But the apostles so cherished their privilege as bearers of the good news that they carefully avoided making financial gain therefrom, or even giving the appearance of doing so in connection with their preaching. The apostle Paul describes his course of action in this regard at 1 Corinthians 9:15-18 and 1 Thessalonians 2:6, 9.

ENEMIES

The good news has been bitterly fought, the source of the enmity being identified by the apostle: “If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.” (2 Cor. 4:3, 4) The earliest enemies of the good news were the religious leaders of the Jews. Their enmity, however, resulted in good to the Gentiles or people of the nations, in that it opened up the opportunity for Gentiles to be fellow partakers of “the promise in union with Christ Jesus through the good news.”—Rom. 11:25, 28; Eph. 3:5, 6.

Enemies of the good news caused the Christians much suffering and required the apostles to put up a hard fight before rulers in defending and legally establishing the good news so that it might spread with the greatest possible freeness.—Phil. 1:7, 16; compare Mark 13:9-13; Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-29.

CHRIST’S PRESENCE, ABSENCE AND RETURN

It is noteworthy that, for six months before Jesus came to him for baptism, John the Baptist preached: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near,” and when Jesus appeared, John pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world!” (Matt. 3:1, 2; John 1:29) He announced the presence of the King and turned the people’s attention toward Him.—Acts 19:4.

Christ and his disciples, while Jesus was on earth, announced: “The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Matt. 4:17; 10:7) Jesus, anointed as Christ, the King, said to the Pharisees, his enemies: “The kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:20, 21) This was the theme or central point of the good news during Jesus’ earthly ministry. However, after Jesus’ death the disciples are not reported as proclaiming the Kingdom as having “drawn near” or being at hand. Rather, they preached a good news about Christ’s having ascended to heaven, after laying down his human life as the ransom price for salvation, and of his then sitting at God’s right hand; also, of Jesus’ return, and of the Kingdom to come at a later time.—Heb. 10:12, 13; 2 Tim. 4:1; Rev. 11:15; 12:10; 22:20; compare Luke 19:12, 15; Matthew 25:31.

When Jesus Christ was answering the question asked by his disciples, “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” Jesus enumerated certain things due to occur at that time. He said, among other things: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:3, 14; Mark 13:10; compare Colossians 1:23.) In the Revelation given to the apostle John about 96 C.E., he saw an “angel flying in midheaven,” who had “everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying in a loud voice: ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of the judgment by him has arrived.’” (Rev. 14:6, 7) These inspired statements indicate that in the “last days” there would be an unparalleled proclamation of the good news of the Kingdom.

GOOD WILL

[Heb., ra·tsohnʹ, delight, acceptance; Gr., eu·do·kiʹa, well thinking].

Both the Hebrew and Greek nouns and related forms of these words have reference to that which pleases or to one’s being pleased, and are translated “delight,” “pleasure,” “pleased,” “good pleasure,” “liking,” “approval,” “good will,” and so forth.

GOD’S GOOD WILL

In the Bible these terms are used with regard to the pleasure, approval or good will of God. (Ps. 51:18; 106:4; Eph. 1:5, 9) God sets forth clearly what is required to please him, and he determines whom he will accept as his friends, as recipients of his good will. Those rejecting his Word or rebelling against him do not receive his good will, but, rather, experience his displeasure.—Ps. 2:5; Heb. 3:16-19.

MAN’S GOOD WILL

The same words are also used with reference to the approval of men, or of good will on their part. (2 Chron. 10:7; Esther 1:8; Rom. 15:25, 26) The apostle Paul spoke of some who preached the Christ through good will. (Phil. 1:15) These sincere Christians were expressing good will toward God. Such ones would accordingly experience the good will of God. (Prov. 8:35; 10:32; 11:27) An example of the good will of man toward others is the apostle Paul’s expression concerning his fleshly brothers, the Jews: “Brothers, the good will of my heart and my supplication to God for them are, indeed, for their salvation.”—Rom. 10:1.

