Write an exegetical essay on the mentioned scripture from a Weslyean Perspective no trace of calvinism must be in the paper
scripture:Ephesians 2:1-11
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: God’s Grace and the Transformation of Believers: An Exegetical Essay on Ephesians 2:1-11 from a Wesleyan Perspective
Introduction
Ephesians 2:1-11 is a powerful passage that highlights the transformative work of God’s grace in the lives of believers. In this essay, we will examine this scripture from a Wesleyan perspective, emphasizing the themes of God’s unconditional love, human depravity, transformative grace, and the call to good works.
Understanding Human Depravity (2:1-3)
The passage begins by addressing the spiritual condition of humanity before encountering God’s grace. It emphasizes that all people were dead in their sins, following the ways of the world and being under the influence of the devil. This depiction reflects the Wesleyan understanding of total depravity, which acknowledges that humanity is inherently sinful and incapable of saving themselves.
The Unconditional Love of God (2:4-7)
In verses 4-7, the passage takes a dramatic turn, proclaiming the overwhelming love and mercy of God. It states that “because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.” This unconditional love is a foundational belief in Wesleyan theology. God’s love is not dependent on our merit or works; it is freely given to all people.
Transformative Grace (2:8-9)
Verse 8 beautifully captures the essence of Wesleyan theology: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Wesleyans affirm that salvation is a result of God’s grace alone. It is not earned through good works or personal efforts, but rather received as a gift through faith. This understanding aligns with Wesley’s emphasis on prevenient grace, which enables individuals to respond to God’s invitation for salvation.
The Call to Good Works (2:10-11)
While Wesleyans emphasize that salvation is by grace through faith alone, they also acknowledge the importance of good works as evidence of genuine faith. Verse 10 states, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Wesleyans believe that true faith naturally leads to a life transformed by God’s grace, resulting in acts of love and service towards others.
Conclusion
Ephesians 2:1-11 beautifully portrays the transformative power of God’s grace in the lives of believers from a Wesleyan perspective. It affirms the unconditional love of God, recognizes human depravity, emphasizes the centrality of grace in salvation, and calls believers to a life of good works. This passage reminds us that we are not saved by our own efforts or merit but solely by God’s grace. As Wesleyans, we are inspired to respond to this amazing grace by living lives that reflect God’s love and mercy towards others.
