A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Session 2 The Gospels The Manifestation of Christ, Part I

From the Birth of Messiah to the Public Inauguration of His Kingdom Ministry

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.

~ Galatians 4.4-5

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I. The Gospel and the Gospels 1

1 I am deeply indebted here to my dear mentor and friend, Dr. Robert Yarbrough, for his excellent teaching and ideas on the nature of the Gospel and Gospels in this section.

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. [15] So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. [16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [17] For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” ~ Rom. 1.14-17

A. The meaning of the Gospel

1. Background of the term

a. Within the classical Greek cultural context, the term “gospel” referred to the reward given for good news ; the term evangelizomai = “to bring good tidings to.”

b. Rarely is the term found in the LXX (i.e., the Septuagint), but is used over 75 times in the NT.

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