Galatians

Author: Kirsten Laurel Guidero
Publisher: CBE International

Evangelicalism can find a foothold in renewed practices of reading Scripture. This article first illustrates the larger problems haunting evangelical patterns of reading Scripture by analyzing as a test case two prevalent evangelical interpretations of Gal 3:26–29.2 Next, I offer a better interpretive method and spell out how it treats this passage. We will see that, far from viewing the biblical texts too reverently, with a proposed correction of qualifying textual authority—an approach some evangelicals who struggle with difficult elements of Scripture have adopted—both of the earlier approaches may fail to respect the text enough.

In the Acts of the Apostles, there are two quotations from the Book of Amos: Am 5:25-27 in Acts 7:42-43 and Am 9:11-12 in Acts 15:16-18. Both of them were taken from the Greek version of the Septuagint, and in several places reworked in order that they might better suit Luke’s theological-rhetorical aims.
The quotation from Am 9:11-12 LXX was supplemented in Acts 15:18 with a literary echo of Gal 2:9a-c for a rhetorical characterization of the character of James as giving his consent to the mission among the Gentiles (cf. Gal 2:9), but in fact having grave reservations concerning the exceptional grace, whose reception was declared by Paul (Gal 2:9ab; cf. 2:12c.f). Such a particular use of the quotation from Am 9:11-12 LXX in Acts 15:16-18 additionally confirms the fact that Luke in his narrative used the letters of the Apostle, and not only general Pauline traditions or ideas.

Scholars have traditionally read John Chrysostom's baptismal instructions, preached in Antioch, as examples of a new, post-Constantinian paradigm in liturgical theology: the Romans 6 notion of baptism as death and resurrection with Christ. This article argues that the metaphor of "putting on Christ" from Galatians 3:27 is the more dominant metaphor for Chrysostom. He connected the "putting on" of Christ in baptism to the martyrs' imitation of Christ in death. To reinforce this connection, he brought the newly-baptized to the tombs of martyrs on the outskirts of Antioch, where he preached some of the baptismal instructions. He kept their memory of martyrdom alive by allowing martyred bodies to "speak" to a new generation of Christians.

This commentary demonstrates that the Gospel of Mark is a result of a consistent, strictly sequential, hypertextual reworking of the contents of three of Paul’s letters: Galatians, First Corinthians and Philippians. Consequently, it shows that the Marcan Jesus narratively embodies the features of God’s Son who was revealed in the person, teaching, and course of life of Paul the Apostle. The analysis of the topographic and historical details of the Marcan Gospel reveals that they were mainly borrowed from the Septuagint and from the writings of Flavius Josephus. Other literary motifs were taken from various Jewish and Greek writings, including the works of Homer, Herodotus, and Plato. The Gospel of Mark should therefore be regarded as a strictly theological-ethopoeic work, rather than a biographic one.

Со времен Реформации, учение об оправдании по вере, являясь её содержательным учением, считается основной темой послания к Галатам. Однако, поводом, побудившим Павла к написанию этого письма, была проблема христианской жизни. Средоточие на доктрине оправдания в ущерб акценту Павла на доктрине освящения повлекло за собой преуменьшение значимости понимания жизни в Духе. Эта статья анализирует Павлову парадигму для христианской жизни, основанную на фундаментальной истине состоящей в том, что Святой Дух действует в оправдании таким же образом, как и в освящении, то есть по благодати через веру во Христа, и Его труд не должен быть дополнен человеческим послушанием делам закона.

This article surveys the Pauline teaching in the Epistle to the Galatians of the status of Christians before and after their conversion as it fits the imagery of slavery, as is often used in the New Testament. The first section deals with the pre-salvation status of Paul’s readers and their slavery to Satan. The second section describes their release from that slavery into freedom. The final section shows the limits of that freedom by describing the post-salvation status of Paul’s audience.

希羅德性倫理對保羅倫理研究的影響深遠，許多研究表示保羅倫理源自希羅德性倫理，兩者並無明顯差異，並認為保羅僅是舊曲新唱。本文提出，那是因為這些研究主要只進行了外在框架的比較，因此所得結論與深受亞里斯多德影響的阿奎那對德性倫理的觀點相似，亦即在德性的擁有、操練與活出上，都以習性的養成為主。本文認為若觀察希羅德性倫理與保羅倫理的內在本質，兩者則差異甚遠；最能反映出保羅倫理本質的是聖靈果子的概念，證實了保羅倫理並非將德性項目培養成習性，而是個人內在因救贖而產生改變，以及進入新造的新領域裡靠聖靈活出德性。
The study of Paul’s ethics was profoundly influenced by Graeco-Roman virtue ethics. Most studies show that Paul’s ethics originated from the Graeco-Roman and without much difference from it, just like a new song composed from an old melody. In fact, these studies focused only on the outward framework of Paul’s ethics, showing that its embracement, practice, and living was performed by habit. This is shown in Aquina's ethics, who depends heavily on Aristotle. If looking at it intrinsically, however, there are huge differences between Paul and the Graeco-Roman. The most representative idea of Paul's Ethics is the fruit of the Spirit, which proves that his ethics is not about turning certain virtues into habits, but an inward transformation due to salvation and coming into the sphere of new creation, to live out the virtues by the guidance of the Spirit.

