Gospel \Gos"pel\, n. [OE. gospel, godspel, AS. godspell; god God
+ spell story, tale. See God, and Spell, v.]
1. Glad tidings; especially, the good news concerning Christ,
the Kingdom of God, and salvation.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom.
--Matt. iv.
23.
The steadfast belief of the promises of the gospel.
--Bentley.
Note: It is probable that gospel is from. OE. godspel, God
story, the narrative concerning God; but it was early
confused with god spell, good story, good tidings, and
was so used by the translators of the Authorized
version of Scripture. This use has been retained in
most cases in the Revised Version.
Thus the literal sense [of gospel] is the
``narrative of God,'' i. e., the life of Christ.
--Skeat.
2. One of the four narratives of the life and death of Jesus
Christ, written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
3. A selection from one of the gospels, for use in a
religious service; as, the gospel for the day.
4. Any system of religious doctrine; sometimes, any system of
political doctrine or social philosophy; as, this
political gospel. --Burke.
5. Anything propounded or accepted as infallibly true; as,
they took his words for gospel. [Colloq.]
If any one thinks this expression hyperbolical, I
shall only ask him to read [OE]dipus, instead of
taking the traditional witticisms about Lee for
gospel. --Saintsbury.
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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