Dr Paul Allen

Jarvis Williams 1 Peter 3:19 presents scholars with multiple interpretive challenges. [1] Space constraints prevent me from critically engaging with the complicated reflections upon the verse in the history of interpretation. Instead, I simply attempt to answer some of the basics of the who, what, how, and when questions presented by v. 19. Who or what are the spirits to whom Jesus preached? What did Jesus preach? What does Peter mean by preaching? How did Jesus preach, and when did Jesus preach? My thesis is Peter suggests Jesus preached a sermon of defeat (what) by means of his death, resurrection, and exaltation/ascension (how and when) to all the rebellious angels in Gen 6:1–8 (who). I support this thesis with a succinct exegesis of v. 19. 1 Pet 3:19 in Context Peter wrote to Christians in the diaspora to encourage them to keep being faithful to Christ while suffering for their faith in Christ and/or while suffering as Christians (1:1–2, 6–7; 1:13–2:25; 3:13–5:19). 3:19 connects w...

 

In traditional Christian understanding, demons are typically identified as fallen angels, though ancient Judaism and the early church held varying perspectives—some viewing demons as the spirits of the Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of angels and human women mentioned in Genesis 61. From this perspective, Satan and other fallen angels were originally created by God as good beings but chose rebellion and self-assertion. Demons function as personal spiritual beings actively working to advance evil throughout creation.  While fundamentally morally ambivalent in broader religious traditions, demons in Christian theology belong primarily to the sphere of evil and exert harmful influence on humans, animals, and nature. The biblical record portrays demons as intelligent agents capable of recognizing Jesus and resisting his authority. In one account, a demon-possessed man lived among tombs, could not be restrained by chains, and would cry out and harm himself (Mark 5:1–20).  When conf...

  Biblical literature portrays Satan as a powerful adversary operating across multiple dimensions—spiritual, moral, and relational. Satan is depicted as “the ancient serpent” who “leads the whole world astray" ( Rev 12:9–10 ) while his character centres on deception, as “there is no truth in him” and “he is a liar and the father of lies". ( John 8:44 ) Satan’s methods reveal a calculated strategy. He “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour" ( 1 Pet 5:8 ), yet he “masquerades as an angel of light" ( 2 Cor 11:14 ), suggesting his deceptions operate through disguise rather than overt force. In the Old Testament, Satan appears as one “roaming throughout the earth” seeking to cause harm, opposing God’s people by inciting disobedience, and accusing the elect before God’s throne. New Testament writers describe him tempting believers to sin, ensnaring the naive, delighting in harming believers, blinding the minds of unbelievers, and masquerading as ...

  In traditional Christian understanding, demons are typically identified as fallen angels 1 , though ancient Judaism and the early church held varying perspectives—some viewing demons as the spirits of the Nephilim, the hybrid offspring of angels and human women mentioned in Genesis 6 1 . From this perspective, Satan and other fallen angels were originally created by God as good beings but chose rebellion and self-assertion 1 . Demons function as personal spiritual beings actively working to advance evil throughout creation 1 . While fundamentally morally ambivalent in broader religious traditions, demons in Christian theology belong primarily to the sphere of evil and exert harmful influence on humans, animals, and nature 2 . The biblical record portrays demons as intelligent agents capable of recognizing Jesus and resisting his authority. In one account, a demon-possessed man lived among tombs, could not be restrained by chains, and would cry out and harm himself ( Mark 5:1–20 )...

 

The public ministry of Jesus didn't create demonic activity, but it did expose it, theologian and New Testament scholar N.T. Wright said during a recent episode of "Ask Me Anything," cautioning Christians against both the denial of spiritual evil and the unhealthy fixation on it. Responding to a question  about whether Jesus’ arrival triggered an apparent surge of demonic activity in the New Testament, the 77-year-old British author said the Gospels portray Jesus’ proclamation of God’s Kingdom as a moment when hidden spiritual forces were suddenly confronted. “When Jesus comes into Galilee and starts saying, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand,’ it’s as though suddenly all the furniture starts flying around the room,” Wright said, pointing to Gospel accounts of public confrontations and exorcisms. “The dark powers realise, if He does everything that He looks as if He’s going to do, then we’re in deep trouble.” Wright, one of the world’s leading biblical scholars and a former A...

  Most Bible study resources describe fallen angels as demons who joined Lucifer in his rebellion against God. But what if the only place in the New Testament that describes angels sinning does not call them demons, has no connection to Lucifer, and has them in jail?  Welcome to the world of 2 Peter and Jude.  For … God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment (2 PET 2:4 ESV).   And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day (JUDE 6 ESV). Second Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 are nearly identical in their description of angels doing time, but some differences help us figure out “what in the spiritual world is going on.” Jude 6 defines what 2 Peter 2:4 means by the angelic sin. These sinning angels “left their proper dwelling.” Second Pe...

What is Spiritual Warfare? 2 Thessalonians 1:4 –  Therefore, we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and the afflictions you are enduring. I heard a person who was in the military once share a harrowing war story with me. He and his men were deployed in Iraq and on patrol when they walked into an ambush. Enemies had set a trap for them that they unfortunately could not escape. They were surrounded on all sides, taking heavy enemy fire, low on supplies and ammunition, and had to settle in for an extended firefight. Thankfully, their communications still worked, and they could call for support. Exhausted, beat up, stressed out, and on alert, the soldiers needed to keep fighting to hold their position until reinforcements showed up, put down the enemy, and got them safely home. The Bible talks a lot about spiritual warfare, which has a lot in common with actual combat. For the Church, we are surrounded by the Enemy ...

Ghosts have long captivated the human imagination, sparking fascination and fear alike. But what is the truth behind these ethereal beings? Are they the spirits of the departed or something more sinister? As we delve into religion, history, and personal experiences, we will uncover the mysteries of ghosts and their true nature. The Many Faces of Ghosts Throughout history, accounts of ghostly encounters have taken various forms. Some claim to have witnessed the apparitions of deceased loved ones, while others have encountered restless spirits haunting specific locations. From dreams to unexpected appearances, the manifestations of ghosts are as diverse as the human imagination itself. However, understanding these discrepancies requires a deeper exploration of our religious backgrounds and beliefs. Religion and the Fear of Death Religion has often served as a solace for the human fear of death, offering explanations and reassurances about the afterlife. Different religious traditions pro...

In Genesis 6:1–4, the reader encounters one of the most challenging passages in all of Scripture to interpret. Here’s the passage in the ESV. When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came into the daughters of man, and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. Echoes from Genesis 1–3 People multiplying is an echo of Genesis 1. God made “man” (Gen 1:26–27), and then he commissioned his image-bearers to be fruitful and “multiply” (1:28). In 6:1, we read of this multiplication happening. The reference to God as “Spirit” in Genesis 6:3 reminds us of 1:2, the second verse in the Bible. There, th...