The IVP New Testament Commentary Series: Galatians

by G. Walter Hansen

Publisher:

IVP

, 1994

Overview

To the young church in Galatia, marred by ethnic and social rivalries, Paul made his great healing declaration of unity through faith in Christ. Abolished were the divisions between Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female. Christians today will also find a healing word addressed to present-day divisions of race, social class and gender. The new community in Christ draws its life not from rules and regulations but from the Spirit who frees and unites us. In this warm, invigorating volume, readers will find helpful background material on the letter's date, destination, purpose, form and theological themes. Unlike many other commentaries on Galatians, the passage-by-passage exposition found here highlights not only the individual dimensions of justification by faith but also its social dimensions.

Contents

Top Highlights

“Paul says that the law is related to transgressions. A transgression is the violation of a standard. The law provides the objective standard by which the violations are measured. In order for sinners to know how sinful they really are, how far they deviate from God’s standards, God gave the law. Before the law was given, there was sin (see Rom 5:13). But after the law was given, sin could be clearly specified and measured (see Rom 3:20; 4:15; 7:7). Each act or attitude could then be labeled as a transgression of this or that commandment of the law.” (Galatians 3:19–20)

“When churches define their purpose in terms of law observance, they need to watch out or they will be destroyed by a competitive, critical, judgmental spirit.” (Galatians 5:13–15)

“Paul describes in verses 5–6 how freedom in Christ is maintained. Both verses focus on faith. Faith in Christ is the only way to protect our freedom in Christ.” (Galatians 5:5–6)

“Christian freedom is the freedom to serve one another in love (v. 13). The slavery of love is contrasted to two other kinds of slavery. First, the immediate context puts this command to serve in love in direct contrast to indulging the sinful nature. Our sinful nature causes us to be slaves to our own selfish desires, but love expresses itself in service to the needs of others. Second, the command to serve in love is contrasted to slavery under the law. Christians are not to be under the law, enslaved to it, but they are commanded to be under others as slaves to them. Christian obligation is not subjection to the law (v. 3) but subjection to one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13–15)

Product Details

• Title: Galatians
• Author: G. Walter Hansen
• Series: IVP New Testament Commentary
• Publisher: IVP
• Print Publication Date: 1994
• Logos Release Date: 2001
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. N.T. Galatians › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9780830861378, 0830861378
• Resource ID: LLS:29.53.3
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-09-24T16:08:32Z

About G. Walter Hansen

G. Walter Hansen joined the Fuller faculty in 1995 as associate professor of New Testament and Director of Global Research Institute, which provides fellowships for scholars from the Two-Thirds World. At Fuller, Hansen’s courses include exegetical studies, Interpretation of the Bible, New Testament Ethics, and Second Temple Judaism. He has had several books and articles published on selected subjects of Pauline scholarship. He was pastor of The Chapel in Cleveland, Ohio for eight years and a teacher for six years at Trinity Theological College in Singapore. He serves as a trustee Westmont College, Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, and Rivendell Stewards’ Trust.