How does prophecy work? Does it tell us in detail the timing of key future events? In this Seven Minute Seminary episode, Dr. Ben Witherington explains the difference between “forth-telling” and “foretelling,” and suggests that God reveals enough about the future to give us hope, but not enough to not require faith in our every day lives.
Who is the Beast of Revelation 13, which is sometimes conflated with the term “antichrist” from John’s epistles? In this Seven Minute Seminary video, Dr. Ben Witherington responds with important Bible background, suggesting that there is good reason to think it referred to a Roman emperor.
Does Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4 teach the Rapture? Last week Ben Witherington shared on the origins of rapture theology. This week, watch him explain the Bible background and historical imagery behind two popular proof texts for rapture theology.
Has the site of Jesus’ baptism been discovered? In this video, Ben Witherington III shares about a new archaeological site where early Christians would go to get baptized. It is possible that this was a special site for the early church because it is also where Jesus was baptized by John.
Where did Rapture theology come from? In this Seven Minute Seminary, Ben Witherington III explains that Rapture theology and its parent, Dispensationalism, are new ideas that were birthed in 19th century. He continues to work through the history of the belief and explains how it became a movement particularly in the United States.
What does election have to do with salvation? In this video, Ben Witherington reminds us that the two are not the same thing. While in the Old Testament election was considered “in Israel,” in the New Testament it is for those “in Christ.” This means that it’s always a corporate matter, not about which individuals are saved and which ones are not.
In the New Testament, what is the link between theology and ethics; between what Christians believe and how Christians behave? In Part II of this video series, Ben Witherington suggests that behavior can and does affect a person’s eternity.
In the New Testament, what is the link between theology and ethics; between what Christians believe and how Christians behave? In this video, Ben Witherington introduces the idea and proposes that the imago dei is this important link.
Does Romans 9-11 teach Calvinist predestination? In this Seven Minute Seminary, Ben Witherington explains that Paul’s aim is to refute the idea that God now favored the Romans, or Gentiles, rather than the Jews. In the process, he explains how the terms predestination, election, and salvation relate—or don’t relate—to one another.
Deep from the vault, we pulled out this old video of J. D. Walt interviewing Ben Witherington on the resurrection. They cover a number of topics related to Scripture, its role in the church, and other practices that lead to healthy spiritual formation.
Some point to Romans 7 as the proof-text for the saint-sinner paradox, suggesting that if even the apostle Paul struggled with his unrelenting flesh, Christians must face defeat in certain areas of their Christian life. On the contrary, Ben Witherington suggests that ancient rhetoric illuminates the passage in a way that eliminates Paul as the subject of this passage and paints a more optimistic picture of God’s sanctifying grace.
Ben Witherington maintains that behind Paul’s theologizing in Romans and other letters is not abstract ideas like God’s sovereignty, grace, nor even some order of salvation. Rather, it is stories—including that of Adam, Moses, and Jesus. This is what we might call Paul’s narrative thought world.
