Galatians Through the Centuries / Edition 1

by John Riches

Overview

This commentary on Paul’s highly autobiographical letter to the Galations traces the history of the book’s reception through the ages.

• Explores the influence and history of this important New Testament book
• Demonstrates the crucial role that Galatians has played in the development of very diverse forms of Christian spirituality
• Considers the influence of Galatians on a wide range of theological figures, including Chrysostom, Augustine, and Luther
• Examines the ways in which Galatians has influenced images of Paul, suggesting that it is the indeterminacy and complexity of his text that cause it to be interpreted in such widely differing ways
• Focuses on verses, themes or arguments that have been the subject of particularly influential readings
• Published in the innovative and stimulating Wiley-Blackwell Bible Commentaries reception history series, which focuses on the broad spectrum of interpretations rather than the traditional verse by verse analysis typically found in commentaries.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118472668
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	01/22/2013
Series:	Wiley Blackwell Bible Commentaries
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

John Riches was until his retirement in 2003 Professor of Divinity and Biblical Criticism at Glasgow University. Among his books on the New Testament are Jesus and the Transformation of Judaism (1980), A Century of New Testament Study (1993) and Conflicting Mythologies (2000).

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Table of Contents

Series Editors' Preface ix

Preface xi

List of Abbreviations xv

Introduction: Aims and Method, Summary of Findings, Galatians as a 'World- Building' Text 1

Galatians 1:1-9: The Beginning of Paul's Argument 66

Galatians 1:10-24: Paul Argues for His Independence as an Apostle (I); The 'Conversion' of Paul the Jew 83

Galatians 2:1-10: Paul Argues for His Independence as an Apostle (II); The Conference at Jerusalem 96

Galatians 2:11-21: Justifi cation by Faith: The New Life in Christ 105

Galatians 3:1-14: Life in the Spirit Contrasted with Living under the Curse of the Law 144

Galatians 3:15-29: The Purpose of the Law and the New Life of Sonship of God 188

Galatians 4:1-20: Paul Contrasts the Galatians' Present State as Christians with Their Former Lives 214

Galatians 4:21-31: A Concluding Allegory 227

Galatians 5: The New Life of Faith 245

Galatians 6: New Creation: Life Beyond the Law 284

Glossary 302

Works Cited 309

Illustrations 319

Index 320