Date
12-19-2024
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Bible Exposition (PhD)
Chair
William Michael Victor
Keywords
Paul, Pauline, grace, χάρις, suffering, power, resurrected, Christ, risen, weakness, corpus, gift, distress, persecution, difficulty, pain
Disciplines
Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Recommended Citation
Shawa, Jason Scott, "The Necessity of Weaknesses in Experiencing the Grace of God: An Examination of Paul’s Use of Grace, Culminating in 2 Corinthians 12:7–10" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 6399.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/6399
Abstract
Paul’s understanding of weakness, grace, and the power of the risen Christ are all important theological truths. This dissertation’s goal is to show that within the Pauline corpus, Paul’s use of “grace” (specifically χάρις) is often inseparable from the experience of weaknesses. This necessitates the inclusion of weaknesses (e.g., distress, persecution, difficulty, pain, and suffering) for the believer to experience the “grace” God offers in and through the power of the crucified and resurrected Christ.
Paul’s understanding of grace is a subject that has far-reaching implications. Understanding his use of χάρις within his corpus is essential to theological studies and Pauline studies. The apostle Paul understood and experienced weakness in his life in various forms, including physical, spiritual, and mental. His experience of God’s grace in times of weakness molded and shifted his understanding of God’s grace as more than just a gift. Paul’s understanding of grace is displayed within his writing to reflect a triadic formula of weakness, grace, and the experience of the power of the risen Christ. Understanding God’s grace in a believer’s life is not only an assurance of difficulties, but more importantly, weaknesses lead to grace that enables the believer to endure these weaknesses. The ability to endure weaknesses seems to only be available through the power of the resurrected Christ. This understanding will be shown through examining the use of the word χάρις within the undisputed letters of Paul and how χάρις was used and understood in Paul’s time, as well as the Hebrew and Greek understanding within the Hebrew and Greek biblical texts.
