“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’” (Mark 16:15)
Gospel comes from an Old English word meaning “good news,” which carries great importance for man (Romans 1:16). The word gospel is found in 97 verses in the Bible; it is used 103 times in those verses. Gospel is a New Testament word and is found in every book of the New Testament except John, Titus, James, 2 Peter, 1, 2, 3 John, and Jude.
The gospel (euangelion) is the “good news” of how to be saved. The history of Christ’s coming into the world to save sinners is, without doubt, the best news that ever came from heaven to earth. No less than an angel said, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). The gospel contains facts to be believed, commands to be obeyed, and promises to be enjoyed (1 Corinthians 15:1–3).
There are three facts of the gospel that are of primary importance: The (1) death, (2) burial, and (3) resurrection of Christ. Let us examine these three facts.
FACT 1: CHRIST’S DEATH FOR MAN’S SIN
While the gospel is good news, it has at its heart a tragedy: the death of Christ for our sins. God was able to use this horrible event to bring the most welcome news we ever received.
The death of Jesus unfolded in a series of events. Jesus was betrayed and arrested (Matthew 26:47–56; John 18:1–13). He was bound by His enemies (John 18:12) and forsaken by His disciples (Matthew 26:56).
Jesus was tried by the Jews (Matthew 26:57–68). He was first taken to Annas, the deposed high priest and the power behind the scenes (John 18:13), and then to Caiaphas, the official high priest (John 18:24).
During this trial, Jesus was taunted, spit on, and slapped (Matthew 26:67–68), perhaps in the mouth (cf. John 18:22). Even the servants joined in (Mark 14:65). He was kept up all night (Matthew 27:1) and had no food or drink after the last supper. During this time, Jesus was denied by Peter (Matthew 26:69–75; Luke 22:54–62). Eventually, although innocent, He was wrongfully convicted of blasphemy, which was punishable by death in the Jewish system.
Jesus was tried by the Romans (Matthew 27:1–25). He was bound and taken from the Jewish Sanhedrin to Pilate’s headquarters (Matthew 27:1–2). The charge was changed from blasphemy to revolt because the Romans would not execute for blasphemy, but they would for revolt (Luke 23:2). Pilate attempted to pass the buck by sending Jesus to King Herod (Luke 23:6–12), who only mocked Jesus and sent Him back to Pilate. Next, Judas tried to stop the proceedings, but he was unsuccessful (Matthew 27:3–10). Convinced that Jesus was innocent, Pilate offered to stop the crucifixion by offering to free either Jesus or Barabbas, a notorious criminal he did not think the people would choose. They chose Barabbas and insisted that Jesus be crucified (Matthew 27:15–22; Mark 15:6–13; Luke 23:16–21). Pilate’s wife asked to stop the crucifixion (Matthew 27:19). Pilate tried for the third time (Luke 23:22–23). He then washed his hands and signed off on the greatest travesty of justice ever perpetrated (Matthew 27:26).
Jesus was then scourged (Matthew 27:26; John 19:1). This required that He be stripped of His clothing, although it was cold (John 18:18). He was mercilessly beaten with a whip and then reclothed.
The Roman soldiers at the Praetorium then stripped Him again, clothed Him in a scarlet robe, put a crown of thorns on His head, hit Him with a reed, spat on Him, and smote Him with their hands (Matthew 27:27–31; John 19:2–3).
Pilate then presented Him to the people, saying, “Behold the Man!” (John 19:5).
After this, Jesus was led to the place of execution. They took the purple robe off, put His own clothes on Him (Matthew 27:31), and paraded Him down the city streets to Golgotha (John 19:17). At some point, a man named Simon was summoned to bear the cross after Jesus (Luke 23:26). Arriving on site, Jesus refused to drink vinegar and gall (Matthew 27:34; Mark 15:23), which was usually given to deaden some of the terrific pain.
Jesus was crucified (Matthew 27:35–50). This started at the third hour, which was 9:00 am (Mark 15:25). It became completely dark at the sixth hour, which was noon (Mark 15:33). Jesus died at the ninth hour, which was 3:00 pm (Mark 15:34–37). During this time, Jesus prayed for the soldiers (Luke 23:34) who had caused Him such pain. While on the cross, Jesus suffered physically (from thirst, John 19:28) and emotionally (being forsaken by Father, Matthew 27:46). Then Jesus died (Matthew 27:50).
FACT 2: CHRIST’S BURIAL
Isaiah prophesied details about the burial of Jesus seven centuries before it occurred: “They made His grave with the wicked—but with the rich at His death” (Isaiah 53:9). Jesus’ dead body was still on the cross when Joseph went to Pilate and requested permission to bury it (Luke 23:50–53). When Pilate granted it, Joseph took the body, and, with the help of Nicodemus, prepared it for burial, using about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes (John 19:39). Then Joseph “wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his new tomb which he had hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb, and departed” (Matthew 27:59–60).
FACT 3: CHRIST’S RESURRECTION
The underlying proposition to the whole Bible is Acts 13:30: “God raised Him from the dead.” If this were not true, then there would be no gospel. You could throw the Bible away, for it would contain no hope for humanity. But thanks be to God, it is true!
How do we know? Jesus promised that He would rise again, and He never told a lie (Matthew 20:19; 27:62–64; 1 Peter 3:21–22). The Bible records it, and the Bible is the world’s most trustworthy source (Matthew 28:1–6; 2 Timothy 3:16–17). Angels attested to it, and they are greater than any man who says otherwise (Luke 24:5–6; 2 Peter 2:11). The early church believed it, and they were in the same generation with the eyewitnesses (Acts 1:3). The rapid change of the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday, the day of the resurrection, gives further evidence of it (cf. Luke 4:16; Acts 2:1).
The conversions of two individuals provide further persuasion that the resurrection was real. First, consider the conversion of James, the Lord’s half-brother. He was an unbeliever during Christ’s lifetime (John 7:5), yet after the resurrection, he became a leader in the Jerusalem church (Acts 1:14; 15:13–21; 1 Corinthians 15:7; Galatians 1:19). The only explanation for such a radical change and loyal following is that he believed in the resurrection.
An even more convincing conversion is that of Saul of Tarsus, who went from persecutor (Acts 9:1) to persecuted (Acts 9:22–24)! He passed from threatening the disciples to “perils of my own countrymen” (2 Corinthians 11:24–28) almost overnight. What could have brought about such a change in a man of superior intelligence and ability? Nothing short of the proof of the resurrection of Christ!
These three simple facts changed the world forever.
