We look today and tomorrow at two formative texts for seeing what Jesus means by “gospel”. Today we begin with Mark 1:14-15, a text that is comprehensive.

Mark 1:14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, 15 and saying, ???The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.???

1. The gospel is something announced: “preached.”
2. The gospel is a statement about time and history: the long-awaited promises and expectations we find in the Torah and Prophets have reached their intent and their realization. (Analogy: the way manual typewriters reach their intent in — not a PC (who is John the Baptist, the bridegroom) but an Apple.)
3. The gospel is about the kingdom of God being near or in the process of realizing itself or on the verge of arriving … however you read this. One of the big issues here is the partial but not complete arrival of the kingdom in Jesus.
4. The gospel implies two kinds of response: turning from sin and self to Jesus and believing in him and his message about the good news of the kingdom.
5. Once again: Jesus’ gospel is a kingdom gospel.