Listen "Paul's Works of the Law (Conversation with Dr. Matthew Thomas) - KR 139"
Episode Synopsis
Buy Paul’s ‘Works of the Law ‘ in the Perspective of Second Century Reception by Matthew Thomas >> https://amzn.to/2M0S5Sn
Paul writes that we are justified by faith apart from 'works of the law', a disputed term that represents a fault line between 'old' and 'new' perspectives on Paul. Was the Apostle reacting against the Jews' good works done to earn salvation, or the Mosaic Law's practices that identified the Jewish people?
In this episode, Scot and Matthew examines how Paul's second century readers understood these points in conflict, how they relate to 'old' and 'new' perspectives, and what their collective witness suggests about the Apostle's own meaning. Surprisingly, these early witnesses align closely with the 'new' perspective, though their reasoning often differs from both viewpoints. They suggest that Paul opposes these works neither due to moralism, nor primarily for experiential or social reasons, but because the promised new law and covenant, which are transformative and universal in scope, have come in Christ.
Connect with Matthew on Facebook >> https://www.facebook.com/matthew.j.thomas
Learn more about Matthew’s other works >> https://www.dspt.edu/faculty/bio/matthew-thomas-phd
More episodes of the podcast Kingdom Roots
The Justice of Jesus with Joash P. Thomas
18/09/2025
Disgraced: How Sex Scandals Transformed American Protestantism With Dr. Suzanna Krivulskaya
22/05/2025
Proclaiming the Parables: Preaching and Teaching the Kingdom of God with Dr. Thomas G. Long
16/05/2025
Jesus For Everyone With Dr. Amy Jill Levine
24/04/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.