Gos"pel , v. t. To instruct in the gospel. [Obs.]
Shak.
Gos"pel , a. Accordant with, or relating to, the gospel; evangelical; as, gospel righteousness. Bp. Warburton.
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. &fist; 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 Œdipus, instead of taking the
traditional witticisms about Lee for
gospel.
Saintsbury.
Hear it pronounced