This article investigates Paul’s use of the term οἱ δοκοῦντες in the letter to the Galatians. Firstly, the term is considered from the standpoint of lexical semantics. Secondly, select relevant parallels from Ancient Greek literature are adduced and studied comparatively. Based on these considerations, it is argued that Paul uses οἱ δοκοῦντες as a rhetorical device whereby he distances himself from the Jerusalem leaders and, in so doing, turnes his opponents’ argument against them. 

Despite his misgivings expressed in the preface, David deSilva’s commentary on Galatians is a worthy successor to Fung’s 1988 commentary and stands well alongside F. F. Bruce’s classic New International Greek Text commentary. Students of Galatians should consider this commentary a standard work on one of Paul’s most important letters. Although this is a professional, technical commentary, deSilva’s text is very easy to read and will be of use for both pastor and scholar.

Old, New, and Early Perspectives on Paul

Paul's "Works of the Law" in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception by Matthew J. Thomas examines how second-century readers understood Paul's writing that we are justified by faith apart from "works of the law." This disputed term represents a fault line between "old" and "new" perspectives on Paul. Was the apostle reacting against the Jews' good works done to earn salvation, or the Mosaic law's practices that identified the Jewish people? Matthew J. Thomas examines how Paul's second-century readers understood these points in conflict, how their readings relate to "old" and "new" perspectives, and what their collective witness suggests about the apostle's own meaning. Surprisingly, these early witnesses align closely with the "new" perspective, though their reasoning often differs from both modern viewpoints. They suggest that Paul opposes these works neither due to moralism, nor primarily for experiential or social reasons, but because the promised new law and covenant, which are transformative and universal in scope, have come in Christ.

Originally published in 2018 by Mohr Siebeck, Paul’s “Works of the Law” in the Perspective of Second-Century Reception is now available in North America in a beautiful new edition from IVP Academic. The IVP Academic edition features the original text by Thomas and now includes a new preface by Thomas and a foreword from Alister McGrath.

St. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians offers a fascinating window into the life of the Christian church in its earliest days. We see in this letter a pastor guiding his people through questions of salvation, theology, and ethics. The more we read, the more we realize that many of the same questions facing the Galatian Christians continue to face us today: Are we still under the Old Testament Law? What happened to the Law when Jesus came? Who are the people of God?

From Law to Logos: Reading St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians is a primer for reading Galatians for all it is worth. The focus of this book is preparing modern Christians to understand Galatians by reading it as a letter, in its entirety, over and over again. At the end of each chapter, the reader is better prepared to read and study Galatians in its literary, historical, and theological context.

Gal 3 ist für die Frage nach einer christlichen Geschlechtsrollenpastoral deshalb so interessant, weil hier in besonderer Dichte verschiedene Aspekte von Geschlechtsrollen zum Tragen kommen. SPRACHLICH sind alle Gemeindemitglieder männlich, entsprechend der androzentrischen Sprachstruktur des Griechischen. SOTERIOLOGISCH sind alle Getauften männlich als "Söhne Gottes". EKKLESIOLOGISCH folgt daraus die Geschlechtsneutralität aller kirchlichen Ämter und Funktionen. Als weibliche "Söhne Gottes" können Christinnen nach Paulus alles tun, wozu sie der Geist befähigt, Geschlechtsunterschiede kann es diesbezüglich nicht geben. Der Ausschluss von Frauen aus bestimmten kirchlichen Ämtern beruht auf misogynen Standards antiker Kulturen, erscheint aber aus apostolischer Perspektive als Häresie.

This new Galatians commentary is Eerdmans's first in the Commentaries for Christian Formation series, edited by Stephen E. Fowl, Jennie Grillo and Robert W. Wall. The goal of the commentary is to serve the church by "showing how sound exegesis can underwrite preaching and teaching, which in turn forms believers in the faith" (ix).

