Jesus’ message is the Good News (Luke 2:10; 3:18; 4:18, 43; Acts 8:12, 35). He mediates the New Covenant (Luke 22:20). The people recognize His as “a new teaching with authority” (Mark 1:27). He gives “a new commandment” (John 13:34). When some try to superimpose old traditions, Jesus replies,
No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins (Luke 5:36-38).
This is the ideal time to break with inadequacies of the past. And Jesus has the authority to do it. Even while He lays groundwork for His Kingdom, He has “authority over all flesh” for life and for judgment (John 17:2 cf. John 5:27). Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to the Father’s side formalizes His reign with “all authority” (Matthew 28:18).
[God] raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church (Ephesians 1:20-22 cf. Acts 2:33-36).
That certainly places Jesus “far above” traditions and cultures, no matter how deeply ingrained. This is the time for Jesus, in establishing His new order, to correct the immature standards of previous orders. If there are inherent weaknesses in old principles of male leadership, this is the ideal time for divine healing that makes whole. If, somehow, the originally created order is not ideal, this is the time for the new creation. As seen in the cases of divorce and fasting, Jesus makes radical changes, even when they are truly counter-cultural (Matthew 19:10, 25; John 1:11). He is not shy to speak in the most unconventional ways that drive away all but His staunchest followers (John 6:60, 66). So, as we delve into the Gospel accounts and the conception of the Kingdom, we do so with high anticipation.