Biblical Topics A to Z
The Gospel
What the New Testament means by the gospel, what Paul summarizes in 1 Corinthians 15, and how the four Gospels present the good news of Jesus Christ.
At a Glance
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for sins, was buried, and rose again according to the Scriptures — the message that saves all who believe.
Overview
The word gospel means good news. Paul defines its content precisely in 1 Corinthians 15: Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to many witnesses — all according to Scripture. This study traces how the four Gospels present this same good news through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and how the gospel is both an event to believe and a message to be received by faith.
Learning Objectives
- •State the core content of the gospel as Paul summarizes it in 1 Corinthians 15
- •Trace how each Gospel writer presents the good news of Jesus Christ
- •Distinguish the gospel message from its results and implications
- •Understand what it means to receive the gospel by faith
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.
Romans 1:16
Read It in Context
This study quotes Romans 1:16, but no verse stands alone. Open a Bible and read the whole surrounding chapter to see the full argument the passage sits within, then look up the other references cited throughout this study — 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 and beyond — in their own context. Scripture is the final authority here, not this summary.
Historical & Literary Context
'Gospel' (euangelion) was used in the Roman world for an announcement of good news, such as a military victory or an imperial birth. The New Testament writers took this term and filled it with the announcement that God's promised king had come, died, and been raised, fulfilling the Old Testament Scriptures and inaugurating the reign of God.
The Content Paul Received and Delivered
In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Paul states that he passed on what he himself received: Christ died for sins according to Scripture, was buried, rose the third day according to Scripture, and appeared to Peter, the twelve, more than five hundred brothers, James, and finally Paul himself. This is the earliest and most concise gospel summary in the New Testament.
The Gospels Tell This Story
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each narrate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus from a different vantage point, but all four converge on the same climactic events: the crucifixion and the empty tomb. Mark opens his book by calling it 'the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ' (Mark 1:1), tying the term directly to the narrative that follows.
Power unto Salvation
Romans 1:16 describes the gospel not merely as information but as God's power at work to save everyone who believes, Jew and Gentile alike. The gospel is not advice about how to live; it is an announcement of what God has done, received by faith rather than earned by works.
Christ-Centered Focus
The gospel has no content apart from Jesus Christ. He is not one illustration of the good news; he is the good news. Every gospel presentation in the New Testament centers on his death for sin and his bodily resurrection as the ground of salvation.
Practical Application
Believers are called to hold fast to the gospel they received, as Paul urges in 1 Corinthians 15:2, and not be moved from it. Sharing the gospel means communicating this specific historical content — Christ's death, burial, and resurrection according to Scripture — not merely general encouragement or moral teaching.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins and rising again according to the Scriptures. Help me to hold fast to this good news and to share it clearly with others, trusting in its power to save. Amen.
Scripture Memory
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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."
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Reflection Questions
- 1How would you summarize the gospel in one or two sentences using Paul's own words?
- 2Why does Paul emphasize that Christ's death and resurrection happened 'according to the scriptures'?
- 3In what ways might the gospel be reduced to something less than what Paul describes?