This is not a homiletical, pastoral commentary. The commentary does serious exegesis and thoughtful reflection on the text. Considering the general editors, this series may look like a theological commentary like the Two Horizon series (Eerdmans, with contributions by Fowl and Wall). Unlike the Two Horizons volumes, Wright integrates his theological observations into the commentary itself rather than in a second section. Wright is not doing "theological interpretation of scripture" as practiced in that series. For example, he observes Galatians could teach "there is one holy, catholic, and Apostolic Church," and Paul would agree with this statement. Yet Wright thinks we should never substitute a "creedal checklist" for the specificity of Paul's own argument in his own situation (5).

Since Nils Dahl’s famous article on God as the most neglected factor in the study of the
New Testament, many studies on God in the various corpi of the New Testament have
been and are still being published. In this regard, the Pauline Letters have received a
fair amount of attention. In this study an overview of studies on God in the Letter to
the Galatians is provided. Four such studies are discussed: N.T. Wright’s study, “The
Letter to Galatians: Exegesis and theology” (published in 2000), Richard Hays’s “The
God of mercy who rescues us from the present evil age” (published in 2002), Jerome
Neyrey’s chapter on God in Galatians (in his book, Rendering to God. New Testament
understandings of the divine, published in 2004) and Christiane Zimmerman’s book
Gott und seine Söhne. Das Gottesbild des Galaterbriefs (published in 2013). Each of
these contributions is discussed in detail, after which the contributions of the four
studies are compared, and some suggestions are made as to aspects that still need
attention.

本論文旨於研究《加拉太書》中與基督同死同活實際的經歷是指向什麼，以及其對倫理生活的影響。啟發點是到底加拉太教會如何理解保羅要他們順著聖靈而行的倫理命令。顯然的，保羅與他們有共同的信仰經歷，以致他們在沒有得到任何解釋之下仍可以明白保羅的命令。
        社會科學的研究證實了啟示型經歷與信仰委身中之結果的重要性，也區分了真理認知與經歷認知的不同，而凸顯出後者的重要性，鑑定了本論文研究經歷和倫理的基礎。同時也指出本研究的倫理探討是在於倫理動力。本論文採用現象學來探討經歷，強調回到該事物本身，從各個角度分析探討；同時以敘事法歸納出《加拉太書》中四個層面的經歷：歸信、受苦、聖靈和自由；然後透過修正Barclay的返照閱讀法，從修辭問句同樣歸納出以上四方面的經歷，證實保羅論述中不單訴諸於真理，更是訴諸於經歷。
        為了更了解保羅的倫理命令，本論文重新探討加拉太教會的問題，指出一般從直述—命令框架的探討之不足，而證實他們的問題乃是情慾上的行為問題，使得攪擾者趁虛而入，把律法引進來。所以保羅才訴諸於真理與經歷，證實他們是屬於聖靈的，足以勝過情慾。
        在以上這些基礎之下，重新探討《加拉太書》所謂直述部分，證實保羅與基督同死同活的經歷是關鍵。這經歷則從以上敘事法和修辭問句分析所歸納出的結論（歸信、受苦、聖靈和自由）具體呈現出來。為了方便討論，本論文分成兩部分進行詳細分析，一是同死（歸信和受苦），一是同活（聖靈和自由）。保羅在這四個層面訴諸於真理與經歷論述，證實了保羅與他們在這四個層面實際的共同經歷，讓他們可以明白什麼是活在聖靈權勢之下（解決了他們想要回到律法的問題），因而也不難理解保羅要他們順著聖靈而行的命令（解決了他們的情慾問題）。


