Galatians at ETS 2008

Thanks to Ricoblog I see that the Evangelical Theological Society has posted the tentative program for their 60th annual meeting in Providence, RI on November 19-21. There are two presentations that focus specifically on Galatians.

Thursday 8:30 AM-9:10 AM
John Taylor (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary)
Building Up the Faith: Galatians 2:17-18 in Context.

Friday 9:10 AM-9:50 AM
Michael Bird (Highland Theological College)
What If Luther Had Read the Dead Sea Scrolls? The Challenge of Historicizing Reformed Theology: Galatians as a Test Case.
This presentation will be given in the New Perspective on Paul section with others given by Mark Nanos (Paul between Christians and Jews) and Craig Evans (Phinehan Zeal, Works of Law, and Paul).

Paul, Jerusalem, and the Judaizers

I tried out the search engine of the Australasian Digital Theses Program tonight and discovered one paper on Galatians:

Ian Jeffrey Elmer, Paul, Jerusalem and the Judaisers: The Galatian Crisis in its Broader Historical Context. Australian Catholic University, 2007. You can read the abstract and download the paper from ACU.

I haven’t had time to read it, of course, but I did look through the bibliography and noticed one mistake. He incorrectly lists the author of “The Samaritan Pentateuch and the New Testament” NTS 22 (1976): 441-443. as E. Plummer when it is in fact Reinhard Pummer. I guess I will allow him one mistake :). It should be an interesting read as I disagree with his premise and heartily disagree with his concluding paragraph:

In the light of these findings, then, it seems that the various Law-observant opponents whom Paul encountered in Jerusalem, Antioch, Galatia and Corinth, and to whom he alludes in Philippians, were directly commissioned by and acted under the authority of James, Peter and the Jerusalem church…the only logical inference we can draw from the evidence is that Paul is fighting, on several fronts, a war against a single group of adversaries whose origins must be attributed to the circumcision party around James at Jerusalem.

Might I add that I also disagree with the decision to prohibit copying from the pdf file. It is a lot of work to retype everything.

The idea of a split between Paul on the one hand and Peter on the other was of course the emphasis of Baur and the Tubingen school. Stephen Neill in his The Interpretation of the New Testament makes one of his engaging comments in relation to the Tubingen theories: “It is not often that a theory can be so completely overthrown. Most theories, even though heavily attacked, can find something to say for themselves, at least as an alternative theory if not as the only possible theory. But occasionally the contrary evidence is of such a kind that the theory has no possibility of survival at all” (59). Apparently for Elmer this theory has survived and in response to criticism of Baur’s thesis he comments, “Other Pauline scholars are reluctant to accept Baur’s view…” (184). Hmmm, reluctant indeed.

It should be an interesting read at any rate. Good night all.

Galatians Commentaries by series

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UPDATE: October 11, 2008. I have created a Galatians commentary page on this blog which will be permanent and will be updated with new information as it comes. Please visit that page for the list as this post will no longer be maintained. Thanks.
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I have been meaning to start posting some of my bibliographic entries on Galatians. I currently have 160 pages of entries so it will take a while to go through all of them. Today I present you with a list of commentaries on Galatians listed by series. I am also including a few forthcoming volumes that were noted by Jeremy Pierce on his blog.

ABC: Asia Bible Commentary
TBA.

ACCS: Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture
Edwards, Mark J., ed. Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians. Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999.
0830814930, 978-0830814930

ACNT: Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament
Krentz, Edgar. “Galatians.” In Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, I Thessalonians. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1985. ?-?.

ANTC: Abingdon New Testament Commentary
Williams, Sam K. Galatians. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997.
0687057078, 978-0687057078

AYB: Anchor Yale Bible
Martyn, J. Louis. Galatians: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary. Yale: Yale University Press, 1997.
0300139853, 978-0300139853

BBC: Blackwell Bible Commentaries
Riches, John. Galatians through the Centuries. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2008.
063123084X, 978-0631230847

BCBC: Believer’s Church Bible Commentary
TBA.

