Get the Reward, Revised

I noted in The Mystery Post I Cannot Write: Gospel, Revelation, Reward, Power, that the most ancient meaning of euangelion (euaggelion) was a messenger's reward:

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On June 20, 2020 00:58, imagicworldview@aol.com wrote:

Andrew,

Thanks. That was something to think about. Just a bit here from scrolling down on Millar Burrows' The Origin of the Term Gospel: euaggelion is the REWARD PAID to the preacher FOR his revelation. Should we be reading "preach the gospel" as "preach the reward to be received for revelation"? As in "if I do this willingly, I have a reward." Maybe we're just not reading either language correctly.

Dan

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Most anciently, the euangelion - "Gospel" - was the reward gifted to the one who proclaimed Good News, not the Good News or Glad Tidings itself! So Mark 1:14-15, for instance, should be translated, "Jesus came to Galilee, and preached the messenger's reward of the Kingdom of God. And he said, 'The Season is finished* (the Age of the Old Testament is over), and the Kingdom of God has arrived. Repent and believe in the messenger's reward [of Salvation]'" (Alexander, notes incorporated, emphases mine).

The reward is the PROMISE God has made to man, that whenever YHWH (Jesus) is revealed, we shall be in that likeness (I John 3:2). THAT'S the point in John 1:18's last word, ἐξηγήσατο, without an object: HE HAS BEEN REVEALED! The promise is here. The REWARD is GIVEN, NOW!!

Doing the work proclaims the Good News that the reward is present.

"After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, 'Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward'" (Genesis 15:1).

PS: If I am reading Burrows correctly, upon receiving especially auspicious tidings, the ancients would offer a sacrifice in appreciation to the Powers--the high muckamucks in the spirit realm who be--who make such wonderful portents to occur. The sacrifice became a shared meal among the news-receiving citizens and the glad-tidings deliverer. I.e., they became ONE. This was a sign of their acceptance and of their rejoicing in the good news--that they really bought into it. Enjoy your lunch!