Deeper shade of grey | lost theme 9

Lost themes of mission… gospel

OK this is intriguing. We’ve heard the ‘gospel’ rhetoric, we’ve preached the ‘gospel’ in the understanding that ‘gospel’ = good news and that good news is that Jesus lived, died and rose again accommodating whatever theory of atonement is in vogue or catches our whim. Paul’s use of the word gospel however, could be and might represent ever so much more.

NT Wright explores the concept to some depth and asks that to get to grips with the concept of ‘gospel’ there is a need to not only understand where the word came from, but also to get an insight as to what such a term would mean to Paul and to his readers.

NT would argue that the term infers an announcement of kingship, of a new reign. The euaggelion, gospel, was announced when a new emperor was declared - ‘Augustus is dead…Tiberius is Lord… on your knees and pay your taxes’ - this was gospel, the announcement of a new reign. Gospel would have been used by Paul and understood by his readers in this context.

NT reiterates this by underlining this double resonance of the word “gospel” for Paul.

“On the one hand, the gospel Paul preached was the fulfilment of the message of Isaiah 40 and 52, the message of comfort for Israel and of hope for the whole world, because YHWH, the god of Israel, was returning to Zion to judge and redeem. On the other hand, in the context into which Paul was speaking, “gospel” would mean the celebration of the accession, or birth, of a king or emperor. Though no doubt petty kingdoms might use the word for themselves, in Paul’s world the main “gospel” was the news of, or the celebration of, Caesar.” (NT Wright)

In other words the Gospel, announced in this context, identifies Jesus Christ as the true kyrios (Lord) of the world, and subverts the prevalent cult and supposed divinity of Caesar. Jesus is announced as the risen Lord of the world within the context of a new reign, a new way of living and of being through subjection and submission not to a new Caesar, but to Jesus as Lord.

Therefore nothing to do with how to be saved: 

”It is important to stress, as Paul would do himself were he not so muzzled by his interpreters, that when he referred to “the gospel” he was not talking about a scheme of soteriology.” (NT Wright) 

My understanding of ‘gospel’ has lacked this context and I am left wondering whether I have been guilty of muzzling Paul, guilty of missing something obvious that is central to mission, the announcement of an alternative way of living, the announcement of the ‘reign of God’ shaped by the values of the Kingdom as seen in the life, death and Resurrection of Jesus. As long as gospel is ‘muzzled’ and kept partial, ‘gospel’ remains, ironically a lost theme of mission.

Writer: Capt. Gordon Cotterill lives in London, England, is married to Kate and has two daughters Bethan and Eryn. He has been a Salvation Army officer for ten years and ‘cut his teeth’ in ministry with his wife as the corps officers at Poplar in the East End of London. The lessons he learned there in his day-to-day ministry, amid the chaos of the inner city, continue to shape his understanding and passion for biblical and grace-centred mission. His latest appointment as Spiritual Programme Director at the William Booth College, London now offers him the opportunity for the fusion and exploration of ‘mission’ and ’spiritual formation’ while trying to inspire a new generation of Salvation Army officers as to their role in God’s plan for His creation. Gordon keeps a blog where he mulls over themes of mostly, mission and spiritual formation.

2 Comments to Deeper shade of grey | lost theme 9

1. Gordon:

   This really rocks my worldview. Thanks.

   I think this reading of the word “gospel” DOES have a lot to do with salvation…but just not the paltry, personal kind that can feed into narcissism. The contemporary trend toward overvaluing the personal is something that’s been on my heart for some time.

   Andrea
Andrea614Regent on June 22nd, 2009

2. Exellent Article. I loved it.

   Add to this the verse in 1 Corinthians 1:23 “…we preach Christ Crucified…” It wasn’t any written word that Paul or the early church preached, it was Christ. Christ is (as I argued in another article) the word of God. Whilst we focus on the written word as ‘gospel’ we will all have lost the plot (and possibly Salvation), not just the lost theme of mission. Salvation only comes through Christ crucified and resurected. No written word or theological adherance etc., can bring this about. Only Christ crucified and resurected.

   Once again, EXCELLENT article. Couldn’t agree more.

   Yours in Christ,
   Graeme.
Graeme Randall on June 22nd, 2009

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