The Gospel should be understood biblically.

The term “Gospel,” translated from the Greek word euangelion, always means “good news.” In ancient times, this term might have referred to the news of a political or military victory. In the New Testament, the Gospel proclaims the good news about Jesus.

For many, the Gospel is about getting their sins forgiven so they can go to heaven when they die, which is an essential part of the Gospel. Biblically, however, there is more to the Gospel. The Gospel is the good news about the crucial events in Jesus’ life. For example, the Gospel includes Israel’s story, which reached its resolution in Jesus Christ.

One might wonder where a student of the Bible should begin in an attempt to understand the Gospel. Like many biblical scholars, I propose starting with Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church.

“Now I would remind you brothers of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved if you hold fast to the word I preached to you – unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-5)

From whom did Paul receive this Gospel? The answer is in the Book of Acts. Paul, who went by the name Saul at the time, was traveling on the Damascus Road when he had the following encounter.

” Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light  from heaven shown around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 9:1-5)

Paul was transformed after this experience, receiving the Gospel directly from Jesus. What better place to begin?