The Mission of the word is actually double. One of the word before the incarnation and that extends to all men and cultures. Another, in the concrete history of Jewish culture in the age of Augustus and Tiberius. This second is the human mission of the word and there we consider life learns of Jesus in his various works. Vatican II, point very clearly those two stages and tasks for each of them. It is not easy to specify that action of the word in the hearts before the arrival of the Gospel. Firstly we can speak of longing of God which is switched on and boosted by it.
Indeed, as said St. Augustine: nobody will search, Lord, if you not already found, but the action of the word is not consumed in the invisible interiority of the hearts. It expresses and concretizes itself the thousand ways in the outside world. Many of the agricultural peoples religions are religions of nature. By her and by their symbols, stone, hills, farms, crops and life, these religions they have tried to lead, the yearnings of men to God.
We must also think that illuminator the word action was carried out in historical religions. So the question that has been moderately on whether Christians are cannot save them despite their religions or precisely by means of them must respond: by means of them. Jesus Christ missionary: we want to briefly closer to the missionary activity of Jesus, where the word is revealed in all its glory. A test of character essentially missionary of the life of Jesus, is the fact that the evangelists, trying to present to us your figure and your activity, expressed it in the Gospels with the travel scheme. This same pattern of trips has been preserved by Matthew. Lucas, while retaining the structure of Marcos, has developed in a very special way the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem. John has written the Gospel spiritual missionary of his predecessors not has shelved the scheme. And why he has outlined the Gospel around a trip. Is the journey missionary on the Jesus part of the Father and comes into the world. The SynOptics present Jesus missionary on the dusty roads of Palestine. The Mission of the disciples is the same Jesus. Why I will insist on that who welcomes his disciples welcomes him. And who listens to his disciples, listens to him. And quine gives a glass of water to one of his disciples, it is giving to him.