Andrew Meredith’s Reviews > Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World > Status Update
Andrew Meredith
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"One transcript was carved into the wall of a new temple; another etched in red down on a triple-arched gateway; another adorned with statues. To visit the cities of Galatia was constantly to be reminded of the sheer scale of Augustus’ achievements. His birth had set the order of things on a new course. The world stood as one. Here, so public inscriptions proclaimed to the conquered Gauls, was Euangelion - "Gospel"."
— Oct 30, 2026 06:42AM
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Growing up in a Baptist and then Non-Denominational church, there was an oft-repeated truism. "The Gospel means 'Good News'!"
Now etymologically, this is true. Gospel, or euangelion in Greek, literally means "Good News," so case closed, right?
Well, not exactly. With all words and phrases, we should not look at etymology to determine the meaning, but how they are utilized and commonly understood. Etymology may help, but it can also just as easily hinder our understanding. (Two quick examples: "Hysteria" means "of the womb." Let the reader understand. And both "Black" and "Blank" come from an old English word "Blæc" meaning "fire.")
At the time the New Testament was written, euangelion was a common word utilized by many extra-biblical sources. How did they use the phrase?
With very few exceptions, euangelion was used to designate official empire news. When a major political proclamation needed to be made, angelos (messengers) were dispatched to all the oikoumene (the Roman world) to give the euangelion (the official state news).
This news could be "good," such as a report of a military victory, the birth of an heir, or the crowning of a new high official. But often it was just a report. (Some vestiges of this remain in English today, by the way, "What's the good word?" being one example.)
Situatiinally, though, it could also be quite calamitous. When Rome conquered Galatia, they sent angelos throughout the Roman world including the newly conquered territories to declare the euangelion of their triumph. "Good News! You have been thoroughly conquered and have found yourself under the reign of Rome! Bend the knee, or it will be bent for you." Surely, the Galatians would not have found this particularly "Good News" at the time.
So when the New Testament writers co-opted euangelion, they knew exactly what they were doing in choosing it. "All authority in heaven and on earth" has been given to Jesus, and the Church was being sent out into the oikoumene to bear the euangelion of His enthronement over the nations (Ps 2; 110, two of the most quoted OT chapters in the NT), while offering all the chance to give allegiance (pistis/faith) to Him.
Of course the euangelion has a salvific component (alongside a judgmental one). For those who give allegiance to the Son, they and their families are united to Him by baptism and thereby come to share in His death and resurrection, and thus are blessed to "share in the first resurrection" (that is Christ's) where the second death shall have no claim on them (Rev 20:6). And as the Holy Spirit anointed the Head, so He shall "drip down" to the rest of His Body (Ps 133) as a downpayment of the inheritance. So it really is good news in this situational sense.
I say situational because the message is as politically threatening as it is gracious. Christ has conquered. He rules and reigns, and the authoritative proclamation of His enthronement goes forth by His angelos to the four corners of the world (Mat 24:31). For those individuals, families, peoples, nations (ethne) who will not heed the official call to bend the knee, they are the seed of the serpent (Gen 3:15) and will be shattered in wrath, temporally brought to ruin, and cast into hell to experience the second death along with the conquered Devil whose sons they are.
So, what is the Euangelion (Gospel)? "Jesus Christ is Lord!" "Christ is King!" He is the ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev 1:5). In the empire of Rome that had as it's primary creed, "Caesar is Lord!" you can now begin to see what the Christians meant by this euangelion. Caesar must bow the knee to Christ. It was very much political.
Individual soteriology, then, is important, but it is a piece of the whole euangelion. The creation of a New Humanity to inhabit the New Creation (The Regeneration).
What does this definition of the Gospel mean for us? Well, many things, but one of the most pressing is that we here in America should seek to disciple America (our familes, communities, cities, counties, states, and nation) by baptizing them into the Triune Name and then teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded. To acknowledge Christ as King, and to bend the knee.