What is a Gospel?

The word comes from the Old English god-spel, which is a fair translation of the Greek euangelion. Both words mean good news.  In the New Testament euangelion is the message of God's salvation.  But very quickly the word was applied to the longish documents now called gospels.

The gospels are part narrative and part teaching; originally written in the Greek of the common folk of the first century.  They contain the principal accounts of the working out of God's salvation through his son, Jesus.

Harris, Chris 2009, 'The Formation of the Gospels', in Ryan, Maurice (ed), Reading the Bible: an introduction for students, Lumino Press, Hamilton, Qld.