Question: Have there been distinct gospels preached at different times? Are there differences in the content of the gospels which have been preached?
Answer: It is unmistakable that there are different facets related to the word “gospel” in Scripture. Depending on which subject the word “gospel” is added to, different aspects of the gospel are emphasized. Some people might think we would teach that we find two different gospels in the Bible. But it is not enough if we assume the Bible just teaches two different gospels. We can not only distinguish between the “gospel of the kingdom” (Mt 24:14 „And these glad tidings of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole habitable earth, for a witness to all the nations, and then shall come the end.“) and the “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24 „But I make no account of my life as dear to myself, so that I finish my course, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the glad tidings of the grace of God.“) but also between the “gospel of the glory of Christ” (2Cor 4:4 „in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them .“), “the glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1Tim 1:11 „according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.“), the “gospel of peace” (Eph 6:15 „and shod your feet with the preparation of the glad tidings of peace:“) or the “everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6–7 „(6) And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting glad tidings to announce to those settled on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, (7) saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and do homage to him who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and fountains of waters.“). Beside this, the Scripture talks about the “gospel of God” (Rom 1:1–4 „(1) Paul, bondman of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated to God's glad tidings, (2) (which he had before promised by his prophets in holy writings,) (3) concerning his Son (come of David's seed according to flesh, (4) marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead) Jesus Christ our Lord;“), the “gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27 „Only conduct yourselves worthily of the glad tidings of the Christ, in order that whether coming and seeing you, or absent, I may hear of what concerns you, that ye stand firm in one spirit, with one soul, labouring together in the same conflict with the faith of the glad tidings;“), the “gospel of the uncircumcision” and also the “gospel of the circumcision” (Gal 2:7 „but, on the contrary, seeing that the glad tidings of the uncircumcision were confided to me, even as to Peter that of the circumcision,“). They all follow the same principle: they are all good news focused on a specific aspect of the revelation of God.
If God tells us “good news”, we must look at the actual context, where the gospel is mentioned and must ask who the recipient is. Even to the people of Israel in the desert, “good news” (in Greek euaggelion) was preached. In the book of Hebrews, God’s intention to liberate Israel from their slavery in Egypt and to “give them rest” (Heb 4:8 „For if Jesus had brought them into rest, he would not have spoken afterwards about another day.“) in the country of Canaan, is called “good news” (Heb 4:6 „Seeing therefore it remains that some enter into it, and those who first received the glad tidings did not enter in on account of not hearkening to the word,“, NASB). The Lord Jesus proclaimed in the beginning of His ministry “the gospel of the kingdom” (Mt 4:23 „And Jesus went round the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people.“). The context of Verse 17 shows us that this happened while He was preaching that this kingdom “is at hand” (Mt 4:17 „From that time began Jesus to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh.“). There is no doubt about it: This message was for the Jews because they were excepting a kingdom of peace and it was to them that the Lord was sent (Mt 15:24 „But he answering said, I have not been sent save to the lost sheep of Israel's house.“).
These two examples show that we cannot apply every gospel to us as Christians and the term “gospel” not necessary deals with Christianity. Because of that we should not be surprised that the “gospel of the kingdom” is not directed to us. The context indicates that the Jews are addressed. The passage talks about the completion of this age and the time close to the visible coming of the Lord Jesus on this earth. The time “is at hand” again when the kingdom will be raised up publicly, because the King is about to come back to His people. [In our book Der vergessene Reichtum we prove in section § 18 and § 17.4.1.3 why this “good news” applies to the Jewish people, which becomes clear when we see this gospel in the context of the Daniel’s 70th week.]
By stoning Stephen, Israel had forfeited the opportunity that the kingdom would have been raised up in their day (see book § 3.7). The gospel of the kingdom could no longer be preached in that way. Paul preached about the “kingdom” (Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23; 28:31 „(14:22) establishing the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to abide in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.“ „(19:8) And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.“ „(20:25) And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of God , shall see my face no more.“ „(28:23) And having appointed him a day many came to him to the lodging, to whom he expounded, testifying of the kingdom of God, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and the prophets, from early morning to evening.“ „(28:31) preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly.“) but we no longer read, that he preached the “gospel of the kingdom.” In the context of “kingdom”, the Holy Spirit does not have Paul use the word “gospel”. Nevertheless “the things concerning the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8 „And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.“) were still preached, and this especially in its mysterious form: our Lord has an invisible kingdom on this earth where He is expecting obedience regarding His word and which contains a precious treasure for Him. Even today we preach these things regarding the moral aspect of this kingdom where “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” will be found (Rom 14:17 „for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.“).
