Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GOSPEL, GOOD NEWS

The English translation of Gk. euangélion which, in its most general sense, in the NT refers to the word of salvation made available to the world in and through Jesus Christ.

Origin of usage

Despite impressive linguistic evidence from the wider Greco-Roman world, such as the calendar inscription from Priene (dated close to the birth of Jesus) which uses this terminology to celebrate the “salvation” of Augustus, it is doubtful that such usage can account for the central importance of euangélion in the NT.

Rather, the centrality of this usage stems from the perception of Jesus as the ambassador (Heb. mĕḇaśśēr) of a new eschatological era for Israel. Jesus’ proclamation that God was about to show his saving power before the nations by bringing salvation to Zion is founded on the promise of such passages as Isa. 52:7-12; 61:1-4. The common Hebrew/Aramaic terminology for such OT proclamation is bĕśōrâ (= Gk. euangélion/euangélia, “gospel”; cf. Tg. of Isa. 51:1). According to Matt. 11:2-6 (= Luke 7:18-23) Jesus echoes Isa. 61:1 when he informs John’s disciples that he is the ambassador anointed by God to bring “good news” to the poor (cf. Luke 4:14-18). If one understands that in Jesus’ proclamation by word and deed the fulfillment of the Isaianic promises were taking place in his ministry, one can say that he proclaimed the gospel.

Matthew and Luke

The two foundational accounts of Jesus’ life echo this perspective each in its own way. In the Matthean redactional sections (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; 24:14) Jesus’ work in teaching and healing is fused together and described as an eschatological proclamation of “the gospel of the kingdom” (cf. Matt. 26:13). Luke prefers the infinitive form euangelízesthai (ca. 25 times in Luke-Acts); it has close affinities with the terminology of the LXX which Luke regularly imitates.

For Luke, in keeping with Isa. 40:3-5, John the Baptist is the forerunner of the gospel (Luke 3:4-6; 16:16). Consciously echoing Isa. 61:1-2; 58:6, Jesus’ mission is viewed as an announcement of “good news to the poor” (Luke 4:14-18). The emphasis is that Jesus’ preaching brings a reversal of status in Israel. The poor and the sick are vindicated, while the rich and proud will be put down (Luke 7:22; 8:1; 9:6; cf. 14:33; 16:13; 18:24).

This theme is continued in Acts, where the apostles and other leaders persist in a similar proclamation. However, the focus of the proclamation now moves to Jesus himself. As the one who was rejected by the leaders of Israel, he is now proclaimed (euangelízesthai) as the agent of salvation, since God vindicated him by raising him from the dead (Acts 5:42; 8:35; 15:35; 17:18).

Mark

Instead of the infinitive form, Mark uses the noun euangélion. Mark is much closer to Acts (and Paul) in portraying Jesus as both the bringer of salvation and the one in whom salvation is found.

For Mark, to tell the story of Jesus is to proclaim the gospel. It is by Jesus’ teaching, deeds of healing, and conduct, especially in his Passion, that God’s saving power (gospel) is shown. Thus, for Mark the gospel was first promised in Isaiah (Mark 1:1-2) but came to realization when Jesus began to preach (vv. 14-15). This preaching of the gospel demanded faith and repentance (Mark 1:15). It required a personal decision for discipleship which in Mark, in contrast to Matthew and Luke, is linked with accepting the gospel (Mark 8:35; 10:29). It is this story (gospel) that Mark’s readers are called to be loyal to (Mark 14:9) and to announce to all creation (13:10; 16:15).

Paul

The preponderance of usages of “gospel” (both infinitive and noun) in the NT is found in the Pauline writings (almost 50 times in the undisputed letters). The connection between Paul and the Synoptic Gospel tradition is still somewhat unclear. However, the view that Paul picked both the terminology and general usage of “gospel” from traditions he learned from the Hellenistic church is compatible with the evidence of Acts.

Nevertheless, as in many other areas, Paul placed his unique imprint upon the concept. More clearly than any other NT writer he stresses that the gospel is the message about the salvation realized by the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth (1 Cor. 15:1-11; Rom. 1:3; 1 Cor. 1:17). But “gospel” also included the basic doctrinal claims of the total Christian message including the hope for the return of Christ (1 Thess. 1:5, 9-10; 2 Thess. 1:8; Rom. 2:16). Indeed, for Paul, it was a synonym for the entire fabric of the Christian message (Rom. 1:16).

Paul insisted that his call as a minister of the gospel came directly as a result of a personal encounter with the risen Christ (Gal. 1:13-16; 2 Cor. 4:4-6). Through the same power made known to him by the risen Christ, in fulfillment of the OT promises that at the end time humans would announce to the world the fulfillment of God’s promises, Paul became a messenger of the gospel by serving as God’s special envoy to the Gentiles (Rom. 10:13-17; Gal. 1:16; Rom. 15:15-20). As God’s eschatological word to the nations there is only one gospel (Gal. 1:6-9). The realization of what was promised beforehand to the worthies of the OT (Rom. 1:2-3; Gal. 3:8) was now to be received as a gift of God’s grace and not on condition of obedience to Torah (Gal. 2:2–3:5; 2 Cor. 3:4-18). For Paul throughout, one’s salvation is dependent solely upon the gospel.

Other NT Usages

Curiously, in contrast to Paul the term “gospel” occurs only once in the entire spectrum of the Johannine writings (Rev. 14:6). Here it functions as a solemn warning to a recalcitrant world. A similar warning is given in 1 Pet. 4:17.

Bibliography. C. H. Dodd, The Apostolic Preaching and Its Developments (Chicago, 1937); P. Stuhlmacher, ed., The Gospel and the Gospels (Grand Rapids, 1991).

Allan J. McNicol

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

GOSPEL, GOOD NEWS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)