Children of Laughter and the Re-Creation of Humanity

The Theological Vision and Logic of Paul's Letter to the Galatians

Samuel J. Tedder

• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781725252639, 9781725252646
• eBook ISBN: 9781725252653
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Paul's passionate Letter to the Galatians has occasioned various perspectives (old, new, radical new, apocalyptic, etc.) for explaining Paul's defense of the "truth of the gospel" in it. This book makes an audacious claim that the allegorical passage of 4:21-5:1 is the best vantage point for configuring Paul's theological vision and logic in the letter. Offering a fresh approach for understanding Paul's allegorical practice, it demonstrates how both the Abraham narrative and the book of Isaiah function as a formative matrix for Paul's theology. With an in-depth analysis of these scriptural texts, Paul's two identifications for believers in Christ--belonging to the "Jerusalem above" and being "children of promise" in the pattern of Isaac--receive new clarity and precision. The investigative journey in this book discusses key concepts and texts from Galatians, and addresses questions concerning the shape of Paul's retelling of Israel's story in relation to Jews and Gentiles. The result is a well-grounded interpretation of Paul's conception of the gospel that made him new and continues to bring about new creation in our world.

1

Introduction

“No one will ever say the last word on this Epistle.”1

Paul’s letters are the first documents that link us with the first-century Jesus movement, and his letter to the Galatians is one of the earliest writings that deal with the impact of the message about Jesus—the gospel—reaching beyond the Jewish world.2 Galatians is therefore a foundational document for the movement that became known as Christianity. It was written in the mid first century CE—only about 20 years after the events of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (the Christ-event) that, together with the subsequent experience of the Spirit, form the core of Paul’s gospel message—to the groups of believers Paul had earlier established in the Roman province of Galatia.3 In the letter, we are presented with Paul’s passionate re-proclamation of the “truth of the gospel” and its implications for all humanity in the context of a challenge by a “distorted gospel” that compels non-Jewish/Gentile believers to be circumcised (males) and adopt the observance of the Mosaic Law (Gal 1:1–9; 3:1–5; 5:2–12; 6:11–18).

The letter’s passionate personal tone, condensed argumentation, and creative use of Israel’s Scriptures continue to generate various configurations of its message. Since the Reformation, a traditional Lutheran reading has dominated the scholarly scene until the emergence of the New Perspective on Paul in the 1970s and 1980s. Yet neither has the new completely eclipsed the traditional reading, nor has the development of more new perspectives ceased. This book joins in the ongoing discussion about the configuration of Paul’s theological vision and logic in Galatians by claiming that an unparalleled vantage point for the task is found in Gal 4:21—5:1 where key aspects of Paul’s hermeneutic are made visible, the development of important themes is brought together, and the move is prepared towards the final section of the letter that exhorts the Galatians to live in accordance with the “truth of the gospel.” I use the terms vision and logic to focus my inquiry on Paul’s understanding of what the gospel is set to perform (vision), and how it is configured in relation to Scripture, the Jew-Gentile divide, and the Mosaic Law in the new situation brought about by the Christ-event (logic).

In this introductory chapter, I first review six configurations of Paul’s theological vision and logic that have been chosen because they offer perspectives that shape my approach and raise important questions with which I interact in this book. After the review, I articulate the key questions this book addresses, and chart my approach and argument, both of which will be developed fully with each step of the book.

Review of Six Perspectives on the Theological Vision and Logic of Galatians

To focus my review, I tease out an answer from each of the following six perspectives to the core question of the letter: Why does Paul resist the requirement for Gentile circumcision? In anticipation of my own approach, I also note what role Gal 4:21—5:1 has in the different configurations.4

Martin Luther

The letter’s antithetical presentation of the law and gospel, and its passionate tone provided Luther with a focal point to express his central Reformation teaching. My review is based on Luther’s 1535 commentary that represents his fully developed Reformation perspective.5

Luther helpfully outlines his understanding of the argument of Galatians in the Introduction that he himself wrote to the commentary: “St. Paul goeth about to establish the doctrine of faith, grace, forgiveness of sins, or Christian righteousness, to the end that we may have a perfect knowledge and difference between Christian righteousness and all other righteousness.”6 The key for Luther is to distinguish Christian righteousness as passive righteousness, in which the human receives the benefits of Christ by faith in contrast to all other forms of righteousness that are active, i.e., have to do with works.7 Thus, Luther configures the theology of Galatians around the theme of righteousness by faith in opposition to the “works of the law.”8 Luther...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Tables and Figures
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Galatians 4:21—5:1 as the Vantage Point
• Chapter 3: The Theological Potential in the Abraham Narrative
• Chapter 4: The Theological Potential in Isaiah’s Vision of Restoration
• Chapter 5: Paul’s Allegorical Practice in Galatians 4:21—5:1
• Chapter 6: Configuring The Theological Vision and Logic of Galatians from the Vantage Point of 4:21—5:1
• Chapter 7: Conclusions
• Appendix
• Bibliography