But when they
believed Philip as he preached the good news
about the kingdom of God and the
name of Jesus Christ,
they were being baptized, both men and women.
Acts 8:12 (AMP)
The 2015 edition of the Amplified Bible has a footnote for this
verse, Acts 8:12. The editor wrote: “In ancient Greece the word translated as
“good news” or “gospel” was used to denote any good fortune, including success
in a battle. So, I took a look in Strong’s at the word used in the passage and
its definition.
The word in this verse is euaggelizo. Strong’s
definition says it is to announce good news especially the gospel; to declare
or bring glad tidings, to preach. Thayer’s Greek Lexicon adds that in the New
Testament the word is “used especially of the glad tidings of the coming
kingdom of God, and of the salvation to be obtained in it through Christ, and
of what relates to this salvation.” The obtaining of salvation certainly
relates to success in battle, the victory over sin and death.
As an ancient Greek word, we see it used in the Septuagint
(LXX, from the 2nd century BC) in 2 Samuel 4:10 (2 Reigns 4:10):
“for the one who told me that Saoul had died—and he was as one bringing good
news before me—and I seized him and killed him at Sekelak, to whom I ought to
have given a reward of good tidings.” In this case, though, the good news was
only in the minds of those bringing it—they thought they had success in battle—for
David, but it turned out David did not receive it as such.
Cicero (1st century BC) used this word in a
letter to Atticus to describe the good news of another being acquitted of a
charge against him. Plutarch (1st century AD) used the same word to
describe a victory in Mantineia. Other ancient writers also used this word in
various ways that really emphasized that the glad tidings were ones that would
bring great celebrations and joy far beyond the usual happy face.
That’s the real significance of euaggelizo as we read
of the effect of the gospel throughout the book of Acts and throughout the
history of the church to modern times. The gospel bears the impact that is
revealed in the definition of euaggelizo that the editor of the
Amplified Bible wrote of—the good fortune of success in battle. The life we
live on this earth is a daily battle, always a spiritual battle and often a
physical battle. It is the gospel—the good news of the victory of Christ—that
gives us victory as well. That is good fortune wrought by the Lord Jesus
Christ!
And therein lies the “good news of the kingdom of God” in
this land of the living, "news of great joy." It was the message given to the shepherds.
Don’t be afraid!
Listen! I bring good news, news of great joy,
news that will
affect all people everywhere.
Luke 2:10 (VOICE)
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