The Good News
Angelic announcement of joy for all people.
The phrase 'good tidings' appears in the angelic announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:10, where the angel declares, 'I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.' This concept of bringing good news is also echoed in Isaiah 52:7, which speaks of 'him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation.' In the Genesis passages, the word 'good' repeatedly describes God's creation: God saw the light, the dry land and seas, the vegetation, the celestial lights, the sea creatures and birds, the land animals, and finally 'every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good' (Genesis 1:4, 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25, 1:31). The tree of knowledge of good and evil appears in Genesis 2:9, 2:17, 3:5, 3:6, and 3:22, introducing a moral dimension to 'good.'
Lore & Background
The 'good news' motif in these passages centers on the angelic proclamation in Luke 2:10, which explicitly calls itself 'good tidings of great joy' intended for 'all people.' This is directly linked to the prophetic vision in Isaiah 52:7, which celebrates the feet of one who brings good tidings, publishes peace, and announces salvation, saying 'Thy God reigneth!' The Genesis creation account repeatedly uses 'good' to describe God's assessment of his works—light, land, vegetation, lights, sea creatures, birds, and land animals are each called 'good' (Genesis 1:4, 1:10, 1:12, 1:18, 1:21, 1:25), culminating in 'very good' for the entirety of creation (Genesis 1:31).
More in Motifs
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced