WORD

BIBLICAL

COMMENTARY

VOLUME 41

Galatians

RICHARD N. LONGENECKER

General Editors

Bruce M. Metzger

David A. Hubbard†

Glenn W. Barker†

Old Testament Editor

John D. W. Watts

New Testament Editor

Ralph P. Martin

WORD BOOKS, PUBLISHER • DALLAS, TEXAS

Word Biblical Commentary

Galatians

Copyright © 1990 by Word, Incorporated

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publishers.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Main entry under title:

Word biblical commentary.

Includes bibliographies.

1. Bible—Commentaries—Collected works.

BS491.2.W67 220.7´7 81-71768

ISBN 0-8499-0240-1 (vol. 41) AACR2

The author’s own translation of the text appears in italic type under the heading “Translation,” as well as in brief Scripture quotations in the body of the commentary, except where otherwise indicated.

To my doctoral students

of the past dozen years,

who have taught me much!

Table of Contents

Editorial Preface

Author’s Preface

Abbreviations

Commentary Bibliography

General Bibliography

Introduction

The Impact of Galatians on Christian Thought and Action

Authorship

Addressees

Date

Opponents and Situation

Epistolary and Rhetorical Structures

Text and Commentary

I. Salutation (1:1–5)

II. Rebuke Section (Forensic Rhetoric Prominent) (1:6–4:11)

A. Occasion For Writing/Issues at Stake (Exordium) (1:6–10)

B. Autobiographical Statements in Defense (Narratio) 1:11–2:14

1. Thesis Statement (1:11–12)

2. Early Life, Conversion and Commission (1:13–17)

3. First Visit to Jerusalem (1:18–24)

4. Second Visit to Jerusalem (2:1–10)

5. The Antioch Episode (2:11–14)

Excursus: Antioch on the Orontes

C. The Proposition of Galatians (Propositio) (2:15–21)

D. Arguments in Support (Probatio) (3:1–4:11)

1. Righteousness Apart from the Law: Against Legalism (3:1–18)

Excursus: Abraham’s Faith and Faithfulness in Jewish Writing and in Paul

2. The Believer’s Life not “under Law” but “in Christ”: Against Nomism (3:19–4:7)

3. Paul’s Concern For The Galatians (4:8–11)

III. Request Section (Deliberative Rhetoric Prominent) (4:12–6:10)

A. Exhortations Against the Judaizing Threat (Exhortatio, Part I) (4:12–5:12)

1. Personal Appeals (4:12–20)

2. The Hagar-Sarah Allegory (4:21–31)

Excursus: The Hagar-Sarah Story in Jewish Writings and in Paul

3. Holding Fast to Freedom (5:1–12)

B. Exhortations Against Libertine Tendencies (Exhortatio, Part II) (5:13–6:10)

1. Life Directed by Love, Service to Others, and the Spirit (5:13–18)

2. The Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit (5:19–26)

3. Doing Good to All (6:1–10)

IV. Subscription (6:11–18)

Indexes

Editorial Preface

The launching of the Word Biblical Commentary brings to fulfillment an enterprise of several years’ planning. The publishers and the members of the editorial board met in 1977 to explore the possibility of a new commentary on the books of the Bible that would incorporate several distinctive features. Prospective readers of these volumes are entitled to ...