Foreknowledge In Romans
J. Lecture 10 –Romans
Word Count: 545
1. Describe the classic Calvinist, Arminian, and contemporary mediating perspectives on “foreknowledge” in Romans 8:29.
For the Calvinist, the concept of foreknowledge is often defined as “predestination” based on the OT use of the verb “to know”. But this is a mistranslation since in the OT, the verb “to know” is translated as “knowledge” and not as “foreknowledge”—as Romans 8:29 clearly reads.
For Arminians, this verb is taken straight forward as “simple knowledge in advance”, but this causes a problem in which salvation becomes an act of the human and not a divine action.
An intermediate view is needed here: possibly a Molinist perspective works out in the sense that God “knows” what humans would …show more content…
do in all possible worlds and actualizes a world in which God’s purposes are achieved without violating human freedom.
2. Describe the two major asymmetrical features between “vessels of wrath” and “vessels of mercy” in 9:22-23.
The “vessels of wrath” and “vessels of mercy” represent people who God “predestined” for salvation and people who God “predestined” for destruction (unsaved people). The two major asymmetrical features between these two groups are (1) those that are called vessels of his mercy are said to have been prepared in advance by God (the active voice indicates God is the one who prepared) for glory. These two features (prepared and God) are missing from verse 22 regarding the vessels of wrath. The middle voice use could indicate that the vessels prepared themselves for destruction. In any case, God is not the agent that prepares the vessels for destruction in advance.
3. What three interpretive qualifications must we apparently put on Paul’s statement in 11:26 that “all Israel will be saved”?
The three interpretative qualifications needed to understand that “all Israel will be saved” are as follow: (1) “All” does not necessarily mean every single person. This is often the case in scripture. It may refer to a large group even if there are numerous exceptions. (2) This turning to God is not something that happens apart or independently from Christ. (3) The beginning words “and so” or “and in this way” are not chronological in sequence as if Paul had written “and then.” Therefore, and alternate understanding of what Paul says is that the true Israel (the Jewish and Christian church together) will be complete (all of Israel). This interpretation does not necessitate an entire outpouring of Jews into salvation.
4. How do 12:14-21 and 13:1-7 help qualify each other?
Verses 12:14-21 are a description of how a Christian is to deal with enemies (bless them, leave the vengeance to God, do not curse them, etc.) echoing several terms from Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount.
But here Paul is not doing away with proper process of law as can be seen in 13:1-7: governing authorities are the proper conduit to dispense justice. Taking these passages together, it is clear that the Christian should not be vindictive, but this should not be an occasion to promote evil if a governing authority can impart justice and punish criminals. Paul is also not precluding the need for civil disobedience against wicked governments.
5. How do we explain the proliferation of personal greetings in chapter 16 to a church Paul had never personally founded?
This can be explained given that Paul, as an avid traveler, was exposed to many early Christians such as Priscilla and Aquila—whom he greets in Romans 16. This couple was exiled from Rome after Claudius’ edict and met Paul in Corinth only to return to Rome by the time he writes. It is plausible that Paul met others in the same manner during his journeys or that he greets the rest to build bridges of trust, even if he hasn’t met them personally.
K. Lecture 11 –Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians
Word Count:
513
1. Why, historically, has it most commonly been assumed that Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians were all written from Paul’s Roman imprisonment?
Because they have a lot of information in common: (1) Colossians and Ephesians end with Tychicus as the courier transporting the letter to the recipients from Paul’s place of captivity. (2) Colossians and Philippians end with greetings from several individuals, all in common. This is unusual in Paul’s correspondence and further strengthens the argument of a common source and time for the letters. (3) In Philemon and Colossians, the name of Archippus is mentioned in greeting messages. Philippians does not share these characteristics, so it is assumed to have been written later.
