Which term describes the first prophecy about Jesus?

• A. Protoevangelium
• B. Covenant
• C. Oracle
• D. Parable

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is identifying the earliest prophetic message about a coming Savior. That is described by the term protoevangelium, which comes from Greek for “first gospel” (proto- meaning first, euangelion meaning good news). It points to Genesis 3:15, the moment after the Fall when God speaks of enmity between the serpent and the woman and, crucially, declares that the offspring will crush the serpent’s head. This is understood as the initial prediction of the Messiah and His victory, the first glimpse of the good news about Jesus.

This term is more precise for this idea than a covenant, which is a formal promise or agreement God makes with His people; an oracle, while it can mean a prophetic message, is a broad category and not the specific label for the first gospel prophecy; and a parable, being a teaching story with a moral, does not predict a future Messiah. So protoevangelium uniquely captures the first hint of salvation announced about Jesus.