From Galatia To Rome Reading Paul as Paul would be read January 19, 2014

What am I Trying to Do?

What am I Trying to Do? Provoke! Provoke Conversation about Scripture! Provoke Engagement with the Text! Provoke Interest in Recent Work!

Why a New Perspective? Did Christianity’s Traditional Depiction of Judaism and Jews Contribute to Holocaust?* First century Judaism a religion of fear and deeds First century Judaism an inferior religion Jews of first century and descendants killed Jesus THEN: Politicians and others say Jews in our day Follow (and promote) a false, inferior religion; “Error has no rights”/Those in error have no rights. *Many other factors contributed to Holocaust as well!

New Perspective on Judaism Judaism not legalistic Judaism not excessively exclusive or nationalistic Jewish theology did not conceive of God as judgmental and merciless

New Perspective and Paul If our understanding of Judaism was incorrect, is our understanding of Paul’s abandonment of Judaism perhaps also misplaced?

Important Points from Last Week Two Gospels: Gal 2:7-9 Peter’s to the Jews Justification through covenants with the L ORD Jesus is the Jewish Messiah Time to accept non-Jews Paul’s to the non-Jews Jesus fulfills God’s promises to Abraham Justification through Jesus

Two Gospels: Gal 2: when they [James, Cephas, and John] saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel for the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel for the circumcised (for he who worked through Peter making him an apostle to the circumcised also worked through me in sending me to the Gentiles),... they gave to Barnabas and me the right hand of fellowship, agreeing that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.

Important Points from Last Week Two Gospels: Peter’s to the Jews Paul’s to the non-Jews Pistis Christou: should it mean “Faith in Christ” or “Faith/fulness of Christ”

How Translate Galatians 2:16? NRSV... yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.

How Translate Galatians 2:16? NRSV... yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. Alternative... yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And we have come to trust in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by the faithfulness of Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law.

Why did Paul write to the Galatians? “Teachers,” Paul’s Christian competitors contradicting Paul’s Gospel to Galatians Teachers: Jesus was Jewish; to be like Jesus, be Jewish! Therefore, to be justified, men must be circumcised like Abraham (among other duties)

Key Points in Galatians Introduction 1:1-5 Paul Really Really Really Really Really Upset: 1:6-11 Paul’s History and Agreements 1:12-2:10 The Conflict in Antioch 2:11-14 How Non-Jews Have Relationship with the L ORD : 2:15-21 Proof 3:1-4:31 – Torah not from God but Angels 3:19 – Jews Descended from Hagar and Ishmael 4:23-30 Encouragement and closing

Did Paul Succeed? With Galatians? Not clear With Peter’s disciples? Probably not: – Jewish Jesus followers lose “Constitution” – Paul says they not descendants of Abraham, Sarah. and Isaac but of Hagar, a slave woman – Jerusalem is a sign of slavery

What happens when Paul wants help from these very same people? Paul’s letter to the Romans!

How Translate Galatians 2:21 NRSV I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. DOREAN here “nothing” Elsewhere, freely, without being paid, etc. In Romans 3:24: “they are justified as a gift”

How Translate Galatians 2:21 NRSV I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. DWREAN here “for nothing” Elsewhere, freely, without being paid, etc. Romans 3:24: “they are justified as a gift” Alternative I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died as a gift/freely/without compensation. Can justification come through the law? If you are Jewish?