When Philip started to share the gospel after Stephen was stoned (Acts 8:12 „But when they believed Philip announcing the glad tidings concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptised, both men and women.“), we do not have the same Greek term for the “gospel of the kingdom” as we find it in Matthew 4:23 „And Jesus went round the whole of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the glad tidings of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every bodily weakness among the people.“. Rather we find the verbform “proclaiming-good-message-about” followed by the term “peri tes basileias tou theou” which was also used by Paul in Acts 19:8 „And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly during three months, reasoning and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.“ (there it is translated as “things concerning the kingdom of God”).
When we read however, of the “gospel of the glory of Christ” (2Cor 4:4 „in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them .“, NKJV) clearly the Holy Spirit is not focusing on “good news” about a kingdom on this earth. Furthermore, the “good news” is that Christ is sitting highly exalted at God’s right hand, crowned with glory and honor. Nevertheless, in a sense the “gospel of the glory” is contained in the “gospel of the kingdom”. Christ has not received His visible earthly kingdom and is not sitting on “the throne of His glory” on this earth (Mt 25:31 „But when the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit down upon his throne of glory,“), yet He is at God’s right hand on the throne of His Father (Rev 3:21 „He that overcomes, to him will I give to sit with me in my throne; as I also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne.“). He has received – as the Lord who went on His journey (cf. Mt 25:15 „And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to each according to his particular ability, and immediately went away out of the country.“) – a kingdom, which He is ruling from heaven, while He is away; in Matthew 13:1 „And that same day Jesus went out from the house and sat down by the sea.“1 the Lord Jesus calls this kingdom a mystery. The special thing about it is, that we belong to this hidden, mysterious kingdom on this earth and at the same time we are joined with Christ in His glory in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6 „and has raised us up together, and has made us sit down together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus,“).
Also, how big is the difference between the “gospel of the glory of Christ” (2Cor 4:4 „in whom the god of this world has blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving, so that the radiancy of the glad tidings of the glory of the Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine forth for them .“, NKJV) – respectively the “glorious gospel of the blessed God” (1Tim 1:11 „according to the glad tidings of the glory of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted.“) and the “everlasting gospel” (Rev 14:6–7 „(6) And I saw another angel flying in mid-heaven, having the everlasting glad tidings to announce to those settled on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, (7) saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and do homage to him who has made the heaven and the earth and the sea and fountains of waters.“)! The first is focusing on the glorification of the Lord our God, in its fullest extent, in the way it became possible after the work was accomplished on the cross. During the tribulation, the angel will preach the “everlasting gospel”. It is all about honoring God as the creator.
The apostle Paul makes it clear how different the gospel he preaches is compared to the gospel of the 12 apostles. He calls the gospel, he had received by revelation, “my gospel” (Rom 16:25 „Now to him that is able to establish you, according to my glad tidings and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, as to which silence has been kept in the times of the ages,“) and “my doctrine” (2Tim 3:10 „But thou hast been thoroughly acquainted with my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, endurance,“) and showed the gospel, which he has preached “among the Gentiles” (Gal 2:2 „and I went up according to revelation, and I laid before them the glad tidings which I preach among the nations, but privately to those conspicuous among them , lest in any way I run or had run in vain;“) to the other apostles. In this regard, to assume Paul and the apostle have preached one and the same gospel – although the foundation of 1. Corinthians 15:1–5 „(1) But I make known to you, brethren, the glad tidings which I announced to you, which also ye received, in which also ye stand, (2) by which also ye are saved, (if ye hold fast the word which I announced to you as the glad tidings,) unless indeed ye have believed in vain. (3) For I delivered to you, in the first place, what also I had received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures; (4) and that he was buried; and that he was raised the third day, according to the scriptures; (5) and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.“ might be the same – would be careless and ignore the differences between the content of these messages. Paul’s gospel includes all other gospels. Therefore, Paul can write: “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:18 „Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to make acquaintance with Peter, and I remained with him fifteen days;“).
Just because always a different aspect of the gospel is highlighted, we should not assume that we can separate them too much from each other. In every form, the gospel is a blessing for those to whom it is addressed, when they recognize it. Today when we preach the gospel, in the way Paul received it, we should not forget that Paul not only preached the “gospel of the grace of God” and the “gospel of the glory of Christ”, but also the kingdom of God (Acts 20:25 „And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of God , shall see my face no more.“) where Christ is the Lord (Acts 28:31 „preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching the things concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all freedom unhinderedly.“). Unfortunately, those who preach intentionally nowadays the “everlasting gospel”, preach a shorted gospel based on their lack of understanding of dispensational truth.
Just focusing on the good news which describes how to avoid hell, means that we ignore the other meanings of the gospel. The good news of the gospel includes much more, and the Holy Spirit uses – like we have seen above – various phrases to highlight different aspects of this message.
Der vergessene Reichtum by D. Schürmann | S. Isenberg. Chapter 22.27, p. 694–697
Translation: Samuel Ackermann & James Edwards