The Gospel, Part 4

[Note: this is the fourth article of a five-part series about the historical context of the Gospel]

At the time the Bible was written, “gospel” (Greek euangelion) had a broad meaning. Simply put, it referred to news, most often good. Although gospel has appeared in ancient manuscripts in reference to royalty, it could also be used to describe glad tidings for any people group. This concept occurs not only in the Bible (in both Greek and Hebrew) but the records of virtually every ancient empire. They all had extensive messenger systems to transport goods, troops, and news. Any cause for celebration was gospel, and thus the celebratory actions themselves (rewarding the messenger, sacrifices to the gods) were also referred to as euangelion. The Romans, however, took it one step further. Beyond good news of the emperor, gospel could also hint at his divinity. 

Augustus

Caesar Augustus, originally called Octavian, was the first and arguably the greatest of all Roman emperors. As the adopted son of his great uncle Julius Caesar, he was the heir to his throne. After Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 BC, Augustus took power and secured a number of military victories to consolidate his rule. Throughout the next four decades, he ushered in an era of peace, power, and prosperity. This was the golden age of the Roman Empire - Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) - beginning when Augustus came to power in 27 AD and lasting into the reigns of successive emperors for the next two hundred years. This doesn’t mean the empire was free from revolts, riots, insurrection, and invasion. Rather, the focus transitioned from military conquest, which was only possible through great financial and military cost, to diplomacy. This was no small task, since Rome, and nearly every other nation on earth, had been at war with its neighbors, or with factions within its borders, near constantly. Augustus was faced with the challenge of convincing Roman citizens that the prosperity they could achieve without war was far greater than the potential wealth and expansion they could gain via costly battles. However, Augustus was a skilled politician. Before long, his gospel of peace had taken over the empire. Each territory would be autonomously ruled under the umbrella of the Senate, greatly reducing the risk of civil war and uniting the empire against outside threats. Conflict still occurred in and around the Roman empire, but its prosperity soared. With less focus on military campaigns, Rome’s international trade flourished. Citizens at home and abroad benefited from large profits and improved standards of living. Pax Romana was a revolutionary idea that proved to be enormously effective, establishing the Roman empire as a world power for centuries to come. 

Success like this can easily go to a man’s head. When Octavian (as he was known at the time) came to power in 27 BC, he had his Julius Caesar deified, and then proclaimed himself a son of god, adopting the title divi filius (Latin for “son of a god”), which appears on much of the currency he issued. Octavian also claimed the title Augustus, derived from the Latin word augere (“to increase”). It was a religious title, rather than political, indicating his divine nature. All emperors after him inherited this title. At the same time, he was elected princeps senatus, the leader of the Roman Senate. The empire was not a monarchy, since the practice of kings having absolute power had led to numerous wars in the preceding four centuries. Although the empire was officially run by elected senators, Augustus was the de facto ruler, retaining all real power as princeps, Rome’s “first citizen”. His generosity towards his troops ensured their ongoing loyalty, and his capable generals secured military victory more often than not. In addition to controlling the majority of Roman legions, Caesar Augustus was the richest and most powerful man in the empire at the time.

With such power and authority, Augustus formalized the practice of emperor worship. Imperial cults were not a new concept, and many empires throughout history have practiced them since. Egypt, China, Japan, the Khmer Empire, Hawaii, and even the Greek Empire after Alexander the Great revered their ruling monarchs as divine. Indeed, the Roman Empire itself had worshiped its rulers since the time of Romulus, the founder and first king of Rome in the 8th century BC. However, under the title Augustus, emperor worship was incorporated into Rome’s day-to-day religious practice. To the majority of the population, Caesar Augustus was considered both a man and a god. 

Thus, gospel (euangelion) in the first century came to refer to anything pertaining to Rome’s divine ruler, the god-man Caesar Augustus. His messages, and those praising him, were considered good news for the well-being of the Roman Empire. These sort of official decrees were carried along the cursus publicus, the Roman system of highways, to the far corners of the empire and proclaimed in all cities under Rome’s dominion. Gospel was thereafter associated with all subsequent Roman emperors. The historian Philo described how the gospel of Gaius Caesar’s ascension in 37 AD spread from city to city. Later, in 69 AD, Josephus described that after Vespasian’s ascension “every city kept festival for the good news (euangelion) and offered sacrifices on his behalf” (1). Gospel meant good news in the Roman Empire, but was especially used in official correspondence for news pertaining to Caesar. 

