2 Co 5™- -', 1 P 1'', 1 Jn 1' -J-). His Resurrection is the earnest of the new life into which all those are introduced who are born anew by faith in Him (Ro 6^ 1 Jn 3-- =<). He is the first-fruits of them that .sleep : His Resurrection involves the resurrec- tion to eternal life of all in whom He lives (1 Th 4"-5'», 1 Co 15). His Ascension is the pledge of the glorification of all who are united to Him (Ro
§29. M pii 320. 21).
This aspect of the go.spel is reflected in the Apostolic preaching. The Apostles ' preached Christ' (1 Co P*). All the sermons in the early chapters of Acts are full of Christ. The Epistles identify the gospel witli Him (Ho 1'"!. In |)ar- ticular, the preaching dwelt upun His Crucilixum, His Resurrection, and His Ascension, though tlic same ' mind ' was discerned in the wlmle story of tlie
GOSPEL
Incarnation (I'h '2'). It sliuuld be remembered that all this reference to ' Christ and him cruci- fied ' as ' the gospel,' is shot through and through with Jesus Christ's own message of the love of God in establishing the kingdom. Although the gospel as it was presented by the Apostles assumed a new aspect, becoming a message about Christ who died and rose and ascended to the Father's right hand, this was not intentled to divert attention from the fatherljr love of God and the Kingdom into which He invited men. But it was only through this message about Christ that such a gospel could be ofl'ered authoritatively to tlie world. Moreover, the gospel was seen ni its true j^lory only when viewed through the njcliuin (.1 Christ's Death and Kesurrection and Asceiision. Without the inter- pretation of these events, God's fatherly love was a vague dream, and the heavenly Kingdom was an impossible ideal (1 Jn 4»- ", Eph 2'-^-'\ 1 P 2^-"). Thus Wellhausen, IJG^, p. 386, declares that St.
to transform the gospel >el of Jesus Christ, so the prophecy of the its actual fulfilment cw. :iucordingly, re- lir I'niuro has become li,i|i|"'in'd and is now iii>li:i-i^ 'Ml faith than
Paul'
of tllr Kii.,' that 11... -.,- coming ot 1 1 by Jesus C demption fr< something w present. H(
on hope ; he am iri|i;)ii.-, th,. -.■n-.r ,,f fiilurc 1)1 iss in the present fci-l II i;j nf Ih-Ihl; ( iinl's mhi ; he \ ainiui-lM- death and aliv.i.ly IcnU i\,f iirM- lih- ,,ii ,. Ill III,
The presence of Clirisl luimn- im-ii is uineasiuyly emphasized as the supreme proof of the love of the heavenly Father (Gal l^-s 46- ', 1 Co P, Ro 3=^ n^^, 1 Jn 4», 1 P P etc.). 'The kingdom' is mentioned frequently as the objective of Christian effort (Ac S^-' 14^2 19« 20'-^ 28^^. 3i_ n,, 1417^ 1 Co 4-" & 152^™, Gal 521, Eph 5'', Col 1" 4", 1 Th 2'=, 2 Th P, 2 Ti 4'- 18, Heb 12=8, j^, o5_ 2 P 1", Rev l» 12'") ; and the ideas of Jesus about tin' Kini^ilom are woven into the texture of A|icisliilii- pii'iicliing. But the primary interest of tln' Apn-lli'- «:is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom : ami tlial meant the pro- clamation of Jesus Christ a.-- tlie i)i\ iiiely appointed Saviour, through whom all men may share the privileges of sonship vith God.
Finally, it may be pointed out that although the term ' gospel ' already in AjJostolic times was used in the broader sense with which we are familiar, yet the NT does distinguish the gosijel, as a glad
message of life and peace th; to accept at once, fnuii tlie the converts must olny. 1
about God and the Kiiiuil
as true against the olilci- (on .ludaism. Tli,-Nvritrr t.. tlir theClin-lia.i vn-|M.| as (!,.• In of thr (IM I'uM.nanl. SI. 1'
reryl
free from the trammels of Judai(- sacrament- arianism. The NT writers preach the gospel as a message of transcendent importance and of great joy to all people. But they do not rest content with preaching the good new^. SI. I'anl ^pukr i.f a 'wisdom of "God" wliicli i-miM lir lan;Jii ..nlv I.. the spiritual (1 Co 2). And in.. 1 .a liir lijnAii'.^ are attempts to explain that ' \vi.-,doui,' and to enforce obedience to it, on those who had already become Christians by accepting the gospel. LiTKitATMiE.-H.astings' Dll. artt. 'Gosin-f '.7,..su3 Christ,'
to RniV . ' ,.,.! !■ ,,'',■:"/,'.;.■ 'i', ',',., ',",'",■ .'■','' '.'"'-i',,''!': .''."[ ' 1'.' GoUh, ■■ ■. ., I- .,..,,; /
t::;:
GOSPELS. — The canonical Gospels (including the Synoptic Problem) are fully discussed in separate articles, so that the scope of this article does not necessarily include more than the subjects indicated in the following outline :
1. Definition of the term 'Gospels.'
2. What brought Gospels, oral or written, into being.
3. Transition from oral to written Gospels.
4. Literary use of the term ' Gospel ' in the Pauline Epistles.
0. Source of St. Paul's knowledge of the Gospel story.
C. Evidence of tlie existence of Gospels, oral or written, when St. Paul wrote.
7. A Gospel is not a Life of Christ.
8. NT use of the term 'Gospel' in the sense of a written
document.
9. Principle which guided the Church in her selection of
Gospel material.