Product Description

As the early church took shape in the mid-first century AD, a theological struggle of great consequence was joined between the apostle Paul and certain theologians who had intruded into the churches founded by the apostle in Galatia. Writing his letter to the Galatians in the midst of that struggle, Paul was concerned to find a way by which he could assert the radical newness of God's act in Christ while still affirming the positive relation of that act to the solemn promise God had made centuries earlier to Abraham.With the skill of a seasoned scholar and teacher, J. Louis Martyn enables us to take imaginary seats in the Galatian churches so that we may hear Paul's words with the ears of the early Christians themselves. Listening in this manner, we begin to sense the dramatic intensity of the theological struggle, thus coming to understand the crucial distinctions between the theology of Paul and that of his opponents. We can therefore see why Galatians proved to be a momentous turning point in early Christianity: In this letter Paul preached the decisive and liberating newness of Christ while avoiding both the distortions of anti-Judaism and his opponents' reduction of Christ to a mere episode in the epic of Israel's history. Like the Galatians of Paul's day, we can begin to hear what the apostle himself called "the truth of the gospel."As its predecessors in the Anchor Bible series have done Galatians successfully makes available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpretation of this important New Testament book. A personal letter written by Paul in the mid-first century to friends in the churches emerging in the region of Galatia, where it was circulated, Galatians is down to earth and pragmatic.This biblical book requires the modern reader to take a seat in one of the Galatian congregations, to listen to Paul's letter with Galatian ears, and discern the contours of Paul's theology. That is exactly what Dr. Martyn makes possible in his marvelous commentary, with its careful translation and creative interpretation of Galatians. Though relatively brief, Paul's letter is filled with complex theological and historical issues that demand a thorough treatment. Readers will not be disappointed in Dr. Martyn's sensitive handling of difficult passages, and all will be delighted to have a fresh translation that makes sense to our modern ears. All in all, this volume will stand out as a shining example of top notch scholarship written for the general reader.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #535280 in Books
• Published on: 2004-12-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 638 pages

From the Publisher
As its predecessors in the Anchor Bible series have done Galatians successfully makes available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpretation of this important New Testament book. A personal letter written by Paul in the mid-first century to friends in the churches emerging in the region of Galatia, where it was circulated, Galatians is down to earth and pragmatic. This biblical book requires the modern reader to take a seat in one of the Galatian congregations, to listen to Paul's letter with Galatian ears, and discern the contours of Paul's theology.

That is exactly what Dr. Martyn makes possible in his marvelous commentary, with its careful translation and creative interpretation of Galatians. Though relatively brief, Paul's letter is filled with complex theological and historical issues that demand a thorough treatment. Readers will not be disappointed in Dr. Martyn's sensitive handling of difficult passages, and all will be delighted to have a fresh translation that makes sense to our modern ears.

All in all, this volume will stand out as a shining example of top notch scholarship written for the general reader.

From the Inside Flap
As its predecessors in the Anchor Bible series have done Galatians successfully makes available all the significant historical and linguistic knowledge which bears on the interpretation of this important New Testament book. A personal letter written by Paul in the mid-first century to friends in the churches emerging in the region of Galatia, where it was circulated, Galatians is down to earth and pragmatic. This biblical book requires the modern reader to take a seat in one of the Galatian congregations, to listen to Paul's letter with Galatian ears, and discern the contours of Paul's theology.

That is exactly what Dr. Martyn makes possible in his marvelous commentary, with its careful translation and creative interpretation of Galatians. Though relatively brief, Paul's letter is filled with complex theological and historical issues that demand a thorough treatment. Readers will not be disappointed in Dr. Martyn's sensitive handling of difficult passages, and all will be delighted to have a fresh translation that makes sense to our modern ears.

All in all, this volume will stand out as a shining example of top notch scholarship written for the general reader.

About the Author
J. Louis Martyn, Ph.D., is Edward Robinson Professor Emeritus of Biblical Theology at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He has written books and scholarly articles on various New Testament topics notably.

Customer Reviews

A masterful reading of Galatians as apocalyptic theology.
The publication of J. Louis Martyn's long-awaited Anchor Bible commentary on Galatians is a major event in Pauline studies. Alongside the commentary, readers should consult the volume of Martyn's collected essays, Theological Issues in the Letters of Paul (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1997; Nashville: Abingdon, 1997), which was published almost simultaneously. This collection gathers Martyn's incisive essays on Paul from the past thirty years, including such classics as "Epistemology at the Turn of the Ages," "Apocalyptic Antinomies," and "From Paul to Flannery O'Connor with the Power of Grace." These pieces elaborate the theological framework within which the commentary is composed. Taken together, these two books exemplify the depth, passion, and precision to which all New Testament scholarship should aspire.

Richard B. Hays END

Worth Getting Because It Really Adds A Lot
I'm a pastor who is working through Galatians for a sermon series. I'm also taking a grad class on Galatians right now, so I've been reading lots on this book...and studying the Greek text intensely. I heard from several people that Martyn's Galatians commentary was one of the best if not the best. I have to say I was surprised when I started reading it to see how fresh of a perspective he "brings to the table". For example, he starts off by viewing Galatians as if it were a drama. His explanations are memorable, poignant, and most important for pastors, preachable!

He also has more information available than most teachers or preachers need.

Let me illustrate: Jervis (NIBC Galatians) has a nice commentary with great comments throughout...150 pages. Martin Luther, FF Bruce, and R. Fung all have around 300 pages. Martyn's Anchor Commentary has over 600 pages on Galatians. On top of the additional information, he's relatively interesting to read because he says things differently than the rest and has fresh insight often. I have not read all of it, but what I have read it has been worth reading.

I heartily recommend this volume for everyone who is working through the text of Galatians. It's a great one! At the very top of the list in my opinion...right next to Fung's NICNT on Galatians.

Worthy Resource for Galatians
Here is yet another in the Anchor Commentary Series which continues the fine scholarship. Here is wealth of study of philology and hermeutics, with the author's own translation and comments on topics and phrases.

There is much to be mined in this fine commentary to be discerned by running through one's own heremenutical filter. I have found this to be fine resource for Galatians work and recommend it as one that thorough Biblical student can turn to as one resource in their library.