After Class Podcast

The guys dig into Romans and Galatians this week looking for what Paul says about Jesus's death - what it accomplished and why it was necessary. Paul speaks of Jesus as victor over sin and an obedient pattern for us to follow. He also holds Jesus's death up as something we participate in and the key to our entrance into the new covenant. Does Paul give any indication that he saw Jesus as taking God's wrath that was intended for us?

The guys turn to Revelation this week to see how John spoke about Jesus's death. They find some references to Jesus as victor, a ransom, and the lamb who was slain. But is there any mention of Jesus as our substitute or a payment to cover God's wrath? The guys also give a start into Paul's letters (Romans and Galatians) which will be concluded in next week's episode.

This week the guys zero-in on the letters of Peter and John as they work towards answering the question - What did Jesus die for? Peter does use "ransom" language. Is he using it to talk about Jesus ransoming us from the power and grip of satan or is he referring to something else? When John speaks of Jesus's blood cleansing us and making atonement - is that pointing to Jesus taking our place or paying off God's wrath with his life?

What did Jesus's death accomplish and why was it necessary? Did Jesus die to satisfy the wrathful and violent nature of God? This week the guys dive into Hebrews - the book that is most often quoted to explain Jesus' death. If Jesus is our high priest and the atoning sacrifice - how does all of that tie together? Is there anything in Hebrews about God's wrath or Jesus taking our place?

Why did Jesus have to die? This week the guys offer a quick summary of where they've been in this discussion before moving on to see what the gospel of John has to say about Jesus's death. John's gospel does use language of Jesus removing the "sins of the world" but maybe that doesn't mean all that we have traditionally thought.

This week the guys wrap up Jesus's death as portrayed in the Synoptics and move to the book of Acts. Does Luke pair forgiveness of sins or atonement with the death of Jesus? Is Jesus's death portrayed as a necessary response to God's wrath?

The conversation continues this week as the guys explore more of the reasons the Synoptics give for why Jesus had to die. Why was his death necessary? How did his death fulfill prophecy? Does anything in the Synoptics indicate that Jesus's death was an answer or corrective to God's anger?

This week the guys move to the New Testament as they continue to consider why Jesus had to die and what his death accomplished. But Jesus' death was only about removing our sins right? You might be surprised when you are reminded of all that the synoptics claim about Jesus's death.

The guys finish their discussion on the pros and cons of the five classic atonement theories and introduce some more contemporary views presented by theologians in the last twenty years.

This week the guys take a break from surveying Scripture to look carefully at some of the classic theories of atonement, popular throughout the history of the church. It should not surprise the listener that there are pros and cons to each.