Posted on 11/11/2014 7:09:08 AM PST by Salvation
The Gospel is no mere written word. The Gospel is Jesus Christ, the Word made Flesh. Therefore the Gospel saves all who receive it (Him) with faith and heed its warnings and teachings with the obedience of faith.
Msgr. Pope Ping!
"Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound...."
Jesus when preaching put emphasis on the Father and the Kingdom of God rather than Himself, so the Gospel cannot be all Jesus. Take note of Mark 1:15 for starters.
The Good News is there’s a way for people to break the chains of guilt, fear and hopelessness imposed on them by their government, church or themselves.
We have to look at the purposes for which the evangelists wrote.
Mark wrote from first hand accounts, sometime sketchy, but very vivid details. (for the Israelites)
Matthew has the most quotes from the Old Testament since he is said to have written for the Jews.
Luke was writing for the Gentiles and attempted to put everything in chronological order through which he includes several stories that other Gospels don’t have.
John was written much later and it is mostly theology.
Which is probably why it's my favorite of the four gospels.
(I like philosophy and theology and such.)
Gospel as ‘good news’ of Jesus’ message of salvation was my younger self’s understanding. And all meanings as Pope Benedict describes that is required by Jesus came on slowly afterward. More understanding of what the Gospel is comes with age, experience, study, and prayer/meditation.
Perhaps seeing Gospel as “Good News” is the ‘cliff notes/Classic’s comic book’ understanding for ‘young’ Christians and the fuller meanings come with ‘age’ and reading the ‘full’ text.
Precisely. The lyrics, while very pretty are a good example of trivialization of the Gospel.
If Pope were the Pope, I might even become Catholic myself...
I asked one of our former local priests about this and his comments are in blue.
1. Mark wrote from first hand accounts, sometime sketchy, but very vivid details. (for the Israelites)
Mark: his Gospels are always the shortest and he was always on the move.
2. Matthew has the most quotes from the Old Testament since he is said to have written for the Jews.
He was the greatest preacher, as it were, so many quotes are by him.
3. Luke was writing for the Gentiles and attempted to put everything in chronological order through which he includes several stories that other Gospels don’t have.
His emphasis was prayer.
3. John was written much later and it is mostly theology.
His wrote of THE LIGHT.
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I have lunch with him a few times a year and just asked him about this topic a couple of months are.
The problem is not with translating “Gospel” as “Good News,” which is accurate.
The problem is the human condition.
As God’s Word says, Christians are a fragrance of life to some, and an odor of death to others.
To the former, the Gospel is “good news,” God’s forgiveness as an unearned gift. To the latter who refuse to see themselves as sinners guilty before God and unable to make things right by their own good actions, the Gospel doesn’t sound good.
John is my favorite as well. Lots to sit with in John.
:) I agree.
I have learned the same from priests as well. It that not amazing! :)
The problem has ALWAYS been the human condition: PRIDE, the first of the seven deadly sins. After all, that's what Lucifer's temptation to Adam and Eve was all about. They could know all of God's knowledge if they broke His law and ate the forbidden fruit.
Lucifer, Light Bearer, the first of the PRIDE sinners.
Review of the seven deadly sins:
pride,
greed,
anger,
lust,
envy,
gluttony and
sloth.
Lucifer became SATAN, שטן , which means "adversary" in Hebrew.
My pastor told us in a presentation about John, that no word is there accidentally. Everything is important!
Amen
Yep, the people who insist we take the Bible word for word are calling it good news while the ones who do not believe in sola scripture believes it means just what it says which is the Gospel.
Kind of confusing but I believe the Gospel is only good news to those who know they are lost with out God.
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