Bible Words Jon Kehrer

BIBLE WORDS EUANGELIZOMAI

Jon Kehrer

“Preach the Gospel. If necessary, use words.” This popular quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, who coincidentally is never reported to have said it, elevates the importance of doing instead of simply speaking ( James 1:22). However, how did people in the New Testament world think of those words, “preach the Gospel”?

Those three English words come from just one Greek word: euangelizomai. It was a phrase used all over the GrecoRoman world when a message was spoken. Sometimes, it expressed the surprising pleasantness of a person’s arrival. Other times, it declared the defeat of an enemy. Occasionally, it announced the joy of a baby to be born. In each usage, however, it seems to have brought an unexpected and delightful message to its hearers. It was not just news. It was good news.

Perhaps it should not surprise us then that euangelizomai was the Greek word used to translate the Old Testament declarations of God’s presence (Isaiah 40:9), sovereignty (Isaiah 52:7) or liberation (Isaiah 61:1). No matter what people’s rulers, thoughts or circumstances told them, God’s plan always brought hope.

This is the same message proclaimed throughout the books we call the Gospels, from the birth of Jesus (Luke 2:10) to Jesus’ teaching in the temple (Luke 20:1). It was used for the early church’s spreading of the message of God’s kingdom (Acts 8:12). It was the word Paul chose to describe his ministry (Romans 15:20) and the word Peter used for the message about Jesus (1 Peter 1:12). Indeed, the word that is brought to those who are slaves to sin is both unexpected and delightful: God has made peace with us through the blood of Jesus on the cross. That is good news. And that will preach.

Jon Kehrer teaches Hebrew, Old Testament, and hermeneutics at OCC. Find more word studies at occ.edu/biblewords.