Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 41, Galatians [Hardcover]

Richard N. Longenecker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 11, 1990

The Word Biblical Commentary delivers the best in biblical scholarship, from the leading scholars of our day who share a commitment to Scripture as divine revelation. This series emphasizes a thorough analysis of textual, linguistic, structural, and theological evidence. The result is judicious and balanced insight into the meanings of the text in the framework of biblical theology. These widely acclaimed commentaries serve as exceptional resources for the professional theologian and instructor, the seminary or university student, the working minister, and everyone concerned with building theological understanding from a solid base of biblical scholarship.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 442 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (December 11, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849902401
• ISBN-13: 978-0849902406
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #141,632 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent treatment of Galatians, but a slow read, September 4, 2004

By 

Matthew Gunia (Justice, Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 41, Galatians (Hardcover)

I have to commend Richard Longenecker on his thorough treatment of the book of Galatians for the Word Biblical Commentary series. With over 100 pages of introduction to the major schools of thought in the scholarly world (where exactly are the Galatian churches? What influence did Greek, Hebrew, etc., thought have on Paul's work, when was this written?), Longenecker makes clear where he stands on the major issues and why, but does so without being caustic. His work on the actual text is similarly thorough as he gives many cultural inisghts and effectively balances the "mirror technique" (from the introduction) with the idea that Paul is also laying out his own theology. I also appreciated Longenecker's treatment of variant readings as he cited which sources had variants and quickly explained his textual decisions

I do have two problems with this commentary, however. One is that Longenecker tends to be confusing as he tries to show how Paul's letter is similar to other genres of Greco-Roman letters. He uses Latin terms frequently, but only defines them in the introduction (among many other Latin words and theories that he rejects). Not only does this reader feel that Longenecker was trying to fit a round peg into a square hole as he treats Galatians in this way, but the frequent jargon does not aid in my understanding of the book. My second problem is more of a personal preference. Longenecker's book is an exceptionally slow read--giving a wealth of information, but not being very conversational in style. However, this is a personal preference of this reader and not an argument that Longenecker did a "poor job."

Quite the opposite is true. Longenecker has treated the book of Galatians quite fairly and thoroughly. The result is a scholarly, respectful, informative, fairly conservative. This book would benefit pastors, lay persons (especially those who have studied Greek), and other professionals looking to gain a fuller understanding of or appreciation for Galatians.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thorough and Very Useful, May 9, 2000

By 

Robert Andrews (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 41, Galatians (Hardcover)

Richard Longenecker's volume on Galatians in the Word Biblical Commentary remains one of the strongest Evangelical treatments of this important epistle. Longenecker conforms to the WBC format, which results in a work more useful for scholars and preachers than laymen. Still, I have used the commentary in preparation for teaching Adult Sunday School as well as research. Longenecker is especially strong in presenting Galatians as an ethical as well as a theological work, and in this regard the commentary is an essential source for communicating the practical ethic of the early church to the contemporary one.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lack Of Discernment Regarding The Prophetic Word, November 4, 2009

By 

Jacques Schoeman (SA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Word Biblical Commentary Vol. 41, Galatians (Hardcover)

'The word 'revelation' may signify either content or means.' p 24

Richard Longenecker reviews the troubled past relating to the early church's reception and interpretation of Galatians in light of the desire to have a declarative, unified position on its subject matter and meaning. The meaning thus obtained will be in agreement with the rest of Scripture. The distinctive characteristic of the letter written to the churches in Galatia is its didactic function.

