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Why The Gospel About Jesus Is Good News

by Wayne Davies  
4/28/2014 / Bible Studies

Mark 1:1 -- The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Our English word "gospel" is a translation of a Greek word that literally means "good news" or "glad tidings". Greeks used this word to describe the message delivered to a town after the military had engaged in battle victoriously. When the messenger would appear, people knew immediately that he was coming with the message "We Won" his face was beaming with joy, his spear was specially decorated with laurel, he was wearing a crown and swinging a palm branch. There was no mistaking the purpose of his coming or the content of his message. A celebration would follow and the bearer of the good news received a wreath.

Eventually the word was used in reference to special announcements about the Roman Emperor: his birth, his "coming of age" and most importantly, his official acceptance into the office of Emperor. These were all occasions when "gospel" messages were sent throughout the land.

This use of "gospel" becomes even more significant when we reflect on the Roman custom known as the Imperial Cult. In the ancient Mediterranean world, the Roman Emperors were worshiped as a god. As far back as 44 B.C. a statue of Julius Caesar contained the inscription "to the unconquered god". Augustus Caesar, because he was the adopted son of Julius Caesar, received the title "son of a god". Both Augustus and his successor Tiberius allowed a temple to be built in their honor, each containing a statue suitable for worship in a god-like fashion.

The Emperor was viewed as a "god-man", appearing on earth as a deity in human form. He was treated as more than a mere man, so any announcement about him or from him was viewed as a "gospel", a proclamation of good news for the benefit of all people in the empire.

Another example from the reign of Augustus Caesar is most relevant to this discussion: the following inscription about the Emperor was found on a Roman calendar dated 9 B.C. "the birthday of the god was for the world the beginning of the gospel which has been proclaimed on his account." Again, note the reference to the Emperor as "the god", and note the use of the word "gospel" the message of his arrival on earth was to be broadcast as "good news" to all people.

Most importantly, note the similarity between the wording of this inscription and Mark 1:1. So when we read the opening words of Mark, "the beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God", his readers would have been well aware of the significance of these words in light of the proclamations that went forth proclaiming Emperor worship.

The gospel that Mark writes is also about a God-Man, but not just another God-Man among many so-called god-men. According to the Bible, this Jesus is the only true God-Man. This man Jesus is proclaimed to be the one and only human who is truly divine.

Mark is announcing the coming of a new kind of Emperor, the King of kings and Lord of lords. This is good news of the best kind. The coming of Jesus gives us reason to rejoice, for Jesus has conquered the ultimate enemies of sin, death and the devil "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work" (1 John 3:8).

Please join me in celebrating the victory that Jesus has won for all who recognize Him as Emperor and thereby lovingly submit to His reign in their lives!

For more Bible reading tips, visit http://www.GodWroteTheBook.com for 2 free gifts: the Resource Guide "Top 5 Free Online Bible Study Tools" and my book "Sweeter Than Honey, More Precious Than Gold: Meditations on Psalm 119," by Wayne Davies, dedicated to helping you read and understand the Bible.

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