The Westminster Podcast Grace and Reward in Paul w/ Dr. Blake Franze
Dec 1, 2025
Dr. Blake Franze, a New Testament scholar and faculty member, shares insights on his PhD research focusing on the intriguing connection between grace and divine reward in Paul's letters. He discusses how modern perspectives often separate these concepts, yet Paul weaves them together seamlessly. Franze also explores Paul's reinterpretation of Israel's reward language, revealing its roots in Old Testament scripture. Listeners will discover how Paul uses grace to redefine vindication and offers fresh perspectives on faith and rewards.
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Dissertation Sparked At A Wedding
- Blake first encountered the topic while discussing Paul with his mentor Dr. David Briones at a wedding reception.
- That casual conversation led him to read Barclay and choose grace-and-reward as his dissertation focus.
Reward As An Expression Of Grace
- Paul often treats divine reward as an expression of God's grace rather than as something opposed to grace.
- Understanding Paul's language means reading his reward-talk against Israel's scriptural promises, not modern categories of 'earned' vs 'free' gifts.
Modern Categories Distort Paul
- Modern theology often forces a strict divide between grace and reward that ancient readers did not share.
- Paul reframes covenantal rewards as benefits given in Christ, not as mere pay-for-performance wages.