Galatians (New Cambridge Bible Commentary)

Th is commentary off ers a concise, incisive view of Galatians, Paul’s most polemical letter. Here, Paul is fi ghting for the spiritual life and loyalty of some of his hard- won converts. Taking advantage of a range of persuasive rhetorical approaches, his letter appears to bristle with anger at the interlopers and the anguish of spurned aff ection. In this commentary, Craig Keener mines insights from the ancient world to highlight Paul’s persuasive tactics and how the Galatian Christians would have heard his intense yet profound message. In so doing, Keener also helps readers confront Galatians afresh today, so they can hear more closely what Paul is and is not saying for the church universal. Drawing on a wide range of ancient Mediterranean sources to reconstruct the context of Galatians, Keener helps us grasp the issues that Paul was addressing, the reasons that Paul wrote the letter, and its continuing relevance for contemporary audiences.

Craig S. Keener is the author of twenty- two books, seven of which have won national or international awards. He is known especially for his detailed research in the world of the New Testament, bringing to light aspects of New Testament background that are oft en unfamiliar to modern readers.