Taught by Lane G. Tipton, this course seeks to open up the whole of the theology of Romans and Hebrews in light of their opening verses. It overviews the prophetic and apostolic gospel of God’s Son in the introduction of Romans 1:1–6 with special attention to how the gospel relates to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Sustained consideration is given to the long-standing debate within Reformed interpretation of Romans 1:1–4, which divides along the lines of a two-nature versus two-estate view. The course then refines and clarifies the Son-centered character of the gospel and offers a dogmatic account of how the eternal person of the Son relates to his personalized humanity and to his traversing in history from the estate of humiliation to the estate of glory. The lectures relate the two-stage transfer of typological kinship from David to Saul to the two-age transfer of eschatological kingship to the incarnate Christ as David’s son and David’s Lord. The study of the introduction of Romans concludes with an investigation of the nature of the mystery of Christ as Lord and his church called to be his possession to the glory of his name.
The course also examines the centrality of the eternal Son of God in the prologue of Hebrews 1:1–4, highlighting the literary structure of the passage and the full range of revelation regarding the Son of God. The study expounds Christ’s preexistent person, eternal being, and the relation between his immutable person and his works and acts that fall in time, ranging from the work of creation to his incarnation, death, and ascension into heaven.
Total course duration: 7 hours, 24 minutes.
