Reading Romans 9โ€“11

Anyone using Scripture Union’s Encounter with God for their daily Bible readings will be exploring Romans 9โ€“14…with me! Romans 9โ€“11 is one of the most debatedย texts in Paul, and here are my reflections on approaches to reading it: These chapters of Romans bring together some of Paulโ€™s most densely argued and disputed material along with … Continue Reading

Phoebe, carrier of Paul’s letter to the Roman Christians

Romans 16 has been the subject of growing attention in scholarship for the last few years. Where an earlier generation might have thought it an addition, or an aside, commentators increasingly nowย seeย it as exemplifying a number of Paul’s concerns expressed earlier in the letter, and giving a vital window into Paul’s understanding and practice as … Continue Reading

What did Paul think of women’s ministry?

I am in the process of finishing a Grove Biblical booklet with the title โ€˜Women and authority: key biblical textsโ€™ which aims to explore all the key texts in 28 (or more likely, 32) pages, due out in the next week or so. I am aiming to coverย Gen 1, 2 and 3, Luke 24, John 20,ย Acts 18, Romans 16,ย 1 Cor 11,ย 1 Cor ย 14,ย Eph 5 and 1 Tim 2.

Here are my comments on Romans 16, which is important since we see here Paul offering direct comment on and evaluation of the ministry of women he knew.

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