Gospel

I am absolutely amazed by the Gospels and the Gospel genre. The more I study and learn, the more overwhelmed, humbled and awed I become. I knew that Gospel meant “Good News” but I had no idea that it was used in a propagandistic way to announce the birth or ascension of an emperor. For example, when Octavian (aka Caesar Augustus) was born, his birthday was celebrated as the inauguration of the good news (gospel) for the world. [What brings a massive smile to my face is that Octavian’s birth announcement was proclaimed by man while Jesus’s birth announcement was proclaimed by an angel from the Lord (Luke 2:8-14).]

The feature of the Gospels’ genre that has changed my life and that is continuing to change my life because I cannot stop thinking about it is this: the Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) wrote with the intent that Jesus was to be emulated. Based on genre alone, the original reader/hearer would have understood they were encouraged to submit to the Gospel writers’ proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that salvation has come through Jesus’s death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

Mark 1:1 affirms this premise, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (1:1 ESV, emphasis mine). Again, just by genre alone the original audience would have known that Jesus was the main character and the one they should emulate. This just sets me absolutely on fire for God!

Pennington (Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction, 2012, pp. 33-34) states, “To read the Gospels well is to submit to their proclamation.” How well am I reading the Gospels? By learning the genre of the Gospels, we can see plainly that the subject, Jesus, is the fulfillment of God’s kingdom and that believers through the Evangelists’ Gospels are motivated, encouraged and required to become more like Christ. While the Gospel message proclaims a historical Man, the Son of God, Jesus the Christ, born of a virgin, taking on flesh, living, breathing, working, playing and dwelling among people; who was crucified, dead and buried and on the third day rose again, the same Evangelists also proclaim the responsibility that believers/readers/hearers have in obeying their proclamation.

Father God, help us to submit to the Good News. Help us to obey and live out the Gospel that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, Your own Son who lived, died, rose from the dead and is now seated at Your right hand. Lord God, I ask that You will stir this reader/hearer to learn more about the Gospel genre. I ask Lord, that You will help each of us to read each Gospel account separately rather than trying to harmonize them. Lord, may we let Matthew speak for Matthew, Mark for Mark, Luke for Luke and John for John because each Evangelist was writing to a different audience and had a different message about Jesus and His life, character and mission. Lord God, may we be a people who read, share and live Your Gospel well. May we submit to the Evangelists call to emulate Jesus. Lord, may we allow You to transform our lives through Your Word and through our experiences with You. Thank You Father that You are NEVER more than a thought away. I thank You Lord for this reader, may You speak to them in a very personal way today. Thank You, Jesus, for Your Good News, Amen.