The Nature of Divine Wrath: with Dr. Timothy Gombis
Why does the wrath of God feel so different between the Old and New Testaments? Today we are joined by theologian Dr. Timothy Gombis to dive deep into the complexities of divine judgment, the character of God, and how we often misinterpret Paul's writings in Romans. It is a wide-ranging conversation that moves from the golf course to the deepest questions of biblical justice.
In this episode, Mike Erre and Tim Stafford welcome back one of their favorite guests to explore a topic that often vexes modern believers. We start with some lighthearted catching up on life, substitute teaching, and the ultimate burrito rating scale before diving into the heavy lifting of biblical theology.
Tim Gombis shares his provocative insights on Romans 1, arguing that the famous passage on wrath might actually be a rhetorical trap set by Paul rather than his own primary theology. We discuss God’s fundamental orientation toward hospitality and delight, and how human rebellion invites a gathering chaos that the Bible labels as wrath. From the covenantal consequences in the Old Testament to the mysterious deaths of Ananias and Sapphira, we wrestle with what it means to fear a God who takes community and justice so seriously.
We also address the difficult reality of modern-day evildoers who seem to prosper while using the name of Jesus. If God is slow to anger, how do we handle the tension of his apparent silence in the face of current injustice? This conversation is an invitation to hold that tension in faith and join in the prayer for God to set all things right.
Chapters
0:00 Intro - Seth and Easter Super Bowl
3:15 Catching up with Tim Gombis
7:45 The Masters and Cubs Baseball
11:30 The Definitive Burrito Rating System
16:00 Teaching First Grade and Kindergarten
21:00 Framing the Questions on Wrath
24:30 God as Slow to Anger and Hospitable
29:15 Responding to Oppression and Chaos
34:00 Rethinking the Flood Narrative
38:30 Covenantal Judgment in Israel
43:00 Why We Cannot Read Modern Signs
47:45 Paul’s View of Wrath in Romans
52:15 The Rhetorical Trap of Romans 1
57:00 Wrath as Cosmic Disembodied Chaos
1:01:30 Ananias, Sapphira, and Economic Holiness
1:05:00 Final Judgment and Setting Things Right
1:08:00 Supporting Voxology
As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to hello@voxpodcast.com, and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
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Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford
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