The Gospel, Part 5

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

Euangelion, the word we translate as “gospel”, is a big deal in the Bible and it has been a big deal throughout history. In the first article of this series, we met Pheidippides, the legendary Greek messenger who brought news of victory (gospel) from the Battle of Marathon to the anxiously-waiting city of Athens. The much larger Persian army was defeated, ensuring Greece would remain a democratic collection of free states. Even today, Pheidippides’ legend lives on. The world’s most popular long distance foot race - the modern marathon - is still run by countless athletes all over the world.

In the second article, we studied gospel terminology. The Greek term euangelion (used in the New Testament) predominantly referred to good news. However, the Hebrew term bᵊśôrâ (Old Testament) simply referred to news in general. We saw examples of how it could be good, bad, or to-be-determined. Furthermore, ancient Greek literature showed us the double meaning of gospel; it could refer to the news itself or the displays of gratitude in reaction to the good news (i.e. rewards to messengers or sacrifices to the gods). Either way, the Gospel nowadays (capital “G”) specifically denoted the message of Jesus, while other gospels (lower case “g”) referred to other saviors, kingdoms, or empires throughout history.

Every empire in history employed a complex system of messengers, highways, and town criers to proclaim gospel messages. The health of the nation (and the power of the government) depended on such communication. This was the focus of the third article. Messengers carried the authority of those who sent them, which meant that unofficial messengers could potentially wind up in trouble. Like Jesus. When people in the first century heard Jesus and his apostles preaching, they would have recognized it as gospel proclamations, albeit about a heavenly kingdom not an earthly one.

In the fourth article we looked at emperor worship and imperial cults. The worship of god-men who ruled ancient empires was a common practice, and the Romans formalized it under Caesar Augustus. His policy of Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) ushered in the golden age of the Roman Empire. Every decree from Augustus, or regarding him, was considered gospel. In fact, it was because of the gospel of Caesar that the whole calendar was reordered to reflect his prominence. Jesus had a similar impact, and our modern calendar still reflects his long-lasting influence on the world.

Finally, we come to the fifth and final installment in this series on the historical context of the Gospel. It’s all about kingdom expansion. Here we’ll dive into the history of Christian missions, a practice as old as the church itself, because the Gospel means nothing unless it’s proclaimed to those who don’t know it. It is, after all, simply news. 

Very, very good news.

Hudson Taylor

On March 1, 1854, a young Englishman stepped off a steam ship in Shanghai, China. He had just spent the prior five months traveling across the world from the port of Liverpool in England. Although he had some medical training, he had quit his studies to bring the Gospel to China. His name was Hudson Taylor, and he would be the most prominent missionary to Asia the world has ever known. 

Over the next six decades, Taylor made eleven trips to China and fully immersed himself in Chinese culture. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Taylor was adamant that converts should retain their native culture while still following Christ wholeheartedly. 

We wish to see churches and Christian Chinese presided over by pastors and officers of their own countrymen, worshiping the true God in the land of their fathers, in the costume of their fathers, in their own tongue wherein they were born, and in edifices of a thoroughly Chinese style of architecture. (1)

Taylor was able to preach in three dialects of Mandarin and adopted traditional Chinese clothing, citing the Apostle Paul's words, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor 9:22, NIV).

Hudson Taylor and his coworkers dedicated their lives to bringing the Gospel to China.

If I had a thousand pounds China should have it—if I had a thousand lives, China should have them. No! Not China, but Christ. Can we do too much for Him? Can we do enough for such a precious Saviour? (2)

What’s remarkable is that he didn’t have a thousand pounds to his name, a very large sum of money at that time. But the church did. Collectively, through donations from like-minded believers, the China Inland Mission was established to support missionaries in the Far East. Donors made financial sacrifices to fund the cause, while the missionaries themselves sacrificed comforts to stretch funds farther.

I soon found that I could live upon very much less than I had previously thought possible. Butter, milk, and other such luxuries I soon ceased to use; and I found that by living mainly on oatmeal and rice, with occasional variations, a very small sum was sufficient for my needs. In this way I had more than two-thirds of my income available for other purposes; and my experience was that the less I spent on myself and the more I gave away, the fuller of happiness and blessing did my soul become. Unspeakable joy all the day long, and every day, was my happy experience. (3)

One of the principles that China Inland Mission was founded upon was “no solicitation of finance, or indebtedness; looking to God alone; pooling support in life of corporate faith” (4). Collective funding from the church made this possible.

Through Taylor’s selfless dedication to the Gospel, and the financial backing of countless donors, the China Inland Mission recruited 800 missionaries to China. Hundreds of schools and mission stations were established, with tens of thousands of Chinese coming to know Christ. Taylor’s monumental accomplishments in spreading the Gospel cannot be understated - no other missionary since the early church proclaimed Jesus to so many unreached people in such a great geographical area. 

In 1905, after nearly six decades of ministry, Hudson Taylor died at 73 years old at his home in Changsha, China, and was buried in the land he spent his life serving.

Kingdom Expansion

Growth is the goal of any biological system. The rule of nature is that if you’re not growing, you’re dying. The same is true of human institutions - businesses, organizations, and empires. They naturally strive to expand their territory, economics, population, or a combination thereof. For the great empires of history, most of the time this involved military conquest, while other times it involves diplomacy, trade, and treaties. Either way, a healthy empire is a growing empire.

The Kingdom of God is the only establishment to have continually grown throughout history. 

