Early Christian Kyregma

 The Greek term Kyregma means “that which is preached” or simply “proclamation.”

 It is used to describe the content of the proclamation of Jesus.

 Most scholars, following C.H. Dodd, discuss the contents of early Christian preaching under the
heading “The mighty acts of God in Jesus Christ.”

 These mighty acts include:

1. That the messianic age foretold by the prophets has arrived (Acts 2:16-21, 3:18,24;
10:43; Rom. 1:2)
o Acts 2:16-21 - No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘In the last days,
God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will
prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even
on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and
they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the
earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to
darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day
of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’”
o Acts 3:18- “But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the
prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer.” 24 – “Indeed, beginning with
Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.”
o Acts 10:43 – “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
o Rom. 1:2 – “the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy
Scriptures”
2. That the fulfilment of the messianic age is demonstrated by the life, death and
resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:24, 31; 3:15; 5:30; 10:37-43; Rom. 1:3-4; 4:24-25; 8:34; 1
Cor. 15:3-4; 1 Thess. 1:10)
o Acts 2:24 - “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of
death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” 31 - “Seeing
what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not
abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay.”
o Acts 3:15 - “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We
are witnesses of this.”
o Acts 5:30 - “The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you
killed by hanging him on a cross.”
o Acts 10:37-43 - “You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached—how God anointed
Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing
good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was
with him. “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and
in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from
 the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the
people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and
drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the
people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living
and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in
him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.””
o Rom. 1:3-4 - “regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of
David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in
power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
o Rom. 4:24-25 – “but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us
who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered
over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
o Rom. 8:34 – “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—
more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us.”
o 1 Cor. 15:3-4 – “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that
he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,”
o 1 Thess. 1:10 – “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the
dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
3. That by virtue of his resurrection, Jesus is exalted Lord (Acts 2:33-36; 8:34; 10:9; Phil.
2:9)
o Acts 2:33-36 – Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father
the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For David
did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my
right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ “Therefore let all
Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord
and Messiah.”
o Acts 8:34 – The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking
about, himself or someone else?”
o Acts 10:9 – “About noon the following day as they were on their journey and
approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.”
o Phil. 2:9 – “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name
that is above every name,”
4. That the presence of the Holy Spirit in the church is a sign of God’s presence with His
people (Acts 2:37-47; 4:31; 5:32; Rom. 8:26-27)
o Acts 2:37-47 – “”When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said
to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied,
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the
forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise
is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our
God will call.” With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with
them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his
message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number
 that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to
the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many
wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and
had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone
who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their
number daily those who were being saved.
o Acts 4:31 – “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.”
o Acts 5:32 – “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God
has given to those who obey him.”
o Rom. 8:26-27 – “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not
know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through
wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit,
because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
5. That Christ will return as judge and Savior of the world (Acts 3:20-26; 10:42; 17:31; Rom.
2:16; 1 Thess. 1:10)
o Acts 3:20-26 – “…and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for
you—even Jesus. Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore
everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. For Moses said,
‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own
people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to
him will be completely cut off from their people.’ “Indeed, beginning with Samuel,
all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of
the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to
Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God
raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you
from your wicked ways.”
o Acts 10:42 – “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is
the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.”
o Acts 17:31 – “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the
man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from
the dead.”
o Rom. 2:16 – “This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets
through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.”
o 1 Thess. 1:10 – “and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the
dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”
6. That the call to repentance includes an offer of forgiveness from sins and reception of
the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of salvation (Acts 2:38; 3:19; 10:43; 11:18; Rom. 10:9)
o Acts 2:38 – Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name
of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the
Holy Spirit.”
o Acts 3:19 – “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out,
that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,”
o Acts 10:43 – “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
o Acts 11:18 – When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised
God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to
life.”
o Rom. 10:9 – If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your
heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”