We see this very thing in an inscription in the ancient town of Priene in Western Turkey.  It’s one of the most prominent usages of the word euangelion before the time of Christ. In 9 BC, the consul Paullus Fabius Maximus, a close friend of Augustus, decreed that annual sacrifices would be made on the emperor’s birthday. Carved into the stone are these words: 

Augustus, whom [Providence] has filled with [excellence] for the benefit of humanity, and has in her beneficence granted us and those who will come after us Savior who has made war to cease and who shall put everything in peaceful order. And whereas Caesar, when he was manifest, transcended the expectations of all who anticipated the good news, not only by surpassing the benefits conferred by his predecessors but by leaving no expectation of surpassing him to those who would come after him, with the result that the birthday of our God signaled the beginning of Good News (euangelion) for the world because of him.  (2)

Because of this decree, the whole month of Augustus’ birth was renamed in honor of their esteemed ruler. This is how the month of August in our modern calendar got its name, which followed Julius Caesar’s July. 

The general language of gospel proclamations was associated with divinity, power, and beneficence. It all hinged on celebrating a god-man, the savior of his people, who ushered in an age of peace. 

Sound familiar?

The Gospel of Jesus

Christianity is no imperial cult. Worship of the king is absolutely present within Christianity, but the concept is reversed. The head is not a man-become-god but a God-become-man. Instead of man elevating himself into a place of divinity, the Gospel of Christ proclaims that God lowered himself into the place of humanity. 

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, ESV)

Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow. (Phil 2:6-10, ESV)

We see this same sort of gospel language throughout the Bible as it emphasizes the same themes, specifically divinity, power, and beneficence.

Divinity:

Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’. (Mt 1:23, NLT)

In him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. (Col 2:9, ESV)

Power:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Pet 1:2-3, NASB)

In these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs. (Heb 1:2-4, NIV)

Beneficence:

My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:19, ESV)

From [Christ’s] fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (Jn 1:16, ESV)

It is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” - the things God has prepared for those who love him - these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. (1 Cor 2:9-10, NIV)

The same gospel language used throughout the Roman Empire to celebrate Caesar Augustus is used throughout the Bible to celebrate Jesus Christ. Roman citizens would have recognized this easily as they heard Christ’s Gospel preached.

Savior 

Every gospel centers on a central figure that saves his citizens from their enemies. This directly echoes Jesus’ role in God’s Kingdom. 

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (1 John 4:14, ESV)

Military victory was a common gospel theme in ancient times, but the same results could also be achieved through international diplomacy. We saw both of these methods of kingdom building aptly used by Caesar Augustus. Similarly, Christ didn’t fight a physical war but a spiritual one. As such, he defeated the power of sin and death - which were humanity’s greatest enemies - through his own death on the cross. 

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36, ESV)

However, he was never at war with humanity itself, nor any particular nation or race.

We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Eph 6:12, ESV)

This gospel language is used many times in the Old Testament to describe “messiahs”, that is, saviors anointed by God. 

The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!” (Ps 110:1-2, NIV)

Although many messianic figures arose in Israel’s past, Jesus ultimately fulfilled all of those scriptures as humanity’s decisive Savior.

Birth Celebrated

When Jesus was born and angels announced the gospel of his arrival, such a proclamation was in keeping with the common practice of the day. 

I bring you good news (euangelion) that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. (Lk 2:10-11, NIV)

The language is strikingly similar to how Augustus was spoken of in the Priene inscription. The arrival of such a king, who will rule over all and save his people, was what the gospel was all about. Except, this time, it was announced by divine messengers, not the normal runners and horsemen of ancient empires.

Just like Paullus Fabius Maximus sent messengers throughout the empire to honor Caesar’s birth month (albeit decades later), so too was Jesus’ birth proclaimed around the world. Foreign astronomers from neighboring lands traveled far just to honor him. 

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” (Mt 2:1-2, NIV)

This was an international gospel, whose proclamation reached far beyond the borders of the Roman Empire. Such euangelion was most certainly not good news for Herod, the client-king of Judea under Rome, who assumed that this baby king would one day try to usurp his power. But even he recognized the gospel language the Magi used.

