Our Bible study group is currently going through the book of Philippians. As part of our review of chapters 1 and 2, we watched a teaching by Ray Vander Laan that gives some helpful historical background on the city of Philippi and the Roman world in which Paul was writing.
One part of the teaching especially caught my attention. It was titled “The Gospel of Caesar.”
That title immediately raises an interesting question: what did the word gospel mean in the world of Paul?
Today, Christians hear the word gospel and naturally think about Jesus Christ. But in the Roman world, the word could also be used in connection with Caesar and the empire. Rome had its own message of “good news.” Caesar promised peace, order, prosperity, and security to those who submitted to his rule.
In other words, Rome had a message about a ruler who brought peace to the world.
That makes the language of the New Testament even more striking.
When the apostles proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, they were not simply introducing another religious idea. They were announcing that the true King had come, and that salvation, peace, and hope were found not in Caesar, but in Jesus Christ.
This reminded me of something Michael Horton wrote about the very meaning of the word gospel.
It is interesting that the biblical writers chose the word “gospel.” The heart of most religions is good advice, good techniques, good programs, good ideas, and good support systems. These drive us deeper into ourselves, to find our inner light, inner goodness, inner voice, or inner resources.
Nothing new can be found inside us. There is no inner rescuer deep down in my soul; I just hear echoes of my own voice telling me all sorts of crazy things to numb my sense of fear, anxiety, and boredom, the origins of which I cannot truly identify.
That distinction between good advice and Good News is important.
Most advice tells us what we should do. It gives us instructions, methods, principles, or steps to follow. Some of that advice may even be useful. It may help us make better decisions, develop better habits, or live more wisely.
But Christianity begins somewhere else.
The heart of Christianity is not first a list of things we must accomplish for God. It is the announcement of something that God has already accomplished for us in Jesus Christ.
The gospel does not begin by telling us to rescue ourselves. It tells us that Christ came to rescue sinners who could not rescue themselves.
