Series - Covenants Paul

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The Olive Tree Metaphor in Romans 11

Some passages of Scripture have suffered under the myosis of its interpreters more than most. At the forefront of these abused passages is surely Romans 11:16-29. For sure, there is a bit of deciphering of Paul’s language to do, but all in all I think the apostle’s thrust is easy to grasp. The problem with so many interpretations of the verses, especially by those who like to employ the NT to interpret the OT, is that they tend to read their theology into the passage while ignoring the details. Here is one example:

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Is the Rapture in 2 Thessalonians 2:3?

On a related note, some Dispensational writers have believed that the catching up of the saints is what is in view in 2 Thessalonians 2:3:

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sinis revealed, the son of perdition.

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The Transformation of Our Bodies

The mention of the transformation of our bodies calls to mind the mystery of 1 Corinthians 15:50-52:

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

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When Christ Delivers Up the Kingdom to the Father

There is a strategic passage in 1 Corinthians which bears upon both the eschatology and teleology of the Bible. That text is found in 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 and requires a little time to think through, although I will confess at the outset that the passage may act as an exemplar of the influence of theological predispositions in hermeneutics.¹ Because the thought is condensed it is easy to jump to conclusions about what each verse means. It starts with a theological preamble:

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This series is from the first draft of my book The Words of the Covenant: New Testament Continuation. Volume One on Old Testament Expectation is already available.

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Paul’s Understanding of God’s Covenants

Let me begin by again stating that the Apostle Paul saw himself as an ambassador of the New covenant (2 Cor. 3:5). Even though he rarely refers to it by name, it has become clear to many scholars that Paul’s theology is steeped in the New covenant.¹ In the passages I cited above we can see this. And it is true to say that without this comprehension of his mission, Paul’s theology is difficult to pull together.