The collage created by variant schools of thought toward what is arguably the oldest NT canononical writing is still largely in evidence today. Such differences are perpetuated by the apparent ambiguity spanning a range of interpretive issues, such as the apostolic dissent between Paul and Peter at Antioch, the meaning of the Hagar and Sarah analogy, the identity of those proselytizing for circumcision, the paradox on the impotence of the Law (Tertullian first asserted that the use of the Law was pedagogical) and the efficacy of the gospel, and the paramount application for 'the Israel of God' (6:14). Taking due cognizance of the existence of prior materials, Longenecker seems to have exhausted the avenues of research into this exploration, and that only in order to procure a concrete historical foundation before approaching the commentary proper. The prospect of faithful gospel interpretation can hopefully now be firmly determined with the absence of historical faults. Longenecker admits the desire for continuity between Old and NT believers has plagued interpreters of Galatians for the better: 'Much of the argument of the church fathers was to the effect that Christianity as proclaimed among the gentiles is really in continuity with all that God did redemptively in the past'. p xivi Especially Paul's seemingly inexplicable legalistic position in having Titus circumcised when in Galatians he takes a strong stand against this very practice, sees Longenecker coming out in favor of Paul through the use of a literary device known as an 'artificial construction'.

'Freedom, of course, is a major theme of Galatians. Freedom for Paul results from both what Christ effects in our lives (instrumentality) and our being brought into personal union with Christ (locality).' pp. 51-52

The infamy that Paul was the second founder of Christianity is an unnecessary historical disjunction which Richard Longenecker disposes with by acknowledging the urgency of the concern for continuity between Jerusalem and the gentile churches. Whilst Paul stressed the matching content between his gospel and that of the apostles in Jerusalem, he emphatically denied any dependency on the Jerusalem pillars by a differentiating of the means of the unique revelation he received which sanctioned his call and his commission. Thus, he 'conferred not with flesh and blood'. And while he emphasized that he had consulted with the Jerusalem apostles on the dynamic equivalence of kerygmatic content 'lest he had run in vain', he bawled as not akin the problematic and fundamental difference in the 'another gospel' set forth by the legalistic Judaizers. 'And it was for this unity that he feared, even while having no doubts about the divine origin of his gentile mission or the truth of his own proclamation.' p 48 The tactile reference whereby the Jerusalem pillars indeed approved of their allegiance to the gentile mission of Paul 'has to do with the mutual fellowship and partnership existing between himself and the leaders of Jerusalem, which they overtly signaled by giving 'me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship'...so introducing two differing missionary strategies amidst an acknowledged doctrinal unity.' p 58 The Judean church at large, however, forms the apostle's second line of defence in the narratio, for although they had never met Paul, when they heard of his postconversion activities, 'they praised God because of me'.

Longenecker attaches far-reaching implications to our worship of the triune God when alerting us that his thesis engenders that our own subsequent theological determinations or commitments are heavily influenced by the views we choose to stand by after having read Galatians. We are led to discover along with the apostle Paul the distressing situation in the Galatian churches and his emphatic reaction 'I am astonished' (1:6) registering his fear of their impending defection. Longenecker's cognitive exegetical approach immediately transcends all agendas and uniquely questions our own past commitments to 'the truth of the gospel' (replicated in 2:5 and 2:14). This probe as compellingly applied to us by Longenecker, Paul applied commandingly to the 'foolish' (replicated in 3:1 and 3:3) Galatians: 'Yet more than a reprimand, it expresses Paul's deep concern, exasperation, and perplexity. It is not a lack of intelligence on their part that grieves Paul, but a failure to exercise a modicum of spiritual discernment.' p 99 Reminiscent of the golden calf in the wilderness episode, the Galatians were in danger, as we might well be, of fashioning a god after their own image.

'Paul is convinced that if the Galatian Christians would only make the connection between his preaching and God's blessings in their lives, the Judaizers would have no opening and matters would be settled.' p 99 Through proper apostolic preaching Paul mounted an appeal to the wandering Galatians to return to the centrality of the cross: 'O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was portrayed publicly [among you] as crucified?'

'Yet He was not crucified in Galatia, but Jerusalem.' John Chrysostom

'He [Paul] adds, 'Christ hath been crucified among you' intimating that the actual sight of Christ's death could not have affected them more powerfully than his own preaching.' John Calvin, Institutes 1:11:7

Several excurses, e.g. 'Antioch', and additional insights in general, e.g. 'the poor' (Heb anawim), p 59, make this commentary highly appealing.