“MEN OF GOOD WILL”

When an angel announced the birth of Jesus, he appeared, not before the religious leaders of the Jews, who were God’s enemies, but before humble shepherds. After he told the shepherds of the birth of the Messiah, an angelic host proclaimed: “Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of good will.” (Luke 2:14) The angels were not proclaiming peace to God’s enemies, who were not at peace with him. “‘There is no peace,’ my God has said, ‘for the wicked ones.’” (Isa. 57:21) The Authorized Version renders Luke 2:14: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” But God was not here expressing good will toward men in general; neither did he mean that his peace was extended to those inclined toward him merely in a friendly and indulgent way. Rather, God had reference to those who would please him by genuine faith in him, and who would become followers of his Son.

Modern translations harmonize with this view, making the matter clear. The Revised Standard Version reads: “peace among men with whom he is pleased!” The New English Bible translates the phrase: “his peace for men on whom his favour rests.” Dr. James Moffatt’s translation renders it: “peace on earth for men whom he favours!” and An American Translation reads: “Peace to the men he favors!” Other modern versions read similarly.

GOSHEN

(Goʹshen) [perhaps, mound of earth].

1. A region in Egypt where the Israelites resided for 215 years (1728-1513 B.C.E.). (Gen. 45:10; 47:27) While the exact location of Goshen is uncertain, it appears to have lain in the eastern part of the Nile Delta, the entrance to Egypt proper. This is indicated by the fact that Joseph, leaving his Egyptian quarters, met his father (who was traveling from Canaan) at Goshen.—Gen. 46:28, 29.

Pharaoh kept cattle at Goshen, and the Hebrews also pastured their flocks and herds there. (Gen. 47:1, 4-6; 50:8) The description of the region as ‘the very best of the land of Egypt’ is apparently a relative term meaning the most fertile pastoral land, best suited for the particular needs of Jacob’s family. Goshen may have been the same as “the land of Rameses,” or perhaps the latter was a district of Goshen. (Gen. 47:6, 11) Beginning with the fourth blow on Egypt, Jehovah specifically singled out “Goshen” to be left unharmed.—Ex. 8:22; 9:26.

2. A city in the mountainous region of Judah. (Josh. 15:20, 48, 51) Some geographers tentatively place it at modern Zahariyeh, about eleven and a half miles (18.5 kilometers) SW of Hebron. “The land of Goshen” referred to at Joshua 10:41 and 11:16 was apparently a district in its vicinity. This district would take in the mountainous region between Hebron and the Negeb.

GOSSIP, SLANDER

Gossip is idle personal talk; groundless rumor. Slander is defamation, generally malicious, whether oral or written.

GOSSIP

Not all gossip is bad or damaging, though it can be. At times it may be commendatory about a person or persons; or it may be the mere relating of something trifling or unobjectionable about others, out of human interest. But it is easy to slip into hurtful or troublemaking talk, for gossip is idle talk. The Scriptures counsel against idle speech, pointing out that the tongue is difficult to tame and that it “is constituted a world of unrighteousness among our members, for it spots up all the body and sets the wheel of natural life aflame.” Its destructiveness is further emphasized in that the Bible writer continues, “and it is set aflame by Gehenna.” (Jas. 3:6) The danger of loose, idle talk is emphasized many times, its user being connected with stupidity or foolishness (Prov. 15:2), and such speech constituting a snare and bringing ruin to him. (Prov. 13:3; 18:7) “In the abundance of words there does not fail to be transgression,” says the proverb, counseling that keeping one’s lips in check is discreet action. (Prov. 10:19) “He that is keeping his mouth and his tongue is keeping his soul from distresses,” is a warning against thoughtless, loose or idle talk.—Prov. 21:23.

“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” said Jesus Christ. (Matt. 12:34) Consequently, what one usually talks about is an index of that on which his heart is set. The Scriptures urge one to safeguard his heart and to think on and speak of the things that are true, serious, righteous, chaste, lovable, well spoken of, virtuous and praiseworthy. (Prov. 4:23; Phil. 4:8) Jesus Christ said, “It is what proceeds out of his mouth that defiles a man,” and went on to name “wicked reasonings” and “false testimonies” among the things that proceed from the mouth but actually are out of the heart.—Matt. 15:11, 19.

Gossip can lead to slander, becoming disastrous to the slanderer. The wisdom of the words at Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 is very evident: “The lips of me stupid one swallow him up. The start of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end afterward of his mouth is calamitous madness. And the foolish one speaks many words.”