Furthermore, just like Augustus’ birth became an imperial holiday, with the entire kingdom’s calendar realigning to reflect it, the same thing happened in the third century to mark Jesus’ birth. Notice that the inscription at the ancient city of Priene wasn’t actually Augustus’ decree, but rather that of one of his loyal governors. Similarly, the Bible (i.e. God’s Word) doesn’t ever decree celebrating Christ’ birth, but devoted church leaders generations later established the holiday in the mid-fourth century. Nowadays, Christmas songs start playing on the radio in late November, and the Christmas tree isn’t fully cleaned up until well into January. The whole month of December is Christmas season! The actual month that celebrates these divine figures may not actually be when they were born. The best estimation holds that Augustus was actually born September 23, 63 BC, while Jesus could have been born anytime during the winter of 4/5 BC. Regardless, it was only after they came to power that the calendars shifted to reflect their birth. Both of these practices reflect the widespread understanding of the gospel. 

Jesus’ impact on the calendar was even more so than any other emperor in history. Today, regardless of how many great empires have come and gone since he walked the earth, our modern calendar still reflects the approximate year of his birth. The year 2024 is two thousand twenty-four years after Christ was thought to be born. Although the original estimation of his birth year wasn’t entirely accurate (the best estimation is that Jesus was born in the winter of 4 BC), the practice of aligning the calendar (year and month) with a ruler’s birth was a common practice of other prominent kingdoms and empires throughout history. 

Age of Peace 

Just as Caesar Augustus developed and promoted Pax Romana, so too Jesus establishes “peace that passes all understanding” (Phil 4:7, ESV) in the hearts of those who follow him. However, just like the golden age of the Roman empire, the peace that believers experience isn’t the absence of trouble, conflict, or chaos. Indeed, trouble is all but guaranteed for Christians.

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33, ESV)

No matter what happens, our God-Man is in control. Although battles rage all around us, the war has already been won. 

The Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. (Deut 20:4, ESV)

Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:57, ESV)

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Rom 8:31, ESV)

Such peace isn’t dependent on worldly circumstances, and so believers are able to experience profound peace in the midst of pain and suffering, and even death. 

I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Rom 8:18, ESV)

When believers commit themselves to Christ as Lord, it ushers in an age of peace that isn’t free from strife, but is marked by the calm reassurance that nothing will happen any given day that they and Jesus can’t handle together.

Summary

As we saw in previous articles in this series, euangelion is simply good news, particularly in reference to a defined kingdom. Any glad tiding from the emperor, or regarding the emperor, was gospel. Gospel language was familiar to citizens across the Roman Empire in the first century, given that news from the emperor and his governors were proclaimed with regularity. And this sort of language is exactly how the Bible speaks about Jesus and his message of salvation. 

Within the context of ancient history, gospel was dependent on who was proclaiming the message. After all, the news of military victory for the Roman empire would constitute good news for Caesar but bad news for his enemies. The gospel of Rome isn’t the same as the gospel of the Parthian empire, the Gauls, or the British Celts. Perhaps this is why the biblical book of Mark starts by specifying whose gospel is described.

The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1, NIV)

Nowadays, particularly in Western culture, the Gospel (capital “G“) predominantly refers to the message of Jesus Christ, as recorded in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also represents the message of salvation, which is available to all who have faith in Christ. This is the Christian gospel. Unlike every other gospel in history, this one did not pertain to any particular political or earthly kingdom. Instead, Christ’s Gospel is all about the Kingdom of God. And yet, many aspects of this Gospel are remarkably similar to the ancient meaning of the word.

The “divine king” has occurred many times in empires throughout history, but Christianity holds that Jesus is the one who truly embodied it. Instead of a man rising into the ranks of the gods, Christ was God right from the beginning. He lowered himself into the ranks of men and established a heavenly kingdom on earth, one without borders, race, or any sort of military force. Like Caesar Augustus, the themes of Jesus’ proclamation often involved divinity, power, and beneficence. The Gospel of Christ revolutionized the calendar, from his birthday being celebrated in December to his death and resurrection commemorated in mid-spring. Finally, the reign of Christ on earth ushered in a new age of peace for all who profess him as Lord of their lives. 

Gospel indeed.

References:

1.  Dickson, John P. “Gospel as news: εὐαγγέλ- from Aristophanes to the Apostle Paul”. New Testament Studies, 2005. 51, pp.212-230. 

2. Danker, Frederick W. Benefactor: an Epigraphic Study of Graeco-Roman and New Testament Semantic Field. St. Louis, Missouri: Clayton Publishing House, 1982. Pg 215-222.  

© D. B. Ryen Incorporated, October 2024.