HOW MANY GOSPELS ARE THERE?: PART ONE

The New Testament has 98 verses in which the word, "Gospel" appears:
*Matthew mentioned the Gospel 5 times, 3 of which are "the Gospel of the Kingdom."
*Mark mentioned it 8 times, 1 of which is "the Gospel of the Kingdom."
*Luke mentioned it 10 times, 4 in his Gospel and 6 in Acts, none include "the Kingdom."
*John mentioned it 1 time; it was in Revelation, and it does not include "the Kingdom."
*Paul mentioned it 69 times, none of which include "the Kingdom."
*Peter mentioned it 4 times, none of which include "the Kingdom."
*The writer of Hebrews mentioned it 1 time, and it does not include "the Kingdom."
*Jude did not mention the Gospel.

Some "theologians" believe that Matthew (and possibly Mark) presented the Gospel of the Kingdom to the Jews, who were expecting their Messiah, their King, to come and establish His Kingdom. They suggest that by the time Luke wrote his Gospel, Christians understood that Christ was to appear twice, once as "our Passover, the Lamb of God" (1 Cor. 5:7; Jn. 1:29, 36), and a second time as "the Lion of the Tribe of Juda" (Rev. 5:5). They site John 1:11-12 as evidence that the intended audience changed from Jews to Gentiles. And, they site Galatians 2:7 to support their view that there are two different Gospel messages. Paul wrote, "But contrariwise, when they saw that the Gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the Gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter."

I can think of two reasons that their view can not be valid: one is that both Matthew and Mark include the understanding that Christ was to make two "trips" to our world; and two, the Apostle Paul clearly taught that there is only one authentic Gospel. He wrote:

"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-9).

So what is the Gospel? First, it is the good news that God loved us enough to send Jesus to die for our sins (Jn. 3:16). 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 says:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures."

To be continued, Lord willing.