיּוֹם, הָרִאשׁוֹן, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם; כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ. 7 In the first day ye shall have a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work.
ח וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה, שִׁבְעַת יָמִים; בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ, כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ. {פ} 8 And ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD seven days; in the seventh day is a holy convocation; ye shall do no manner of servile work. {P}
ט וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. 9 And the LORD spoke unto Moses saying:
י דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם, כִּי-תָבֹאוּ אֶל-הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם, וּקְצַרְתֶּם אֶת-קְצִירָהּ--וַהֲבֵאתֶם אֶת-עֹמֶר רֵאשִׁית קְצִירְכֶם, אֶל-הַכֹּהֵן. 10 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When ye are come into the land which I give unto you, and shall reap the harvest thereof, then ye shall bring the sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest unto the priest.
יא וְהֵנִיף אֶת-הָעֹמֶר לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, לִרְצֹנְכֶם; מִמָּחֳרַת, הַשַּׁבָּת, יְנִיפֶנּוּ, הַכֹּהֵן. 11 And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, to be accepted for you; on the morrow after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.
יב וַעֲשִׂיתֶם, בְּיוֹם הֲנִיפְכֶם אֶת-הָעֹמֶר, כֶּבֶשׂ תָּמִים בֶּן-שְׁנָתוֹ לְעֹלָה, לַיהוָה. 12 And in the day when ye wave the sheaf, ye shall offer a he-lamb without blemish of the first year for a burnt-offering unto the LORD.
יג וּמִנְחָתוֹ שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים סֹלֶת בְּלוּלָה בַשֶּׁמֶן, אִשֶּׁה לַיהוָה--רֵיחַ נִיחֹחַ; וְנִסְכֹּה יַיִן, רְבִיעִת הַהִין. 13 And the meal-offering thereof shall be two tenth parts of an ephah of fine flour mingled with oil, an offering made by fire unto the LORD for a sweet savour; and the drink-offering thereof shall be of wine, the fourth part of a hin.
יד וְלֶחֶם וְקָלִי וְכַרְמֶל לֹא תֹאכְלוּ, עַד-עֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה--עַד הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-קָרְבַּן אֱלֹהֵיכֶם: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם, בְּכֹל מֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם. {ס} 14 And ye shall eat neither bread, nor parched corn, nor fresh ears, until this selfsame day, until ye have brought the offering of your God; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. {S}
טו וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם, אֶת-עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה: שֶׁבַע שַׁבָּתוֹת, תְּמִימֹת תִּהְיֶינָה. 15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the day of rest, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the waving; seven weeks shall there be complete;
טז עַד מִמָּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת, תִּסְפְּרוּ חֲמִשִּׁים יוֹם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם מִנְחָה חֲדָשָׁה, לַיהוָה. 16 even unto the morrow after the seventh week shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall present a new meal-offering unto the LORD.
יז מִמּוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם תָּבִיאּוּ לֶחֶם תְּנוּפָה, שְׁתַּיִם שְׁנֵי עֶשְׂרֹנִים--סֹלֶת תִּהְיֶינָה, חָמֵץ תֵּאָפֶינָה: בִּכּוּרִים, לַיהוָה. 17 Ye shall bring out of your dwellings two wave-loaves of two tenth parts of an ephah; they shall be of fine flour, they shall be baked with leaven, for first-fruits unto the LORD.
יח וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם עַל-הַלֶּחֶם, שִׁבְעַת כְּבָשִׂים תְּמִימִם בְּנֵי שָׁנָה, וּפַר בֶּן-בָּקָר אֶחָד, וְאֵילִם שְׁנָיִם: יִהְיוּ עֹלָה, לַיהוָה, וּמִנְחָתָם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם, אִשֵּׁה רֵיחַ-נִיחֹחַ לַיהוָה. 18 And ye shall present with the bread seven lambs without blemish of the first year, and one young bullock, and two rams; they shall be a burnt-offering unto the LORD, with their meal-offering, and their drink-offerings, even an offering made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the LORD.
יט וַעֲשִׂיתֶם שְׂעִיר-עִזִּים אֶחָד, לְחַטָּאת; וּשְׁנֵי כְבָשִׂים בְּנֵי שָׁנָה, לְזֶבַח שְׁלָמִים. 19 And ye shall offer one he-goat for a sin-offering, and two he-lambs of the first year for a sacrifice of peace-offerings.
כ וְהֵנִיף הַכֹּהֵן אֹתָם עַל לֶחֶם הַבִּכֻּרִים תְּנוּפָה, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה, עַל-שְׁנֵי, כְּבָשִׂים; קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיוּ לַיהוָה, לַכֹּהֵן. 20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the first-fruits for a wave-offering before the LORD, with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest.
כא וּקְרָאתֶם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם--כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ: חֻקַּת עוֹלָם בְּכָל-מוֹשְׁבֹתֵיכֶם, לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם. 21 And ye shall make proclamation on the selfsame day; there shall be a holy convocation unto you; ye shall do no manner of servile work; it is a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations.
כב וּבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת-קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם, לֹא-תְכַלֶּה פְּאַת שָׂדְךָ בְּקֻצְרֶךָ, וְלֶקֶט קְצִירְךָ, לֹא תְלַקֵּט; לֶעָנִי וְלַגֵּר תַּעֲזֹב אֹתָם, אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. {פ} 22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corner of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleaning of thy harvest; thou shalt leave them for the poor, and for the stranger: I am the LORD your God. {P}
כג וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. 23 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
כד דַּבֵּר אֶל-בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לֵאמֹר: בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ, יִהְיֶה לָכֶם שַׁבָּתוֹן--זִכְרוֹן תְּרוּעָה, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ. 24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall be a solemn rest unto you, a memorial proclaimed with the blast of horns, a holy convocation.
כה כָּל-מְלֶאכֶת עֲבֹדָה, לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה, לַיהוָה. {ס} 25 Ye shall do no manner of servile work; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD. {S}
כו וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה, אֶל-מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר. 26 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:
כז אַךְ בֶּעָשׂוֹר לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי הַזֶּה יוֹם הַכִּפֻּרִים הוּא, מִקְרָא-קֹדֶשׁ יִהְיֶה לָכֶם, וְעִנִּיתֶם, אֶת-נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם; וְהִקְרַבְתֶּם אִשֶּׁה, לַיהוָה. 27 Howbeit on the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; there shall be a holy convocation unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls; and ye shall bring an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
כח וְכָל-מְלָאכָה לֹא תַעֲשׂוּ, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה: כִּי יוֹם כִּפֻּרִים, הוּא, לְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם, לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. 28 And ye shall do no manner of work in that same day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement for you before the LORD your God.

Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days.
ב תֶּן-חֵלֶק לְשִׁבְעָה, וְגַם לִשְׁמוֹנָה: כִּי לֹא תֵדַע, מַה-יִּהְיֶה רָעָה עַל-הָאָרֶץ. 2 Divide a portion into seven, yea, even into eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
ג אִם-יִמָּלְאוּ הֶעָבִים גֶּשֶׁם עַל-הָאָרֶץ יָרִיקוּ, וְאִם-יִפּוֹל עֵץ בַּדָּרוֹם וְאִם בַּצָּפוֹן--מְקוֹם שֶׁיִּפּוֹל הָעֵץ, שָׁם יְהוּא. 3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth; and if a tree fall in the south, or in the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there shall it be.
ד שֹׁמֵר רוּחַ, לֹא יִזְרָע; וְרֹאֶה בֶעָבִים, לֹא יִקְצוֹר. 4 He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap.
ה כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ מַה-דֶּרֶךְ הָרוּחַ, כַּעֲצָמִים בְּבֶטֶן הַמְּלֵאָה: כָּכָה, לֹא תֵדַע אֶת-מַעֲשֵׂה הָאֱלֹהִים, אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה, אֶת-הַכֹּל. 5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the wind, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child; even so thou knowest not the work of God who doeth all things.
ו בַּבֹּקֶר זְרַע אֶת-זַרְעֶךָ, וְלָעֶרֶב אַל-תַּנַּח יָדֶךָ: כִּי אֵינְךָ יוֹדֵעַ אֵי זֶה יִכְשָׁר, הֲזֶה אוֹ-זֶה, וְאִם-שְׁנֵיהֶם כְּאֶחָד, טוֹבִים. 6 In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand; for thou knowest not which shall prosper, whether this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.
ז וּמָתוֹק, הָאוֹר; וְטוֹב לַעֵינַיִם, לִרְאוֹת אֶת-הַשָּׁמֶשׁ. 7 And the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun.

Any time you read sacrifice for sin, think Yeshua. Any time you read Levites, think Melchizedek, as Yeshua is our High Priest in the Heavenly courts. It is all about location, location, location.... and the shadow of things to come.

Greg Wilson said:

But, if we were to follow the least of the commandments, (aka all of them!), that would include things like animal sacrifice, and stoning people for certain things. I would need to study the law better to understand these things.

Click to expand...

Hello,

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, so there is no need to enforce a penalty that has already been paid. There is no Temple and the laws in regard to Temple worship only apply when there is a Temple. One way to think about it might be crossing State lines. For instance, there are certain State laws that apply to you when you're in California that don't apply to you when you're in Nevada, but that doesn't mean those laws have been done away with.

Greg Wilson said:

Pinacled, could you explain why you chose those scriptures to send me? Thank you!

Visionary, thank you for that word! Seems good! Yes, the shadow of things to come... What do you mean by location, location, location? Thank you!

Click to expand...

Do you Know the Holy Days?

http://biblelight.net/feasts.htm

Greg Wilson said:

Hey Soyeong!

Thanks for your response. So I guess animal sacrifice came to be linked to the temple practices (they didn't always sacrifice at the temple), so now that there's no temple, there are no animal sacrifices? And then above that, you're saying Jesus paid the penalty, so we don't need animal sacrifice anyway. I guess the animal sacrifices never totally took away sin anyway, just cleansed the outside flesh or something. Yes, the Hebrews verse I quoted lines up with you - "Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin." Makes sense. And then, I suppose we keep the commandments to have sacrifices in the sense of we remember what Jesus has done. Agree? Thanks.

Pinacled, I am familiar with some of the Holy days a little. My mom knows them better. But you are ssaying that that would be a part of keeping and teaching the least of the commandments, yes? Sounds good to me. I'll have to study them more!
Thanks.

Click to expand...

Hello,

Yes, sacrifices did become linked with Temple practices. Paul continued to offer animal sacrifices in Acts when he took a Nazarite vow in Acts 18 and when he paid the expenses for the vows of others in Acts 21, which included sin offerings (See Numbers 6). Verses that talk about what the Millennial Reign will be like talk about animal sacrifices resuming, including sin offerings, which I think will be done in memorial. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, so we don't have to enforce it by for instance stoning people and atone for it by sin offerings, but there were another animal sacrifices besides sin sacrifices and other sacrifices that are not animal sacrifices. If you're interested in learning more about the Temple and how it's all about the Messiah, then I recommend this lesson series:

http://rabbiyeshua.com/kehilat-store/2014-12-29-14-46-22/product/63-the-holy-temple

We also have free lessons going through Romans verse by verse if you're interested:

http://rabbiyeshua.com/kehilat-store/audio-teachings

Greg Wilson said:

Pinacled, could you explain why you chose those scriptures to send me? Thank you!

Visionary, thank you for that word! Seems good! Yes, the shadow of things to come... What do you mean by location, location, location? Thank you!

Click to expand...

Location...Prophecies of the "shadow of things to come" center in Jerusalem.
Location... Where in history are we?
Location.. Where are we in relationship to God?

Greg Wilson said:

In Hebrews, I know that it says "Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin." (Now that we're forgiven, we don't need a sacrifice for sin). So that seems to go against Jesus telling us to keep and teach the commandment to do sacrifice.
How does this apparent contradiction get worked out, my fellow believers?

