The Biblical Theology of the Gospel

The word “gospel” derives from the Anglo-Saxon term “godspell,” meaning “good news.” The Greek word euangelion (gospel) or its verbal cognate euangelizomai (evangelize) together occur more than 130 times in the NT. Whether used in a military, imperial, or religious sense, a gospel was always a message of good news. It is no wonder that the Chinese language describes good news as 福音 (Fúyīn).

The gospel that Jesus proclaimed was no different. It was a well-defined message of good
news. Jesus the Messianic King had come to establish God’s kingdom on earth and forgive
people of sin through his own substitutionary life, death, and resurrection, thereby qualifying them to inherit God’s kingdom if they believe.

In this lesson, we will clarify how the content of the gospel was developed through the biblical canon. It will provide an explanation of the gospel in an expansive sense, as well as in a more concise sense. Christians need to understand both in order to live out the life of
discipleship and witness for Jesus.