The Gospel in Seed Form

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Question
What is the significance of what theologians call the proto-euangelion in Genesis 3:15?
Answer
The proto-euangelion in Genesis 3:15 is the gospel in seed form. And what is particularly detailed in Genesis 3:15 is the overthrow of the serpent—that is, the serpent's dominion. Remarkably, the Old Testament picks up on Genesis 3:15 and alludes to it throughout. I mean, there are several texts that mention—Psalm 91 comes to mind, there are some other places even in the Pentateuch. And then the New Testament then picks up on Genesis 3:15 and continues to allude to it throughout even the Gospels, a couple places maybe in Paul and in Revelation, so that it really points to Christ's utter, full and consummate defeat of evil, of Satan. And that is hugely important when it comes to eschatology, because eschatology, much of it, has to do with how the kingdom is installed in the absolute annihilation of wickedness to completely remove the threat of evil. This was a big deal in the Garden. There in Genesis 3 Adam did not do a good job of removing the threat; he did not protect the Garden very well, the serpent just came on in. What we're going to see in the New Heavens and the New Earth is there is no threat to the temple, garden/new heavens and new earth. The threat of evil has been put down and now there's full righteous with God, there's nothing incomplete.

Answer by Dr. Ben Gladd

Dr. Benjamin Gladd is Assistant Professor of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, MS.