Contextualizing the Gospel in Diverse Cultural Settings
The concept of contextualizing the Gospel in diverse cultural settings is rooted in the New Testament's portrayal of the Gospel's universal reach and the apostles' methods of dissemination. The term "Gospel" itself, derived from the Greek euaggelion, means "good message" or "good news" [1]. This good news concerns the life and teachings of Christ and was recorded in the four inspired histories of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John during the latter half of the first century [1].
From its earliest days, the Gospel was understood to be a message intended for all nations. Jesus's instruction to the apostles to begin "at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47) gradually expanded their sphere of labor [7]. The Apostle Paul, for instance, saw his ministry as being "a minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, sacredly ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:16 LITV) [3]. He also spoke of preaching "the gospel in the regions beyond you" (2 Corinthians 10:16 KJV) [2, 4]. This demonstrates an early awareness of the need to extend the message beyond its initial cultural and geographical boundaries.
Commentators have noted the dynamic nature of the Gospel's spread. Adam Clarke describes the "doctrine of the Gospel" as a traveler whose objective is to visit the entire habitable earth, proclaiming "glad tidings of great joy to all people" [6]. This rapid expansion meant that the Gospel had already reached many countries under Roman dominion by the time Colossians was written [6]. John Gill, in his commentary on Isaiah 54:2, interprets the prophecy of enlarging the church's tent as a move beyond Jerusalem to other parts of Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, signifying the Gospel's broader reach [8]. Similarly, Gill notes that the servants in Jesus's parable of the wedding feast went out into the "highways," turning from the Jews to preach the Gospel among the Gentiles [10].
The dispersion of the Jewish people before Christ's coming also inadvertently prepared the way for the apostles' preaching, as their presence in various regions facilitated the spread of the message [11]. The book of Revelation further envisions an angel flying "in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel" to preach to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people" (Revelation 14:6 KJV), which some interpret as a providential dispensation for the rapid global dissemination of the Gospel [5, 9]. This universal mandate implies an inherent need for the Gospel to be communicated in ways that resonate with diverse cultural contexts, allowing people to understand and respond to its central message [12].
Sources
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The name Gospel (from god and spell, Ang. Sax. good message or news, which is a translation of the Greek euaggelion) is applied to the four inspired histories of the life and teaching of Christ contained in the New Testament, of which separate accounts are given in their place. They were all composed during the latter half of the first century: those of St. Matthew and St. Mark some years before the destruction of Jerusalem; that of St. Luke probably about A.D. 64; and that of St. John towards the close of the century. Before the end of the second century, t”
- King James Version “[KJV] 2 Corinthians 10:16 — To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.”
- Romans “Romans 15:16 (LITV) — for me to be a minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, sacredly ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the nations might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”
- II Corinthians “II Corinthians 10:16 (KJV) — To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.”
- Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 14:6: Another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel - Whether this angel mean any more than a particular dispensation of providence and grace, by which the Gospel shall be rapidly sent throughout the whole world; or whether it mean any especial messenger, order of preachers, people, or society of Christians, whose professed object it is to send the Gospel of the kingdom throughout the earth, we know not. But the vision seems truly descriptive of a late institution, entitled The British and Foreign Bible Society, whose object it is to print an”
- Colossians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Colossians 1:6: Which is come unto you - The doctrine of the Gospel is represented as a traveler, whose object it is to visit the whole habitable earth; and, having commenced his journey in Judea, had proceeded through Syria and through different parts of Asia Minor, and had lately arrived at their city, every where proclaiming glad tidings of great joy to all people. As it is in all the world - So rapid is this traveler in his course, that he had already gone nearly through the whole of the countries under the Roman dominion; and will travel on till he has proclaimed his messag”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Philippians, Colossians, 1-2 Thessalonians, section 1.3: perception of that system of doctrine which Paul was honored to declare.” The Epistle To The Philippians stands associated with a most interesting event in the history of the progress of Christianity. While the charge given to the Apostles as to the universal promulgation of the Gospel was most explicit, it was in a gradual manner, and for the most part under the guidance of circumstances seemingly fortuitous, that their sphere of labor was extended. “Beginning at Jerusalem,” ( Luke 24:47 ,) as expressly instructed ”
- Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 54:2: Enlarge the place of thy tent,.... To which the church is compared, because of its uncertain and movable condition, being sometimes in one place, and sometimes in another; and because of its outward meanness and weakness, as well as its small extent; but now it is signified that it should be enlarged, and room be made for an accession of in habitants to it; or, in other words, that the Gospel church state should not be confined to Jerusalem, but should take place in other parts of Judea, and in Galilee, and in Samaria; hence we read of churches in those places, Act 9:”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 14:6: Here begins the portion relating to the Gentile world, as the former portion related to Israel. Before the end the Gospel is to be preached for a WITNESS unto all nations: not that all nations shall be converted, but all nations shall have had the opportunity given them of deciding whether they will be for, or against, Christ. Those thus preached to are "they that dwell (so A, Coptic, and Syriac read. But B, C, ORIGEN, Vulgate, CYPRIAN, 312, read, 'SIT,' compare Mat 4:16; Luk 1:79, having their settled home) on the earth," being of earth earthy: th”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 22:10: So these servants went out into the highways,.... Turned from the Jews, and went among the Gentiles, preaching the Gospel to them; particularly the Apostle Paul, with Barnabas, and others: and gathered together all, as many as they found, both good and bad: the Persic version reads it, "known or unknown". The Gospel ministry is the means of gathering souls to Christ, and to attend his ordinances, and into his churches; and of these that are gathered by it into churches, and to an attendance on outward ordinances, some are good and some bad, as the fishes gathered ”
- Zechariah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Zechariah 10:9: sow them among . . . people--Their dispersion was with a special design. Like seed sown far and wide, they shall, when quickened themselves, be the fittest instruments for quickening others (compare Mic 5:7). The slight hold they have on every soil where they now live, as also the commercial and therefore cosmopolitan character of their pursuits, making a change of residence easy to them, fit them peculiarly for missionary work [MOORE]. The wide dispersion of the Jews just before Christ's coming prepared the way similarly for the apostles' preaching”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:3: 13:3-9 This parable (interpreted in 13:18-23) addresses the mostly negative responses of the Jewish nation to Jesus and his message. • Parables (Greek parabolē) are stories that usually express an analogy between a common aspect of life and a spiritual truth. To understand a parable, it is necessary to locate the central analogy and understand it in its historical context and in the context of the Gospel text; then the central message can be understood. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not intended should not be found in every element of a parable.”