BECNT: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
Moo, Douglas. TBA.

BHGNT: Baylor Handbook on the Greek New Testament
Schreiner, Thomas. TBA.

BNTC: Black’s New Testament Commentary
Dunn, James D.G. The Epistle to the Galatians. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1993.
156563036X, 978-1565630369

BST: Bible Speaks Today
Stott, John R.W. The Message of Galatians. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1968.

BTCB: Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible
Greene-McCreight, Katherine. TBA.

CBC: Cornerstone Biblical Commentary
Borchert, Gerald. “Galatians.” In Romans, Galatians. Carol Stream: Tyndale House, 2007.
0842383425, 978-0842383424, 1414326211, 978-1414326214.

CC: Continental Commentary
Lührmann, Dieter. Galatians: A Continental Commentary. Translated from Der Brief an die Galater. 2nd ed. Zürcher Bibelkommentare Neues Testament, 7 (1988). Translated by O.C. Dean, Jr. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1992.
0800696182, 978-0800696184

CCSS: Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture
Witherup, Ronald D. Galatians. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, fc.

EBC: Expositor’s Bible Commentary
Rapa, Robert K. “Galatians.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans – Galatians. Revised edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008. 547-???.

Boice, James Montgomery. “Galatians.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Galatians, Ephesians. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. 1-102.
0310201179, 978-0310201175

ECC: Eerdmans Critical Commentary
Van Voorst, Robert E. TBA.

H: Hermeneia
Betz, Hans Dieter. Galatians: A Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Churches in Galatia. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979.
0800660099, 978-0800660093

ICC: International Critical Commentary
Stanton, Graham N. TBA.

Burton, Ernest De Witt. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1921.
0567050297, 978-0567050298

I: Interpretation
Cousar, Charles B. Galatians: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982.
0804231389, 978-0804231381

IVPNTC: IVP New Testament Commentary
Hansen, G. Walter. Galatians. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1994.
083081809X, 978-0830818099

NAC: New American Commentary
George, Timothy F. Galatians. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1994.
080540130X, 978-0805401301

NCBC: New Century Bible Commentary
Guthrie, Donald. Galatians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1969.
0171231155, 978-0171231151, 0802819060, 978-0802819062

NCBC: New Cambridge Bible Commentary
TBA

NCBC: New Collegeville Bible Commentary
Karris, Robert J. Galatians and Romans. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2005.
0814628656, 978-0814628652

NCC: New Covenant Commentary
Vickers, Brian. TBA.

NIB: New Interpreter’s Bible
Hays, Richard B. “Galatians.” In New Interpreter’s Bible Volume 11: Corinthians – Philippians. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000. 181-348.
0687278244, 978-0687278244

NIBC: New International Biblical Commentary
Jervis, L. Ann. Galatians. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1999.
1565630076, 978-1565630079

NICNT: New International Commentary on the New Testament
DeSilva, David A. Galatians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010.

Fung, Ronald Y.K. The Epistle to the Galatians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
0802825095, 978-0802825094

Ridderbos, Herman N. The Epistle of Paul to the Churches of Galatia. Translated by Henry Zylstra. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1953.
080282191X, 978-0802821911

NIGTC: New International Greek Testament Commentary
Bruce, Frederick Fyvie. The Epistle to the Galatians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.
0802823874, 978-0802823878

NIVAC: New International Version Application Commentary
McKnight, Scott. Galatians. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995.
0310484707, 978-0310484707

NTL: New Testament Library
De Boer, Martinus C. Galatians. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2008.
0664221238, 978-0664221232

NTR: New Testament Readings
Esler, Philip Francis. Galatians. New York: Routledge, 1998.
0415110378, 978-0415110372, 041511036X, 978-0415110365

NTT: New Testament Theology
Dunn, James D.G. The Theology of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.
0521359538, 978-0521359535

PC: Pentecostal Commentary
Fee, Gordon D. Galatians: A Pentecostal Commentary. Deo Publishing, 2007.
1905679025, 978-1905679027

PCNT: Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament
Oakes, Peter. TBA.