[The Kingdom of God] is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade. (Mark 4: 31-32, ESV)

The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever. (Dan 2:44, ESV)

Followers of Jesus and organized churches are now found amongst virtually every people group under the sun. 

This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matt 24:14, ESV)

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. (Rev 7:9, ESV)

While earthly empires may last for generations, none have lasted forever. And even though various Christian institutions may rise and fall, the global church of Christ - those who confess Jesus as Lord and strive to live accordingly - is constantly expanding. Citizenship is determined not by political borders, sociological class, genetic race, financial status, or any other worldly discriminator. Instead, it's written on the heart. No earthly force can stop the Kingdom of God, though many have tried. Prophets, reformers, and revolutionaries are often needed to refocus hearts on Jesus, but the body of Christ worldwide continues to grow. 

Proclaimed by Messengers

The key to such unparalleled expansion has been those like Hudson Taylor who carry the Gospel to those who desperately need to hear it. The lost, the unsaved, the broken, the poor, the outcasts, the sinners… everyone on earth has a deep spiritual need that can only be filled by Christ. But how can they meet their Creator without first hearing of him? 

How then are they to call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? But how are they to preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news (euangelion) of good things!” (Rom 10:14-15, NASB)

That’s why the Bible tells us to live with the Gospel squarely in focus.

Go into all the world and preach the Good News (euangelion) to everyone. (Mk 16:15, NLT)

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! (Ps 96:3, ESV)

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. (Mt 28:19, ESV)

With such an outward focus, churches throughout history have obediently supported Christian missions, regularly sending “workers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38, NLT).

Collective Funding 

Thus began the mission society. These are outreach-focused organizations whose primary purpose is to bring the Gospel of Christ to the lost. Just like ancient empires supported courier systems and networks of highways with public funds, there’s a strong biblical precedent for the collective funding of full-time workers in the church and abroad.

Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.” (1 Tim 5:17-18, ESV)

Preaching (logos) in this passage refers to proclaiming good news to those who haven’t yet heard it, while teaching (didaskalia) refers to instruction within the church itself. The Greek word for “honor” here is timē, which most often corresponds to price or value. Thus, a “double honor” (diplous timē) is probably best interpreted as a bonus for a job well done. As the passage states, this applies not only to local church leaders but to missionaries actively spreading the Gospel. 

Don’t we have the right to food and drink? … Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? … If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? (1 Cor 9:4-11, NIV)

Clearly, full-time ministers should be supported financially by the rest of the church. In the Old Testament, the whole nation of Israel was commanded to support the Levites, who were tasked with administering the religious system. Temple upkeep, sacrifices, scripture maintenance… all those labor-intensive jobs were the Levites’ responsibility, which was only possible through the financial support from the rest of the nation.

As for the tribe of Levi, your relatives, I will compensate them for their service in the Tabernacle. Instead of an allotment of land, I will give them the tithes from the entire land of Israel. (Num 18:21, NLT)

The Bible also talks about churches sharing wealth between them. 

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. (1 Cor 16:1, NIV)

The church in Jerusalem was apparently going through some hard times, so funds were collected from other churches to support them through it. Indeed, such a spirit of harmony permeated the early church that material needs were supplied to anyone in want.

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. (Acts 4:32, NLT)

Collective funding for missions seems to have been the norm right from the early years of the church. The Apostle Paul, who led many lengthy missionary journeys, planned to evangelize Spain with the financial support of the church in Rome.

I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. (Rom 15:24, ESV)

All Christians are called to messengers of the Gospel of Christ.

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15, ESV)

Not every believer is able to physically go himself/herself, but they can certainly share in the work of the Gospel through spiritual, administrative, and financial support. As the Old Testament states, those who stay behind will share equally with those who fight on the front lines (1 Sam 30:24). 

Following Christ is a team sport. When one part of the body is in need, the others are responsible to care for it. When another part does well, the others share in the success. 

The body does not consist of one member but of many… If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. (1 Cor 12:14,26, ESV) 

The one who receives you receives Me, and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. The one who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and the one who receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person shall receive a righteous person’s reward. (Mt 10:40-41, NASB)

All of us have a role to play in spreading the Gospel, even if we never physically take it to the far corners of the world or proclaim it on the street corners. Like the supporters of the China Inland Mission, we must all make significant sacrifices so the Gospel can reach those who desperately need to hear it.

Summary

The Bible beautifully summarizes the message of the Gospel like this:

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. (2 Cor 4:13-16, NIV)

We believe, so we speak. The Good News about Jesus, that “the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus”, cannot be kept hidden. The Gospel is not only for the benefit of current believers but for the whole world, that “more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God”. This is why we keep on running and “do not lose heart”. 

Today, countless followers all over the world run the same race Paul and others pioneered, bringing the Gospel of Christ to the far corners of the earth. As the early church expanded, missionary movements were supported by those who stayed behind. This same philosophy holds true today - the responsibility for communicating this universal truth falls on all of us. Even if we all don’t regularly preach the Gospel ourselves, we contribute to the cause by supporting our local church and missionary organizations. 

Footnotes:

1.  Wikipedia. “OMF International” (online article). Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 

2.  Broomhall, A. J. Hudson Taylor & China's Open Century: Book Three, If I Had A Thousand Lives. London: Hodder and Stoughton. 

3. Taylor, J. Hudson. In Retrospect: The Autobiography of Hudson Taylor. Public Domain.

4. Wikipedia. “OMF International” (online article). Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.

© D. B. Ryen Incorporated, October 2024.