Which Gospel?

by Mike James

I recently read something pertaining to Hebrews 4:2 that suggests the "gospel" mentioned here pertains to the "gospel" about salvation. In other words, Moses and the nation of Israel in the Old Testament received the same message about salvation that the New Testament Church had preached to them. Is this true?

Here is the scripture in question:

For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. (KJV)

I do agree there are many similar things between the Old Testament message and the message of the New Testament, but there are also differences and greater understanding provided about the Old Testament by the New Testament.

But let's get back to Hebrews 4:2. If we just read this verse, I can see how someone could think the word "gospel" here could refer to the method of salvation. But one of the most important things we need to do in understanding scripture is to understand the context.

Entering the promise of God’s rest.

Let's read the verse right before Hebrews 4:2 and see if it provides us any clues as to what "gospel" verse 2 is talking about.

Hebrews 4:1: Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. (KJV)

In reading verse 1, we now have a better understanding of verse 2. The "gospel" or "good news" is about a promise of rest, not about the good news about how to be saved. Notice how Barnes' Notes on the Bible comments on Hebrews 4:2: "For unto us was the gospel preached as well as unto them - This translation by no means conveys the sense of the original. According to this it would seem that the "gospel," as we understand it, or the whole plan of salvation, was communicated to "them," as well as to "us." But this is by no means the idea. The discussion has reference only to "the promise of rest," and the assertion of the apostle is that this "good news" of a promise of rest is made to us as really as it was made to "them." "Rest" was promised to them in the land of Canaan - an emblem of the eternal rest of the people of God. That was unquestioned, and Paul took it for granted. His object now is, to show that a promise of "rest" is as really made to us as it was to them, and that there is the same danger of failing to secure it as there was then. It was important for him to show that there was such a promise made to the people of God in his time, and as he was discoursing of those who were Hebrews, he of course made his appeal to the Old Testament. The literal translation would be, "For we are evangelized - ἐσμεν εὐηγγελισμένοι esmen euēngelismenoi - as well as they." The word "evangelize" means to communicate good news, or glad tidings; and the idea here is, that the good news, or glad tidings of "rest" is announced to us as really as it was to them. This the apostle proves in the following verses."

What the commentator means by "in the following verses" is the rest of Hebrews 4, which addresses the "rest" he is speaking of. Read Hebrews 4 through verse 11 and it is very clear what the context is.

Note how another source explains this same scripture. From the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges: "For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them] We should have expected rather "For unto them, as well as unto us," if this had been the right translation. The better version, however, is "For indeed we too, just as they, have had a Gospel preached unto us." The "Gospel" in this instance means the glad tidings of a future rest.

Further proof of this understanding is to understand the Greek word being used here for "gospel." The word in question here is the Greek word euaggelizō (εὐαγγελίζω), Strong's number 2097. This term means to announce good news, particularly in the context of preaching the gospel. But it can just mean declaring or bringing glad tidings of some sort. It does not have to refer only to the gospel of salvation.

Many of the concepts and ideas given to Moses in the Old Covenant are similar and the same as what we learn from Christ in the New Covenant. But there are also a number of new concepts and greater understanding that come from what the New Testament reveals.

Jesus brought a fuller and greater understanding of what the "good news" of salvation was. Israel and the prophets in the Old Testament did not fully understand it all (1 Peter 1:10-12; Daniel 12:8-9; Daniel 8:27). Even after His resurrection, Jesus had to explain things to His followers (Luke 24:44-49).

Just like the debate about the gospel of the Kingdom pertaining not only to the future literal kingdom on earth—it also entails the King of that kingdom Jesus Christ and how to gain eternal life through Him. So the "gospel" that Moses and ancient Israel had addressed faith, love, rest in the promised land, and God's law—but it did not reveal all the details of who the Messiah was and how all could receive God's Spirit and eternal life.