PNTC: Pillar New Testament Commentary
Carson, Donald A. TBA.

PTW: Preaching the Word
TBA.

RNT: Reading the New Testament
Cousar, Charles B. Reading Galatians, Philippians, and 1 Thessalonians: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Macon: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2001.
1573123234, 978-1573123235

REC: Reformed Expository Commentary
Ryken, Philip Graham. Galatians. Philadelphia: Presbyterian & Reformed Publishing, 2005.
0875527825, 978-0875527826

RRA: Rhetoric of Religious Antiquity
TBA

SH: Smyth & Helwys Bible Commentary
Wakefield, Andrew H. TBA.

SP: Sacra Pagina
Matera, Frank J. Galatians. Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992.
0814659721, 978-0814659724

SRC: Socio-Rhetorical Commentary
Witherington III, Ben. Grace in Galatia: A Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Galatians. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
0802844332, 978-0802844330

THNTC: Two Horizons New Testament Commentary
Wright, N.T. TBA.

TNTC: Tyndale New Testament Commentary
Cole, R. Alan. Galatians. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans; Leicester: InterVarsity Press, 1989.
0802804780, 978-0802804785, 085111878X, 978-0851118789

WeBC: Westminster Bible Companion
TBA.

WBC: Word Biblical Commentary
Longenecker, Richard N. Galatians. Waco: Word Books, 1990.
0849902401, 978-0849902406

ZEC: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary
Schreiner, Thomas. TBA.

In making this list I came across another commentary resource website of great interest: Best Commentaries.com. He has information on almost every volume of every commentary series published along with links to where they can be purchased.

Epistle to the Galatians by James DG Dunn for Logos

Today Logos announced that they will be producing the Black’s New Testament Commentary series as published by Hendrickson. This series includes James Dunn’s volume on Galatians:

James D.G. Dunn, The Epistle to the Galatians. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1993.

Unfortunately, this volume will not be available separately but must be purchased as part of the thirteen volume set for $199.95.

Leben im Gesetz Die paulinische Interpretation von Lev 18:5 (Gal 3:12; Rom 10:5)

I don’t know how I missed this one but Nicole Chibici-Revneanu had this article published in Novum Testamentum earlier this year.

Nicole Chibici-Revneanu, “Leben im Gesetz Die paulinische Interpretation von Lev 18:5 (Gal 3:12; Röm 10:5).” Novum Testamentum. 50:2 (2008): 105-119.

Here is the official abstract:

Das Verständnis des Schriftzitates von Lev 18:5 in Gal 3:12 und Röm 10:5 gibt seit langem Rätsel auf: Wie ist o πoιησας αυτα ζησεται εν αυτoις im Horizont paulinischer Theologie zu verstehen? Dieser Beitrag geht der Frage nach, wie Paulus Lev 18:5 aus seinem ursprünglichen Kontext heraus verstanden haben könnte, und wie er von dort ausgehend das Schriftwort in den Dienst eigener Argumentationen stellen konnte. Von besonderer Bedeutung scheint dabei die präpositionale Wendung εν αυτoις gewesen zu sein, anhand derer Paulus Lev 18:5 mit anderen Schriftstellen kontrastiert (in Gal 3:11-12 mit Hab 2.4: εκ πιστεως; in Röm 10:5-8 mit Dtn 30:11-14: εν τω στoματι σoυ και εν τη καρδια σoυ).

Galatians wordle

While over at Better Bibles Blog I came across a link to a wordle of Galatians. A wordle displays a grouping of words (text cloud) demonstrating by size which is most popular and therefore most important in that text. Many blogs show post popularity in a text cloud and there is an online Wordle tool to make them. Logos Bible software also creates a simple size list of words in their passage guide. It is a simple but practical tool.

For the Galatians wordle hop on over to Marked By Faith but make sure you have Java installed or it will not appear if you click on the wordle link. And the biggest words…Christ, God, law, faith…one would believe that Paul’s main point was that law trumps faith. Better be careful with those word clouds!