Interpreting the Gospels for a Deeper Understanding of Christ
The term "Gospel" originates from the Old English "godspell," meaning "good message" or "good news," which translates the Greek euaggelion [2]. This "good news" centers on the life and teachings of Christ [2]. The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—provide inspired historical accounts of Jesus's person and work [2, 3]. Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King, Mark as a prophet mighty in word and deed, and Luke likely composed his account around A.D. 64 [3, 2]. John's Gospel, probably written later in Ephesus around A.D. 78-100, aims to supplement the other narratives, focusing on cultivating the spiritual life of Christians and bringing them into closer relation with the divine Savior [5].
Understanding the Gospels for a deeper comprehension of Christ involves recognizing the nature of this "good news" and the means by which it is revealed. The Gospel is described as good tidings of great joy for all people, foretold in the Old Testament, and preached by Christ himself [4]. It exhibits the grace of God, reveals the knowledge of God's glory, and brings life and immortality to light through Jesus [4]. The Gospel is also characterized as the power of God unto salvation, glorious, and everlasting [4].
A deeper understanding of Christ, as presented in the Gospels, is not merely intellectual assent but often involves spiritual insight. The apostle Paul indicates that understanding the "mystery of Christ" comes through reading and perceiving his insight [1, 6]. This suggests that while the text is accessible, a spiritual dimension is necessary for profound comprehension. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, emphasizes that spiritual truths, including those about God, Christ, and the Gospel, are "plain to him that understandeth," referring to those whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God [7]. Without this spiritual discernment, the Bible can remain a "sealed book," and the doctrines of the Gospel hidden [7].
The process of gaining this deeper understanding is often described as an internal revelation. God reveals these truths "by his Spirit," not only through the external revelation in Scripture but also through an internal work [8]. This internal reception occurs when "wisdom entereth into thine heart," meaning Christ or the Gospel enters not just the mind or emotions, but the heart, opened by the Spirit of God to receive spiritual understanding [9]. This spiritual understanding allows believers to move beyond "milk" to "strong meat," which belongs to those who are "of full age" or mature in their faith [10].
The Gospels, therefore, are not simply historical documents but divinely inspired narratives intended to foster a profound relationship with Christ. Their interpretation moves beyond surface-level reading to an engagement that seeks spiritual enlightenment and a transformative encounter with the person of Jesus. The ultimate purpose of this deeper understanding is to glorify God, acknowledging Him as the source of grace and goodness, and to demonstrate a "professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ" [11].
Sources
- Ephesians “Ephesians 3:4 (LEB) — so that you may be able when you read to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ”
- 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”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Gospels — The central fact of Christian preaching was the intelligence that the Saviour had come into the world (Matt. 4:23; Rom. 10:15); and the first Christian preachers who called their account of the person and mission of Christ by the term evangelion_ (= good message) were called _evangelistai (= evangelists) (Eph. 4:11; Acts 21:8). There are four historical accounts of the person and work of Christ: "the first by Matthew, announcing the Redeemer as the promised King of the kingdom of God; the second by Mark, declaring him a prophet, mighty in deed and word'; th”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Gospel, The — Is good tidings of great joy for all people -- Lu 2:10,11,31,32. Foretold -- Isa 41:27; 52:7; 61:1-3; Mr 1:15. Preached under the old testament -- Heb 4:2. Exhibits the grace of God -- Ac 14:3; 20:32. The knowledge of the glory of God is by -- 2Co 4:4,6. Life and immortality are brought to light by Jesus through -- 2Ti 1:10. Is the power of God to salvation -- Ro 1:16; 1Co 1:18; 1Th 1:5. Is glorious -- 2Co 4:4. Is everlasting -- 1Pe 1:25; Re 14:6. Preached by Christ -- Mt 4:23; Mr 1:14. Ministers have a stewardship to preach -- 1Co 9:17. Preached before”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: John, Gospel Of — This Gospel was probably written at Ephesus about A.D. 78. (Canon Cook places it toward the close of John's life, A.D. 90-100.--ED.) The Gospel was obviously addressed primarily to Christians, not to heathen. There can be little doubt that the main object of St. John, who wrote after the other evangelists, is to supplement their narratives, which were almost confined to our Lord's life in Galilee. (It was the Gospel for the Church, to cultivate and cherish the spiritual life of Christians, and bring them into the closest relations to the divine Savio”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 3:4: understand my knowledge--"perceive my understanding" [ALFORD], or "intelligence." "When ye read," implies that, deep as are the mysteries of this Epistle, the way for all to understand them is to read it (Ti2 3:15-16). By perceiving his understanding of the mysteries, they, too, will be enabled to understand. the mystery of Christ--The "mystery" is Christ Himself, once hidden, but now revealed (Col 1:27).”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 8:9: They are all plain to him that understandeth,.... Whose understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of God; who is a spiritual man, that has a discerning, and can judge of spiritual things: as for the carnal man, let him have what natural knowledge or wisdom he will, he cannot know these things; for they are spiritually discerned, and can only be discerned by spiritual men. The Bible is a sealed book to others, learned or unlearned; the mysteries or doctrines of the Gospel are hid in parables from such; but those to whom Christ has given an understanding to know him, ”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 2:9: But God hath revealed them unto us,.... Should it be said, that since this wisdom is so hidden and mysterious, the doctrines of the Gospel are so unknown, so much out of the sight and understanding of men, how come any to be acquainted with them? The answer is ready, God has made a revelation of them, not only in his word, which is common to men, nor only to his ministers, but to private Christians and believers, by his Spirit; which designs not the external revelation made in the Scriptures, though that also is by the Spirit; but the internal revelation and a”
- Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 2:10: When wisdom entereth into thine heart,.... Either Christ, the Wisdom of God; who enters there at conversion, and sets up a throne in the heart, and dwells there by faith: or else the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery; which enters not into the head only, as in hypocrites and formal professors; nor into the natural affections, as in the stony ground hearers; but into the heart, opened by the Spirit of God to receive it, so as to have a spiritual understanding of it; which is done when the Gospel comes not in word only, but in the demonstration and power of the S”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 5:13: But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age,.... Or perfect; see Co1 2:6. This does not intend a perfection of justification; for though some have a greater degree of faith than others, and a clearer discovery of their justification, yet babes in Christ are as perfectly justified as more grown and experienced believers; nor a perfection of sanctification, for there is no perfection of holiness but in Christ; and though the work of sanctification may be in greater perfection in one saint than in another, yet all are imperfect in this life; and as to a perfe”
- 2 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Corinthians 9:13: Whiles by the experiment of this ministration,.... That is, the poor saints at Jerusalem having a specimen, a proof, an experience of the liberality of the Gentile churches ministered to them by the apostles, first, they glorify God; by giving thanks unto him, acknowledging him to be the author of all the grace and goodness which they, and others, were partakers of; particularly for your professed subjection to the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel of Christ is the doctrine of grace, life, and salvation by Christ, of which he is the author, as God, the subject m”