G2782 designates the herald’s proclamation: an authoritative, public announcement delivered on behalf of a sovereign. In the New Testament the word is consistently linked with the public declaration of God’s redemptive work in Christ, not with private teaching or philosophical dialogue. The concept presupposes:

1. A sender (God),
2. A herald (prophets, Christ, or apostolic messengers),
3. A mandated audience (all nations),
4. Content that demands a response (repentance and faith).

Old Testament Foreshadowing

Although the term itself is Greek, the activity is foreshadowed in the prophets whose messages were delivered “from the mouth of the LORD.” Jonah’s proclamation to Nineveh (alluded to in Matthew 12:41 and Luke 11:32) functions as the paradigmatic example: the prophet spoke God’s word, and repentance followed. Jesus points back to Jonah to validate both the authority and urgency of the κήρυγμα.

Occurrences in the New Testament

• Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:32 – Christ affirms the historical power of God’s proclamation through Jonah and warns His generation that greater light demands greater accountability.
• Mark 16:20 – After the resurrection, “they went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them, confirming the word by the signs that accompanied it.” The κήρυγμα is inseparable from divine authentication.
• Romans 16:25 – Paul speaks of “my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,” indicating that the message is both personal (he owns it) and universal (it is revealed to all nations).
• 1 Corinthians 1:21 – “God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.” Proclamation is God’s chosen means for effecting salvation.
• 1 Corinthians 2:4 – The apostle’s proclamation came “not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,” highlighting dependence on God rather than rhetoric.
• 1 Corinthians 15:14 – “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” The resurrection is the non-negotiable core of the κήρυγμα.
• 2 Timothy 4:17 – In prison Paul declares, “the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished and all the Gentiles might hear.” Circumstances do not silence God’s herald.
• Titus 1:3 – God “has in His own time manifested His word through the preaching entrusted to me.” Preaching is a stewardship entrusted by divine appointment.

Content of the Apostolic Message

Acts elaborates the same pattern implied by the term:

1. Fulfillment of Scripture in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Messiah.
2. His exaltation to the right hand of God.
3. A call to repent, believe, and be baptized.
4. Assurance of forgiveness, the gift of the Spirit, and future resurrection.

This four-fold core, often called the apostolic κήρυγμα, remains the template for evangelical preaching.

Divine Power and Authentication

Mark 16:20 and 1 Corinthians 2:4 emphasize that the preached word is accompanied by the Spirit’s power. Miraculous signs in the apostolic era served to verify the message, while the continuing witness of transformed lives confirms it today. The authority resides not in the preacher’s personality but in God who speaks through the herald.

Implications for Salvation and Faith

Scripture never separates saving faith from the proclaimed word. Romans 10:17 (though using a cognate verb) states, “faith comes by hearing.” The κήρυγμα is therefore indispensable for evangelism and missions. Where it is absent, people remain without the knowledge that leads to salvation; where it is faithfully sounded, God gathers His elect.

Historical Development in the Early Church

By the second century, κήρυγμα came to denote the fixed rule of faith (“regula fidei”) that summarized apostolic teaching against heresy. The term thus bridged public preaching and doctrinal formulation, guarding orthodoxy. The creedal statements of the early councils echo the New Testament proclamation, especially its Christological and resurrection emphases.

Pastoral and Missional Application

1. The preacher is a herald under authority; fidelity to the text is non-negotiable.
2. The message centers on Christ crucified and risen, not moralism or self-help.
3. The herald relies on the Spirit’s enabling, confident that God still “confirms the word.”
4. The audience is universal; the Great Commission extends the κήρυγμα to every ethnic group.
5. Suffering, imprisonment, or cultural opposition cannot negate the mandate (2 Timothy 4:17).

Conclusion

G2782 encapsulates the New Testament vision of preaching: an authoritative, Spirit-empowered proclamation of the saving work of God in Jesus Christ, grounded in Scripture, addressed to all people, and effectual for those who believe. The church’s faithfulness in every generation hinges on preserving and propagating this κήρυγμα until the Lord returns.