Re: Galatians commentary

From: Michael Holmes (holmic@bethel.edu)
Date: Wed May 08 1996 - 15:49:36 EDT


I'm a bit surprised that two recent commentaries on Galatians have not been
mentioned:

James D. G. Dunn, _The Epistle to the Galatians_ (Black's NTC; Hendrickson,
1993),

and

Scot McKnight, _Galatians_ (Zondervan, 1995) [brief but perceptive exegesis,
with substantial effort to ponder the text's relevance for contemporary life].

I mention them because these two, along with the commentary by Frank Matera
already mentioned by Cal Redmond (>Frank Matera, _Galatians_, Sacra Pagina
series vol. 9, Collegeville, MN, Michael Glazier Book, The Liturgical Press,
1992.<), offer a serious and thoroughgoing "post E. P. Sanders" reading of
the letter (The frequently mentioned and excellent volume by Longenecker
interacts thoroughly with Sanders, but is less persuaded and influenced by
him). This is not to say that any one of the three is merely derivative of
Sanders' positions, but that they do offer a reading of Galatians that sees
the central question as a matter of what is the sign of and guideline by
which God's people are identified and live--Torah or Spirit? Anyone whose
only acquaintance with Galatians is via the old "faith vs. works" approach
is in for a treat if she or he picks up any one of the three, even if not
persuaded by them.

Mike Holmes

>
>F.F. Bruce, _The Epistle to the Galatians: A Commentary on the Greek
>Text, The New International Greek Testament Commentary, Grand Rapids,
>William B. Eerdmans, 1982. ( A solid conservative work).
>
>George Howard, _Paul:Crisis in Galatia_, Cambridge University Press,
>1979. (Not strictly a commentary)
>
>Douglas Kim Fletcher, _The SIngular Argument of Paul's Letter to the
>Galatians_, 1982 Ph.D. dissertation. Princeton Theological Seminary.
>(Again, more a study than a commentary.)
>
>Barclay, J.M.G., _Obeying the Truth: A Study of Paul's Ethics in
>Galatia_, Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1988. (Another study rather than
>commentary).
>
>Hope this helps!
>
>Cal Redmond
>The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
>calred@ix.netcom.com
>http://www.lookup.com/Homepages/105377/home.html
>
>



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