What is the protoevangelium?
The term "protoevangelium" originates from the Greek words "protos," meaning first, and "euangelion," meaning good news or gospel. Put together, protoevangelium means “first gospel.” This first announcement of the gospel is found in Genesis 3:15. It predicts the coming of a Savior who will ultimately defeat Satan and bring redemption to humanity, revealing God's plan for salvation. This plan of redemption signifies a pivotal moment in biblical history and reveals God’s character and plan, which He established before Adam and Eve were even created (Ephesians 1:4-5; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Revelation 13:8).God created the universe and all that is in it. He declared it very good (Genesis 1:31). All of creation was made to display His glory (Psalm 19:1). The culmination of God’s creation came when He created humanity on the sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:26-27). God uniquely made humanity, creating Adam and Eve in His own image and with specific purposes: “And God blessed them. And God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth’” (Genesis 1:28). Unlike anything else He had made, God created humanity to resemble and reflect Him and to have relationship with Him. He gave humanity the role of stewarding and having dominion over the earth.
Being made in God’s image, humanity was created for relationship with God and with others (Genesis 2:18) and was created to have rationality (Psalm 8:4-5; Romans 2:14-15). Human beings, unlike other creatures, are able to execute justice, steward and manage, think abstractly, reason morally, and reflect on complex concepts. This rationality also includes the ability to make decisions. God created us with this ability, knowing this meant the possibility of rebellion. God wanted us to freely choose to love Him and to reflect His love back, knowing it would bring Him glory (Joshua 24:15; Matthew 22:37-38). Unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose to sin, listening to the devil’s deception and distrusting God’s character and plan (Genesis 3:6).
In the aftermath of their disobedience, God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and told them that toil and suffering would be a part of their lives. In Genesis 3:16-19, it states that Eve would experience pain in childbirth and seek to rule over her husband, while Adam would face hard labor to produce food from the ground. God placed a curse on mankind because of Adam’s sin, and He also placed a curse on the one who tempted them. He cursed the serpent, saying he would crawl on his belly and “eat dust” all his days (Genesis 3:14). Addressing Satan, God profoundly declared: "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). This verse reveals an ongoing future conflict because of sin. Yes, Adam and Eve’s sin brought immediate consequences and a curse on humanity, but God also promised the reversal of the curse, revealing a Savior who would take the curse upon Himself and free us from the bondage and death that comes from sin (Hebrews 2:14-15).
The protoevangelium signifies God's redemptive plan, illustrating how, despite humanity's failure, God seeks reconciliation. The declaration of enmity between the serpent and the woman points to a cosmic struggle that unfolds throughout Scripture, emphasizing the nature of God as loving and merciful. This early promise lays the groundwork for understanding sin's implications and the necessity for a Savior. It reveals God's intention to restore humanity through a future descendant who will triumph over evil, offering hope in a broken world. The prophecy of Genesis 3:15 finds its ultimate fulfillment in the person of Jesus Christ. His life, death, and resurrection provided the victory over sin and death that was foretold. Through His sacrificial act on the cross, the head of the serpent was crushed, bringing the defeat of evil and the restoration of hope for humanity.
The protoevangelium reveals God’s sovereignty and goodness as well as His love for humanity. It calls us to marvel at God’s intentionality in creating the world, knowing that we would sin. It calls us to praise Him for His great love by which He promised the Savior who would reverse the curse we brought upon ourselves. It causes us to wonder at the continuity of God's promises found throughout Scripture. It emphasizes the reality of spiritual conflict while providing assurance that ultimate victory is found through Christ. Overall, the protoevangelium calls us to respond to God’s provision of salvation through Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, conquering sin and death. The Bible tells us that all who believe in Him will be saved (Acts 16:31; John 3:16). As we engage with the significance of the protoevangelium, we are encouraged to trust in God’s love, His unchanging plan for humanity, and the hope we have through Jesus Christ.
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Truth about Salvation
