📖 Biblical Definition
Greek euangelion, gospel / good news, the principal NT term for the good news of the kingdom of God in Christ. The compound structure (eu, good + angelion, message) carries the sense of joyful proclamation of imperial victory or royal accession; the NT picks up this Greek public-political register and applies it to the announcement of King Jesus's victory over sin and death and His enthronement at the Father's right hand. The NT lexicon is extensive: the Lord Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15); Paul defines my gospel as the message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-8); Paul is set apart unto the gospel of God (Romans 1:1) which is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Romans 1:16); Galatians is the great defense of the gospel against perversion (Galatians 1:6-9, though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed); the gospel is the message Paul was commissioned to preach (1 Corinthians 9:16-17). The Reformation recovery of the gospel of justification by faith alone in Christ alone is the substantive theological recovery of the NT euangelion. The patriarchal-Reformed reader holds the precise NT substance: the gospel is the good news of Christ crucified and risen, by whom and in whom the elect are reconciled to God, justified by faith, sanctified by the Spirit, and brought to eternal glory. Every other gospel is anathema (Galatians 1:8-9).
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
Greek euangelion (G2098), gospel / good news; principal NT term; Paul's my gospel defined as Christ's death, burial, resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-8); Reformation recovery of justification by faith alone.
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EUANGELION, Greek noun (G2098; good news, gospel) From eu (good) + angelion (message). NT principal term for the good news of Christ's kingdom. Lord Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom (Mark 1:14-15). Paul's my gospel: Christ's death, burial, resurrection according to Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:1-8). The power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16). Galatians defends the gospel against perversion: let him be accursed if a different gospel is preached (Galatians 1:8-9). Reformation recovery of justification by faith alone in Christ alone is the substantive recovery of NT euangelion.
📖 Key Scripture
Romans 1:16 — "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you... that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures."
Galatians 1:8-9 — "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed."
Mark 1:14-15 — "Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Roman Catholic works-righteousness, prosperity gospel, social gospel, easy-believism, New Perspective on Paul reformulations — multiple historical and contemporary corruptions; Reformation recovery of justification by faith alone retains the NT substance.
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The principal historical and contemporary corruptions of biblical euangelion are multiple: Roman Catholic works-righteousness (the believer's cooperation with infused grace as basis of justification, against the NT teaching of justification by faith alone); prosperity gospel (Christ as means to health-wealth-success rather than as Lord and Savior from sin); social gospel (the gospel reduced to political-social transformation in the present age); easy-believism (the gospel as one-time decision without obedient discipleship); New Perspective on Paul (justification reframed as covenant-membership identification rather than forensic righteousness imputation). Each is opposed by the precise NT teaching and the Reformation-recovered confessional articulation. Paul's anathema (Galatians 1:8-9) applies categorically: any other gospel than the one apostolically preached is accursed.
The patriarchal-Reformed answer is the precise NT and Reformation-confessional substance: the gospel is the good news of Christ crucified and risen, by whom the elect are reconciled to God, justified by faith alone in Christ alone, sanctified by the Spirit, and brought to eternal glory. The believer rests in this gospel, defends it against corruption, and proclaims it to the nations under the Great Commission.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
G2098; eu + angelion; Paul's defined gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-8); Reformation recovery.
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['Greek', 'G2098', 'euangelion', 'good news, gospel']
['Greek', 'G2099', 'euangelistes', 'evangelist']
['Old English', '—', 'god-spell', 'good story (English derivation)']
Usage
"Euangelion: gospel; the good news of Christ crucified and risen."
"Paul's my gospel defined: Christ's death, burial, resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)."
"Reformation recovery of justification by faith alone retains the NT substance."