2. Why, probably, did Paul not condemn the institution of slavery more directly in his letter to Philemon?
Some have suggested that Paul is not against slavery at all! But this is not easy to defend in light of 1 Cor. 7:21 (“gain your freedom if you can”) and of the hints of freedom in Philemon itself. Paul may not have been more forceful against slavery because about 1/3 of the empire were slaves, and total emancipation in that culture was far-fetched. The entire economy functioned in grand part due to slaves. Ideas of total emancipation would have been crushed by the roman government with the potential to destroy Christianity. Also, while abuses where often committed against slaves, it was not the same type of tortuous slavery from 19th-century America. Many slaves where better off financially as slaves than as free individuals. In any case, Paul plants the seeds that later Christians would use for the emancipation movement.
3. What is the significance of the term pleroma (fullness) in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9?
This was used in Gnostic circles to refer to divine emanations from the original remote and unknown god. Basically, pleroma, relates to everything divine. This, Paul, uses to refer to Christ as a way to affirm Jesus’ divine nature. In this sense, Jesus is “full” and abundant of divinity. Paul uses this Gnostic term as a weapon against the Gnosticism infecting the Colossian heresy.
4. Where in Colossians is a text relevant to address the issue of Sabbatarianism and what does it seemingly teach?
Col. 2:11 addresses Judaizers and Gnostics. Paul speaks of the true circumcision, and not just outward appearances, making it clear that salvation can’t come through circumcision. The law has been done away and finds its fulfillment in Christ. In that context, v.16 is one of the key verses against Sabbatarianism: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath”. What this teaches is that the Law is nothing but a shadow of things to come in Christ (v.17). The true intention of the Sabbath is, therefore, fulfilled in our “rest in Christ” every day of the week.
5. What is significant about the juxtaposition of Colossians 3:1-4 and vv. 5-17? for the Colossians? For Christians living today?
Colossians 3:1-4 can be summarized as the failure of the Colossians: not to focus on heavenly things. But this “heavenly living” is further explained in vv.5-17 as “moral living” consisting first in a recreation of the person in the image of God: a new person in Christ. Thus, this “heavenly living” must be characterized by “death” of the earthly in the Christian which includes sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. Verse 17 summarizes this new life: “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Word Count: 545
1. Describe the classic Calvinist, Arminian, and contemporary mediating perspectives on “foreknowledge” in Romans 8:29.
For the Calvinist, the concept of foreknowledge is often defined as “predestination” based on the OT use of the verb “to know”. But this is a mistranslation since in the OT, the verb “to know” is translated as “knowledge” and not as “foreknowledge”—as Romans 8:29 clearly reads.
For Arminians, this verb is taken straight forward as “simple knowledge in advance”, but this causes a problem in which salvation becomes an act of the human and not a divine action.
An intermediate view is needed here: possibly a Molinist perspective works out in the sense that God “knows” what humans would …show more content…
do in all possible worlds and actualizes a world in which God’s purposes are achieved without violating human freedom.
2. Describe the two major asymmetrical features between “vessels of wrath” and “vessels of mercy” in 9:22-23.
The “vessels of wrath” and “vessels of mercy” represent people who God “predestined” for salvation and people who God “predestined” for destruction (unsaved people). The two major asymmetrical features between these two groups are (1) those that are called vessels of his mercy are said to have been prepared in advance by God (the active voice indicates God is the one who prepared) for glory. These two features (prepared and God) are missing from verse 22 regarding the vessels of wrath. The middle voice use could indicate that the vessels prepared themselves for destruction. In any case, God is not the agent that prepares the vessels for destruction in advance.
3. What three interpretive qualifications must we apparently put on Paul’s statement in 11:26 that “all Israel will be saved”?
The three interpretative qualifications needed to understand that “all Israel will be saved” are as follow: (1) “All” does not necessarily mean every single person. This is often the case in scripture. It may refer to a large group even if there are numerous exceptions. (2) This turning to God is not something that happens apart or independently from Christ. (3) The beginning words “and so” or “and in this way” are not chronological in sequence as if Paul had written “and then.” Therefore, and alternate understanding of what Paul says is that the true Israel (the Jewish and Christian church together) will be complete (all of Israel). This interpretation does not necessitate an entire outpouring of Jews into salvation.