Gossip is talk that reveals something about the doings and the affairs of other persons. It may be unfounded rumor, even a lie, and although the gossiper may not know the untruthfulness of the rumor, he spreads it nevertheless, thereby making himself responsible for propagating a lie. It may be someone’s faults and mistakes that the gossiper is talking about. But even if the things said are true, the gossiper is in the wrong and reveals lack of love. The proverb says: “The one covering over transgression is seeking love, and he that keeps talking about a matter is separating those familiar with one another.”—Prov. 17:9.

The apostle Paul gave strong advice to the overseer Timothy about the conduct of young widows who had no households to care for and who did not busy themselves in me ministry. He said: “They also learn to be unoccupied, gadding about to the houses; yes, not only unoccupied, but also gossipers and meddlers in other people’s affairs, talking of things they ought not.” (1 Tim. 5:13) Such action is disorderly conduct. The same apostle spoke of some in the congregation at Thessalonica who were “walking disorderly among you, not working at all but meddling with what does not concern them.” (2 Thess. 3:11) Peter puts “a busybody in other people’s matters” in very bad company—alongside a murderer, a thief and an evildoer.—1 Pet. 4:15.

On the other hand, it is not gossip or slander and is not wrong to report conditions affecting a congregation to those having authority and responsibility to oversee and correct matters. This fact is demonstrated in the Scriptural record about the Christian congregation in ancient Corinth. There dissensions and the paying of undue honor to men were creating sectarian attitudes, destroying the congregation’s unity. Some members of the house of a certain Chloe who were aware of these things and were concerned about the congregation’s spiritual welfare disclosed the fact to the absent apostle Paul, who acted quickly, writing corrective counsel to the congregation from Ephesus.—1 Cor. 1:11.

SLANDER

While gossip can in some cases be more or less harmless (though it can become slander or lead into it), slander is always damaging and always causes hurt and contention. It may be with or without malicious motive. In either case, the slanderer is putting himself in a bad position before God, for “anyone sending forth contentions among brothers” is among the things mat God hates. (Prov. 6:16-19) The Greek word for “slanderer” is di·aʹbo·los, “accuser.” The word is also used in the Bible as a title of Satan “the Devil,” the great slanderer of God. (John 8:44; Rev. 12:9, 10; Gen. 3:2-5) This indicates the source of such defamatory accusation.

Slander constitutes a stumbling block to others, particularly to the one slandered. The law given by God to Israel commanded: “You must not go around among your people for the sake of slandering. You must not stand up against your fellow’s blood.” (Lev. 19:16) The deadly effect of slander—that it is likened to shedding the blood or taking the life of another, actually, murder—is here shown. The slanderer stupidly foments hate, and “everyone who hates his brother is a manslayer.” (1 John 3:15; Prov. 10:18) False witnesses have many times been instrumental in causing the death of innocent persons.—1 Ki. 21:8-13; Matt. 26:59, 60.

Sometimes matters are confidential, but the slanderer delights in revealing them to others who have no right to know. (Prov. 11:13) The slanderer gets pleasure in revealing things that cause sensation, “juicy tidbits,” as he might say, and the one listening to slander is also wrong and is damaging himself. (Prov. 20:19; 26:22) One may be turned away from his friends because of some defamatory remark about them by the slanderer, with enmities and divisions resulting.—Prov. 16:28.

The Scriptures foretell that the notable presence of slanderers would be one of the marks of the “last days.” (2 Tim. 3:1-3) Such persons, men or women, if present among God’s people, are to be reproved and corrected by responsible ones in the Christian congregation. (1 Tim. 3:11; Titus 2:1-5; 3 John 9, 10) Slander, in causing contention (Prov. 16:28), thus produces certain “works of the flesh” (such as hatreds, contentions and divisions) that will prevent the slanderer and others he leads into wrongdoing from inheriting God’s kingdom. (Gal. 5:19-21) Though the slanderer may be sly and deceitful, his badness will be uncovered in the congregation. (Prov. 26:20-26) Jesus exposed the slanderous Judas (John 6:70) to his apostles and then dismissed Judas from his company, turning him over to Satan for his destruction.—Matt. 26:20-25; John 13:21-27; 17:12.

A form of slander is reviling, the practice of which merits cutting off from the Christian congregation, for revilers are condemned by the Scriptures as unworthy of life. (1 Cor. 5:11; 6:9, 10) Slander and reviling are often associated with rebellion against God or against those he has duly constituted and appointed to govern