Bible Fact · 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 — 'Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.'
What Does 'Gospel' Mean?
The Fact
The English word 'gospel' comes from the Old English 'godspell,' a compound of 'god' (good) and 'spell' (news or story), meaning 'good news.' It translates the Greek word 'euangelion' (εὐαγγέλιον), composed of 'eu' (good) and 'angelos' (messenger or message). The Greek word was not invented by Christians — it was used in the Roman world to announce significant royal news, typically a military victory or the birth of an emperor. Roman herald proclamations used 'euangelion' to announce Caesar's victories across the empire. When the early Christians used 'euangelion' to describe the message of Jesus, they were making an implicit political claim: there is a greater king whose announcement of victory supersedes Caesar's. The word appears 76 times in the New Testament. Paul provides a definition in 1 Corinthians 15:1–8: Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day according to the Scriptures.
Context
Mark begins his Gospel with 'The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God' — deliberately using the imperial announcement terminology to declare that Jesus is the true king.
Significance
The word 'gospel' was a word of power in the Roman world. When Christians used it for Jesus, they were not just announcing good news — they were making a kingship claim that challenged Caesar himself.
Reflection
The gospel is not advice or helpful tips — it is an announcement that a king has won and a world has changed. How would sitting with that announcement, rather than treating the gospel as a self-help message, change your faith?