Click to expand...

There is no contradiction. There are five types of sacrifices, and not all are about sin. Jesus (Yeshua) himself will preside over the sacrifices as High Priest in the millennium to come.

Greg Wilson said:

Also, would Jesus ever want a Messianic community to be started where discipline followed the laws about stoning, etc?
Thank you.

Click to expand...

Do you live in Israel, and is there a king ruling, a temple in operation, and Levitical priests acting as judges through the land? No? Then you are not bound to any laws which require these conditions. Tithing is another which is not for churches or other congregations, but only for the temple.

If you would like some study material, please check out the following:
http://www.hebroots.org/hebrewroots101.htm

There is a big distinction between the one, final sacrifice of Christ (Hebrews ch.s 9 & 10) and the Levitical offerings, which are not atoning sacrifices, but they do speak of Christ.

Greg Wilson said:

Hmm, its true about the sacrifice offered in Acts 21 for the men, including Paul. And this is after the resurrection of Jesus. I didn't see anything about a Nazarite vow in Acts 18, though.

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Acts 18:18 After this, Paul stayed many days longer and then took leave of the brothers[c] and set sail for Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila. At Cenchreae he had cut his hair, for he was under a vow.

Could you also tell me the verse references for the animal sacrifices, including sin offerings (which you think will be done in memorial) resuming in the Millennial Reign?

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Ezekiel 44:11 They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple and ministering in the temple. They shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before the people, to minister to them.

Ezekiel 44:24 In a dispute, they shall act as judges, and they shall judge it according to my judgments. They shall keep my laws and my statutes in all my appointed feasts, and they shall keep my Sabbaths holy.

For brevity, I won't quote Ezekiel 45:16 - 46:24, but it's about doing various sacrifices, including sin offerings, and keeping the new moon, Sabbath, and God's appointed feasts.

Zechariah 14:16-18 Then the survivors from all the nations that have attacked Jerusalem will go up year after year to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, and to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles. 17 If any of the peoples of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord Almighty, they will have no rain. 18 If the Egyptian people do not go up and take part, they will have no rain. The Lord will bring on them the plague he inflicts on the nations that do not go up to celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles.

Zechariah 14:21 Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the Lord Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite[c] in the house of the Lord Almighty.

Isaiah 56:7 these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer;
their burnt offerings and their sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house shall be called a house of prayer
for all peoples.”

So you're saying because Jesus paid the penalty for people who deserve stoning, that's why we don't still do stoning? (I know, seems extreme). Also, you first say that you think the sin offerings are done in memorial, but then you say we don't need to atone for it by sin offerings? I am aware of there being other sacrifices besides sin sacrifices.

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Correct.

Thank you for the helpful response.

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You're welcome.

Greg Wilson said:

Cool, Pat34lee. That's helpful. Could you give me the scriptures about Jesus presiding over them as High Priest in the millenium? Thank you!
This is a helpful perspective. Also interesting about tithing... So stoning required there to be levitical priests acting as judges? Could you give me the verse reference? Thanks, Pat.

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Jesus is named a high priest after the order of Melchizedek (King Priest) in Hebrews 5.

a) Prophecies of a Millennial Temple:
Joel 3:18
Isaiah 2:3
Isaiah 60:13
Daniel 9:24
Haggai 2:7,9

b) Prophecies of animal sacrifices in the future Temple:
Isaiah 56:6,7
Isaiah 60:7
Jeremiah 33:18
Zechariah 14:16-21

Millennial Reign of Jesus
http://www.discoverrevelation.com/Rev_20.html

Moses appoints judges
Exodus 18:24-26
24 So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said.
25 And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
26 And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.

Judging
Deuteronomy 17

double post

Jeremiah 34:8-9 King James Version (KJV)

8 This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;

9 That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, being an Hebrew or an Hebrewess, go free; that none should serve himself of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother.



Luke 16:16 Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

16 the law and the prophets [are] till John; since then the reign of God is proclaimed good news, and every one doth press into it;