This dissertation seeks to study the implications of the actual experiences of dying and living with Christ as recorded in the book of Galatians, as well as how it affects ethical living. The study is inspired by how the Galatians understood Paul’s ethical command to live by the Spirit. Evidently, Paul and the Galatians shared the same faith experiences such that they could understand Paul’s command without any further explanation.
        Social Scientific research confirms the importance of revelational experience and of religious consequences in religious commitment. It also differentiates between knowledge by description and knowledge by acquaintance and emphasizes the latter’s significance. These constitute the basis of the dissertation’s focus on experience and ethics, with the emphasis on the dynamic aspect of ethics. A phenomenological approach, which emphasizes “back to the thing itself”, is used to illuminate experience and examine all possible perspectives of the phenomena. The narrative approach is also used to induce four aspects of experience in the book of Galatians; namely conversion, suffering, the Holy Spirit and freedom. Using an amended version of Barclay’s mirror-reading technique to analyze Paul’s use of rhetorical questions, the abovementioned four aspects of experience are similarly induced to confirm that Paul appeals to both theology and experience in his discourse.
        In order to understand Paul’s ethical command, this dissertation re-examines the problems faced by the churches of Galatia and highlights inadequacies of the Indicative-Imperative framework. It further demonstrates that their desire-related problematic behaviors provided an opportunity for agitators to cunningly introduce the Law into their midst. Therefore Paul appeals to both theology and experience to validate their relationship to the Holy Spirit and prove how that truth is sufficient for them to be victorious in their problems with desire.
        Building upon the abovementioned foundations to re-examine the alleged Indicative portion of the book of Galatians, this dissertation seeks to establish that Paul’s experience of dying and living with Christ is key. The four aspects of experience are also comprehensively induced from the study of dying and living with Christ. For ease of discussion and detailed analysis, the study of dying and living with Christ broadly comprises two parts: 1) dying with Christ (conversion and suffering), and 2) living with Christ (the Holy Spirit and freedom). Paul appeals to theology and experience in his discourse regarding these four aspects; this confirms that the Galatians’ experiences were no different from his, thus facilitating the Galatians’ understanding of what it means to live within the sphere of the Holy Spirit (thereby resolving the problem of their returning to the Law). Hence it is not difficult to understand Paul’s command to live by the Holy Spirit (resolving their issue of desire-related problematic behaviors).

Building on the author’s doctoral research on ethics in the Qumran Community, now published in Marcus K. M. Tso, Ethics in the Qumran Community: An Interdisciplinary Investigation (Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2010), esp. 180-87, this paper further explores 4QCrA Words of the Sage to the Sons of Dawn (4Q298) from the perspective of virtue ethics, comparing the sectarian virtues promoted in this text with those found in Galatians 5 (esp. vv. 13-26).  Contemporary virtue ethicists are interested in topics such as human nature, the telos of human beings, and the appropriate virtue(s) as the means to achieve that telos.  This paper interprets the assumptions about these matters contained within these texts, and pays particular attention to the sources of the specific virtues they mention.  Such sources include their use of Hebrew Scriptures, the distinct self-identity of each group, their shared Hellenistic culture milieu, and their eschatological expectations.

In the article, the author explores the theme of inspiration in Paul's letters. The point of departure is the presentation of the document of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (PBC), The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture. Speaking of Paul, the PBC work accentuates three points: the content of his Gospel, which is the Good News of the Crucified and Risen Christ; the origin of Paul's Gospel, which springs directly from the Risen Lord; and the role of community, which recognizes Paul's revelation and supports his mission. Next, the author focuses on the matter lying at the heart of Paul's Damascus experience, that is, the truth of the Risen Lord which sheds light on the mystery of his cross and divinity. The author then reflects on how the Risen Christ – the essential source of Paul's Gospel – continues to reveal to the apostle the mysteries concerning the history of salvation. The inspired character of Paul's mission and preaching is further proved by his cruciform apostleship, imitating the Lord in both his power and weakness. The last step consists of placing Paul's Gospel within the larger context of the apostolic Church. Most importantly, Paul subjects his teaching to the discernment of the Spirit present in the community, and acknowledges himself as a debtor of the Church's faith and tradition.

The five Solas constitute a robust summary of the theology of the Reformers. Each of the Solas is supported by ample Scriptural texts across the entire spectrum of the New Testament writings and authors. The focus of the present article is on Sola Fide, as it is stated and explored by the apostle Paul in Gal 2:15-21, one of the most remarkable passages in his earlier writings. After a brief analysis of the main theological terminology and ideas of the passage, the article suggests that the apostle Paul would have made room for another fundamental concept – Solum Evangelium, the one, unique, singular gospel – to join the other five. This concept not only permeates the opening stages of the epistle, but it also lends itself as a powerful integrative theological center around which the other five Solas revolve.

One of the oldest chronological disagreements in biblical studies involves the length of the Israelite sojourn in Egypt, which ultimately hinges on how the 430 years in Exodus 12:40–41 should be interpreted, and secondarily relates to the 430 years in Galatians 3:17. Some scholars have concluded that the Israelites resided there for 430 years before the exodus, while others are convinced that they lived there for only 215 years, with another 215 years devoted to the earlier patriarchal sojourns of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in Canaan. A third possibility is that the Israelites lived in Egypt for 400 years, with 30 years of prior residency in Canaan intended to round out the prescribed time. The present study aims to resolve this perplexing chronological dilemma, which greatly impacts one’s understanding of biblical events and of how Hebrew history synchronizes with Egyptian history. The benefit of establishing the length of the sojourn in Egypt conclusively is not only to link these chronologies properly but to expose errant synchronizational constructs as untenable.