4. How do 12:14-21 and 13:1-7 help qualify each other?
Verses 12:14-21 are a description of how a Christian is to deal with enemies (bless them, leave the vengeance to God, do not curse them, etc.) echoing several terms from Jesus in the Sermon of the Mount.
But here Paul is not doing away with proper process of law as can be seen in 13:1-7: governing authorities are the proper conduit to dispense justice. Taking these passages together, it is clear that the Christian should not be vindictive, but this should not be an occasion to promote evil if a governing authority can impart justice and punish criminals. Paul is also not precluding the need for civil disobedience against wicked governments.
5. How do we explain the proliferation of personal greetings in chapter 16 to a church Paul had never personally founded?
This can be explained given that Paul, as an avid traveler, was exposed to many early Christians such as Priscilla and Aquila—whom he greets in Romans 16. This couple was exiled from Rome after Claudius’ edict and met Paul in Corinth only to return to Rome by the time he writes. It is plausible that Paul met others in the same manner during his journeys or that he greets the rest to build bridges of trust, even if he hasn’t met them personally.
K. Lecture 11 –Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians
Word Count:
513
1. Why, historically, has it most commonly been assumed that Philemon, Colossians and Ephesians were all written from Paul’s Roman imprisonment?
Because they have a lot of information in common: (1) Colossians and Ephesians end with Tychicus as the courier transporting the letter to the recipients from Paul’s place of captivity. (2) Colossians and Philippians end with greetings from several individuals, all in common. This is unusual in Paul’s correspondence and further strengthens the argument of a common source and time for the letters. (3) In Philemon and Colossians, the name of Archippus is mentioned in greeting messages. Philippians does not share these characteristics, so it is assumed to have been written later.
2. Why, probably, did Paul not condemn the institution of slavery more directly in his letter to Philemon?
Some have suggested that Paul is not against slavery at all! But this is not easy to defend in light of 1 Cor. 7:21 (“gain your freedom if you can”) and of the hints of freedom in Philemon itself. Paul may not have been more forceful against slavery because about 1/3 of the empire were slaves, and total emancipation in that culture was far-fetched. The entire economy functioned in grand part due to slaves. Ideas of total emancipation would have been crushed by the roman government with the potential to destroy Christianity. Also, while abuses where often committed against slaves, it was not the same type of tortuous slavery from 19th-century America. Many slaves where better off financially as slaves than as free individuals. In any case, Paul plants the seeds that later Christians would use for the emancipation movement.
3. What is the significance of the term pleroma (fullness) in Colossians 1:19 and 2:9?
This was used in Gnostic circles to refer to divine emanations from the original remote and unknown god. Basically, pleroma, relates to everything divine. This, Paul, uses to refer to Christ as a way to affirm Jesus’ divine nature. In this sense, Jesus is “full” and abundant of divinity. Paul uses this Gnostic term as a weapon against the Gnosticism infecting the Colossian heresy.
4. Where in Colossians is a text relevant to address the issue of Sabbatarianism and what does it seemingly teach?
Col. 2:11 addresses Judaizers and Gnostics. Paul speaks of the true circumcision, and not just outward appearances, making it clear that salvation can’t come through circumcision. The law has been done away and finds its fulfillment in Christ. In that context, v.16 is one of the key verses against Sabbatarianism: “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath”. What this teaches is that the Law is nothing but a shadow of things to come in Christ (v.17). The true intention of the Sabbath is, therefore, fulfilled in our “rest in Christ” every day of the week.
5. What is significant about the juxtaposition of Colossians 3:1-4 and vv. 5-17? for the Colossians? For Christians living today?
Colossians 3:1-4 can be summarized as the failure of the Colossians: not to focus on heavenly things. But this “heavenly living” is further explained in vv.5-17 as “moral living” consisting first in a recreation of the person in the image of God: a new person in Christ. Thus, this “heavenly living” must be characterized by “death” of the earthly in the Christian which includes sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness. Verse 17 summarizes this new life: “do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus.”