Full Description
"But many who are first will be last, and the last first."
—Matthew 19:30
The Bible is full of ironic situations in which God overturns the world's wisdom by doing the opposite of what is expected—people are punished by their own sin, the persecution of the church is the catalyst for its growth, Paul claims to have strength through weakness, and more. In this book, biblical scholar G. K. Beale explores God's pattern of divine irony in both judgment and salvation, finding its greatest expression in Jesus's triumph over death through death on a cross. Unpacking this pattern throughout redemptive history, Beale shows us how God often uses what is seemingly weak and foolish to underscore his own strength and power in the lives of his people today.
Contents
Foreword by Andrew A. White
Series Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1: God Judges People by Their Own Sin
Chapter 2: People Resemble the Idols They Worship
Chapter 3: The Irony of Salvation
Chapter 4: The Christian Life: Power Is Perfected in the Powerless
Chapter 5: Faith in Unseen Realities Contradicts Trust in Superficial Appearances
Chapter 6: The Irony of Eschatology
Conclusion
General Index
Scripture Index