This paper argues that the polemic in Gal 5 echoes key themes and concerns of Did. 1-6 and 16. This indicates that Paul was aware of the Two Ways catechesis whether in oral or written form and of its relationship to Torah, whatever the date of the final redaction of the Didache as a whole. The point of contestation, however, may relate as much to different understandings of eschatological hope in Paul and the Two Ways as to different interpretations of Torah.

I want my readers to know right up front that I do NOT believe one can be counted as forensically righteous (viz, saved) by keeping the Torah.  For that matter, I do NOT believe God ever expected perfect obedience, or that the Bible insinuates a hypothetical perfect Law-keeping anywhere at all.  For one thing, all of the laws cannot be enacted by a single individual because the totality of them were not designed by God to be done by a single individual (some are for kings, some for priests, some for men, others for women, etc.).  However, the “word is in [our] mouth and heart so that [we] can do it” (Deut 30:14), and “his commandments are not “burdensome” (1 John 5:3), and it is possible to be “righteous before God and walk blamelessly in all the statutes and commandments” (Luke 1:6), and “the righteous requirement of the Law [is] fulfilled in us,” (Rom 8:4), and in point of fact, “the Law is good if one uses it lawfully (1 Tim 1:8), with the understanding that “the whole Law is fulfilled in one word” if you “love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal 5:14).  Understanding the Law correctly means I dare NOT suppose that one can be counted as forensically righteous by the ‘works of the Law,’ and I dare NOT suppose one can be counted as forensically righteous by being born Jewish or by becoming a Jewish proselyte (see Section Three below for more on works of the Law and Jewish proselytism).

However, I am unashamedly in favor of saved Jews and Gentiles walking into the Torah of Moshe as a blueprint for daily living.  This includes many of what Christianity identifies as “ceremonial” and/or “civil” commandments such as seventh-day Sabbath, keeping kosher, keeping the Festivals of Leviticus 23; and other such patterns of religions that most people associate with “Jewishness.”  I do NOT believe it was “relaxed” or “fulfilled” in Jesus, so that we no longer have to keep it.  I do NOT believe Paul warned any believers away from genuine Spirit-led Torah obedience—whether they be Jewish or Gentile.  After all relevant sources have been brought to the table for examination, in the end, as a Messianic Jew with a “pro-Torah” conviction, I find that I have more agreement with the direction that the NPP is headed (towards covenant loyalty to Torah) than with where Lutheran Paul is headed (away from covenant loyalty to Torah).

I want to let the readers know right up front that my primary thesis to understanding the book of Galatians essentially launches from the New Perspective on Paul, although, I do not agree with all of the ramifications of the NPP view, and particularly with some of Sanders’ conclusions to his studies.  But I think the NPP is headed in the right direction.  Indeed, we have needed a fresh look at Pauline studies for a long time, and now that scholars are ready to accept the fact that Paul was a Jew who maintained a lifelong loyalty to Torah even after coming to faith in the risen Yeshua, we are finally able to begin to study Paul on his own terms and let him have his own voice (instead of that of a 16th century reformer).

This paper aims to formulate a dating proposal of the Letter of James
starting from a historical and exegetical analysis. As is known, during the
last century many scholars saw this letter as one of the most ancient Christian
writings, but currently others place it at the end of the first century CE
or at the beginning of the second. These results, however, could be discussed
again by focusing on the role of “faith” and “works” as depicted in Paul
and James. A comparison between Rom 4:3 and Jas 2:23, indeed, suggests
the dependence of James on Romans and not directly on Gen 15,6LXX: then,
the terminus post quem of James has been fixed immediately after 56-57.
Instead, the terminus ante quem has been established around 80 or 90, since
James does not seem to know the emergence of a Pauline epistolary corpus.
This conclusion is strengthened by the use of the example of Rahab in Jas
2:25, against which Heb 11,31 probably replies. Finally, the silence of James
about the destruction of the Second Temple – if compared with the Jewish
and Christian apocalyptic literature written by the end of the first century, together
with the subsequent rabbinic theology concerning the Temple – allows
to place the letter between 60 and 70 of the first century CE.

In order to understand Asia Minor and the consequences of the Galatian settlement in this area we need to look at various aspects and regions within what is now modern Turkey. We also need to look at the Galatians as a group and their arrival to Greece and Asia Minor...

Was Paul's view of evil based on Adam's fall or a mere reflex of Christology? Tyler A. Stewart argues that, in Galatians, Paul's thoughts about where evil comes from and why it continues are not based on Adam's fall as the background story, but rather the rebellion of angels. Edited PhD Dissertation published with Mohr Siebeck (WUNT 2).