Persuading The Galatians

Revised thesis (doctoral)--University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

In the early 1970’s, due to serious epistemological flaws, the demise of traditional New Testament research paradigms became imminent. A new generation of scholars started the search for a fresh approach, based on scientifically sound principles. Working within the stimulating atmosphere of the New Testament Society of South Africa, the author was one of the pioneers in developing a new, multi-dimensional research approach for New Testament studies. The articles in the present volume, written over a period of 25 years, reflect part of this journey, as viewed from a Pauline perspective. Combining the positive aspects of the traditional biblical research paradigms with the important insights of modern linguistics, literary science, semantics and pragmatics, particularly rhetoric, the author investigates the convergence of various influences in Paul’s pre-christian career. He proposes new possibilities of understanding Paul’s language and style, such as hyperbolical contrasts, typical of his Semitic background. Various aspects of his strategies of persuasion are investigated, such as creating an ethos, vilification, alienation and re-identification. The majority of articles concentrate on central elements in Pauline theology: belief in the resurrection of Jesus, the centrality of grace, the in Christ and related formulae, faith and obedience, justification in Romans, Christian identity, ethics and ethos, as portrayed in Romans.

In his commentary, John Paul Heil presents two new proposals regarding Paul’s letter to the Galatians. First, he demonstrates an entirely new chiastic structure embracing the entire letter, based on strict linguistic and textual criteria rather than on conceptual or theological themes. This chiastic structure accords with the view that Galatians was originally performed orally in a setting of communal worship. Second, Heil offers a new proposal for a key theme that runs throughout Galatians, as expressed by the subtitle of this book – ‘Worship for Life by Faith in the Crucified and Risen Lord’. Here, ‘worship’ is considered to be a comprehensive concept that includes liturgical, cultic, or ritual worship as well as the moral behaviour that is to complement it as ethical worship in accord with the biblical tradition. ‘Life’ refers both to the present way of living as well as to future eternal life. ‘Faith’ refers to the acceptance of divine grace available to the believer because of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Letter to Titus is often branded as incoherent, its salutation inchoate. Such premature conclusions are directly related to the authenticity debate that has marred analyses of the so-called Pastoral Epistles. From the corridors of academia echoes the cry to study the letters individually and independently of the authorship issue. This book does exactly that. It lays bare intricate and novel persuasive strategies, strategies that belie the charge of incoherency. In fact there is not one, but three ways to describe the structure of this masterfully composed letter. In Persuading the Cretans, Aldred Genade does this utilizing a technique known as text-generated persuasion analysis. Careful thought has gone into the composition of the letter to communicate timeless truths relevant for generations of Christians. This is first-century outcomes-based communication at its best and communicators, preachers, and scholars stand to benefit from the lessons in communication the author of Titus can teach us.

This book in the Westminster Bible Companion series explores one of Paul's most central letters. Frederick W. Weidmann observes the changes and developments in Paul's thought and practice in order to help pastors negotiate the distinction between their calling and self-identity.

A historian of the ancient world examines the epic rise and fall of the Celtic tribes who invaded the Mediterranean and lands further east. The eastern Celtic tribes, known to the Greeks as Galatians, exploited the waning of Macedonian power after Alexander the Great’s death to launch increasingly ambitious raids and expeditions into the Balkans. In 279 BC they launched a major invasion, defeating and beheading the Macedonian king, Ptolemy Keraunos, before sacking the Greeks’ most sacred oracle at Delphi. Eventually forced to withdraw northwards, they were defeated by Antigonus Gonatus at Lysimachia in 277 BC but remained a threat. A large Galatian contingent was invited to cross to Asia to intervene in a war in Bithynia but they went on to seize much of central Anatolia for themselves, founding the state of Galatia. They remained a force in the region and their warriors served as mercenaries in many armies throughout the eastern Mediterranean. In this authoritative history, John Grainger explores the fortunes of these eastern Celts down to their eventual subjugation by the Romans, Galatia becoming a Roman province in 30 BC.

The Journal of Biblical and Pneumatological Research (JBPR) is a new international peer-reviewed journal dedicated to narratively and rhetorically minded exegesis of biblical and related texts. Topics include theological and pneumatological interpretation, the role of spiritual experience within authorial, canonical, and contemporary contexts, and the activity of Ruach Yahweh, Ruach Elohim, and various identifications of the Holy Spirit. The journal hopes to stimulate new thematic and narrative-critical exploration and discovery in potentially under-explored areas of research. Editor: Paul Elbert, Pentecostal Theological Seminary, 900 Walker Street, NE, Cleveland, Tennessee 37311. Professor Elbert, physicist-theologian and NT scholar, is currently the co-chair of the Formation of Luke-Acts Section with the Society of Biblical Literature. Editorial Board: There are twenty-seven biblical scholars in twelve countries serving the critical editorial process of JBPR: Guillermo Acero (Institution Biblico Pastoral Latinamericano, Universidad Minuto de Dios, Bogota, COLUMBIA); Mervin Breneman (Escuela de Estudios Pastorales, COSTA RICA); Christopher Carter (Asia Pacific Theological Seminary, PHILIPPINES); Blaine Charette (Northwest University, USA); Roger Cotton (Assemblies of God Theological Seminary, USA); Andrew Davies (Mattersey Hall, UK); David Dorman (Near East School of Theology, Beirut, LEBANON); Kay Fountain (Southern Cross College, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND); Jacqueline Grey (Alphacrucis College, Sydney, AUSTRALIA); Jon Huntzinger (King's Seminary, USA); William Kay (Bangor University, UK); Dongsoo Kim (Pyeongtaek University, SOUTH KOREA); William Kurz (Marquette University, USA); Leonard MarŽ (Auckland Park Theological Seminary, University of Johannesburg, SOUTH AFRICA); Lee Roy Martin (Church of God Theological Seminary, USA); Martin Mittelstadt (Evangel University, USA); David Norris (Urshan Graduate School of Theology, USA); Finny Philip (Filadelfia Bible College, Udaipur, INDIA); John Poirier (Kingswell Theological Seminary, USA); Janet Meyer Everts (Hope College, USA); Emerson Powery (Messiah College, USA); James Shelton (Oral Roberts University, USA); Rebecca Skaggs (Patton University, USA); Roger Stronstad (Summit Pacific College, CANADA); Robby Waddell (Southeastern University, USA); Keith Warrington (Regents Theological College, UK); and Willie Wessels (University of South Africa, Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA).

This all-in-one commentary bundle on the book of Galatians features volumes from the NIV Application Commentary Series, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary Series, and Expositor's Bible Commentary Series. Each volume provides new and unique insights from leading biblical scholars Scot McKnight, Thomas Schreiner, and Robert Rapa. The unique features from each volume along with the diverse insights provided by the authors gives you all the tools you need to study and master the book of Galatians.