“Put on the Full Armor of God”: Applying Ephesians 6:10-18

Last updated on: October 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm By B. J. Oropeza

Apart from standing firm against malicious forces, we must also put on the armor of God. Ephesians 6:10–18 encourages us to do so. This second study on spiritual warfare in Ephesians 6 will focus on the armor. Ephesians 6:10-18 seems to borrow from Jewish Scripture and traditions that depict the Lord as a warrior armed with righteousness, salvation, and vengeance ready to repay his enemies and deliver his people (Isaiah 59:14–19; compare Wisdom of Solomon 5.15–23). In Ephesians, however, Christ’s... Read more

Four Views on Fate and Freewill: Christian Perspectives

Last updated on: October 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm By B. J. Oropeza

Four different voices that give us insight on fate and freewill are Boethius, John of Damascus, Peter Abelard, and the Glossa Ordinaria. These are Christian voices from the medieval times that still resonant today. They inform our conversations about divine election, foreknowledge, and predestination. Boethius and His Encounter with Lady “Philosophy” Boethius wrote, The Consolation of Philosophy (Consolatio Philosophiae) either when imprisoned or in exile from Rome (c. 480–524). Theodoric the Great punished him because of a conspiracy attempting to... Read more

Ephesians 6:10-18, Spiritual Attacks, and the Good Fight of Faith

Last updated on: October 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm By B. J. Oropeza

In Ephesians, the community in Christ is to engage in a spiritual battle and put on the whole “armor of God” (Eph 6:10–18). For New Testament believers, the devil and his minions are real forces that can attack those who are in Christ. The metaphoric combative gear and weaponry that this letter promotes include truth, righteousness, faith, knowledge of the God’s word, empowerment by God’s Spirit, confidence in salvation, and being grounded in the gospel that restores peace to the... Read more

Thomas Aquinas on Mercy: Should I Forgive One Person but not the Other?

Last updated on: September 4, 2021 at 10:17 pm By B. J. Oropeza

The great 13th century Dominican philosopher Thomas Aquinas writes about Jacob’s election over Esau prior to either son being born. God made his choice before either child could do anything good or bad (Romans 9:10–12/ Genesis 25:21–25). According to Aquinas’s Commentary on Romans (C.9 L.2.758), this passage excludes at least three errors: First, it precludes assumptions that one can trust in the merits of one’s ancestors. In other words, God is not obligated to excuse individuals purely because of the... Read more

St. Augustine vs. St. Augustine: Grace and Foreknowledge in Romans 9

Last updated on: August 20, 2021 at 9:36 pm By B. J. Oropeza

Apart from his celebrated works, Confessions and The City of God, Saint Augustine of Hippo also influenced many theologians in the West with his view of doctrines such as original sin, grace, election, and predestination. He likewise commented on many verses in Romans. In this third instalment of the Romans 9 debate, we will notice that Augustine’s earlier interpretation on subjects relevant to Rom 9 do not always agree with those of his later writings. Earlier Augustine: God Chooses by... Read more

Chosen Prior to Faith or Chosen by Foreknown Faith? A Look at the Early Church Fathers on Romans 9

Last updated on: August 3, 2021 at 4:09 pm By B. J. Oropeza

Does Romans 9 teach that God chooses individuals irrespective of their faith? Or is it that God elects based on foreknowledge of their faith? In our first instalment on the Romans 9 debate we covered ancient Jewish sects on divine determinism and freewill. We will now look at early church writers and their interpretation of Romans 9. In Romans 9:10–23 we find God saying that he loved Jacob and hated Esau; God chose Jacob over Esau before either one could... Read more

Divine Determinism and Human Freedom: The Romans 9 Debate

Last updated on: August 16, 2022 at 12:50 pm By B. J. Oropeza

A long-standing debate regarding Roman 9 continues among informed laity, church denominations, theologians, and scholars on whether Paul teaches divine determinism in this passage. Does the passage teach double predestination and unconditional election of individuals? Do humans have a free choice if God elects some but rejects others? If God does the choosing and rejecting, why does he punish those whom he rejects as though they were at fault? In this study on the subject, we will take a look... Read more

Marginalized Christians in a Hostile Society: Craig Keener on 1 Peter

Last updated on: July 13, 2021 at 11:26 pm By B. J. Oropeza

I had the privilege of recently interviewing biblical scholar and friend, Craig Keener,* on his new commentary, 1 Peter: A Commentary (Baker, 2021). A blurb about this commentary reads as follows: “Leading New Testament scholar Craig Keener, one of the most trusted exegetes working today, is widely respected for his thorough research, sound judgments, and knowledge of ancient sources … This commentary on 1 Peter features Keener’s meticulous and comprehensive research and offers a wealth of fresh insights. It will benefit students,... Read more

Paul and the New Covenant: An Interview with Scott Hafemann

Last updated on: June 28, 2021 at 11:06 am By B. J. Oropeza

I am privileged to conduct an interview with Dr. Scott Hafemann. We met fairly recently as participants at a conference conducted by Prof. Florian Wilk of the University of Göttingen. Our papers from that meeting have now been published in Paul and Moses: The Exodus and Sinai Traditions in the Letters of Paul (Florian Wilk, editor; published by Mohr Siebeck). Dr. Hafemann is world-class biblical scholar and professor who has taught at Wheaton College, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and St Mary’s... Read more

Top 12 Commentaries on Romans

Last updated on: July 11, 2021 at 10:13 pm By B. J. Oropeza

As I currently do research on Paul’s epistle to the Romans, I would like to share what I consider the 12 best commentaries on this letter. As a New Testament professor, not a pastor or layperson, I probably have a different perspective than some. No doubt, my ratings are biased because of it. If you want a commentary that you can read cover to cover, or a commentary that compiles sermons, my list may not be of much help to... Read more