Commentaries:
Jesus Christ preached a specific gospel—not about Himself, but "the gospel of the kingdom of God"! "Gospel" derives from an old English word meaning "good news." He came proclaiming the good news that God's Kingdom would come and restore all things (Acts 3:19-21). Jesus is the King of a literal Kingdom that will reign over the whole earth when He returns (see John 18:36-37; Revelation 5:10; 19:11-16; 20:4-6). The gospel explains, not only that it is coming, but also how we can be a part of it. That is great news!
Richard T. Ritenbaugh
The True Gospel
Galilee is the place where Jesus first preached the gospel, not Jerusalem. And He began preaching "after the baptism which John preached." The true gospel of the New Covenant, then, did not begin with John the Baptist. It began after John had completed his baptismal ministry and was put in prison.
What Is the True Gospel?
The message God sent by Jesus Christ was the "gospel of the Kingdom of God." The Kingdom of God is the government of God that will rule all nations. But also it is the Family of God into which we may be born—the divine Family that will become a spirit-nation, ruling all nations on earth as a world-ruling government!
Jesus was sent merely to announce that message—not force men to accept it, believe it, and act upon it. Never did Jesus plead with a single one to be converted. He just announced the good news of the Kingdom of God, and then left it to the Father to call, through that announcement and His Spirit, those whom He would select (John 6:44). Christ did not come then to convert the world! He did not start a "soul-saving" crusade. He came to announce the gospel—the good news—of His coming Kingdom on earth!
What Is the True Gospel?
In confirming the promises of eternal inheritance God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Romans 15:8), Christ always preached the gospel (Mark 1:14; Matthew 9:35)—the good news—of the Kingdom of God which is to occupy and govern the earth—the same earth that has been promised to Abraham and his heirs for an eternal inheritance.
Will You Go to Heaven?
Notice Jesus says, "Believe the gospel." What gospel? The one He is proclaiming. Jesus says we must believe the gospel—the good news of the coming Kingdom of God—to become a Christian! It was then and is today an advance news announcement. It is tremendous, wonderful news—the most important news ever announced to mankind!
But, one may ask, do we not need to believe on Jesus? Of course. Other scriptures teach that. But at this particular time Jesus says we must believe Him—believe what He says—believe the gospel message of the Kingdom of God which He proclaims!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is not man's gospel about the person of Christ. It is Christ's gospel—the gospel Jesus preached—the gospel God sent by Him, and therefore it is also called in Scripture "the gospel of God." The gospel of God is God's gospel—His message—His good news that He sent by Jesus.
What Is the True Gospel?
The word "gospel" means good news, or glad tidings. Jesus went about preaching the good news of the coming Kingdom of God! The gospel of Jesus Christ is simply the very same gospel He preached. Jesus' gospel is not primarily a message about Himself personally, or about "receiving Jesus." It is not primarily a message about the events in His life and of His becoming the Savior of the world—although it most certainly does include all that.
Notice the four things necessary to constitute a kingdom: 1) territory, 2) a king or ruler, 3) subjects or citizens, 4) laws and government. In the coming Kingdom of God, the territory will be this earth; the king will be Jesus Christ; the subjects will be this earth's peoples; and the laws will be God's Ten Commandments and spiritual principles administered by the divine government of God.
Why Study the Bible in the Space Age?
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Genesis 1:26
Malachi 3:1
Matthew 28:19
Mark 16:15
John 7:41-52
1 Corinthians 2:2
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
2 Thessalonians 1:7-10
Library resources that contain this verse:
E-mail this page
