Galatians: A Life in Letters, Johannes W. H. van der Bijl. Langham Global Library (ISBN: 9781839739200), 2024.

Summary: A narrative commentary on the Letter to the Galatians, reconstructing the circumstances leading to, and the actual composition of the letter.

Paul’s letter to the Romans is usually given pride of place as the foremost of Paul’s letters. But the letter to the Galatians deserves consideration as a tighter, rhetorical masterpiece, written to address an urgent theological challenge facing the nascent Christian mission to the Gentiles.

The Challenge

Johannes W. H. van der Bijl has penned a concisely written commentary that captures the singular character of this work. It is the first in a series of narrative commentaries on Paul’s letters. Rather than offer one more discursive commentary on the propositional truths of Galatians, he wants to explore the story of and the stories within the commentary. He does this through an imaginative narrative that begins when Paul and Barnabas receive reports of efforts to persuade the Gentiles converts of Galatia to submit to Jewish practices beginning with circumcision. Paul and Barnabas are back in Syrian Antioch. Paul responds in anguish arising from his own past as a zealous Jew. That zeal culminated in his attempts to exterminate the Christian movement until that day on the Damascus road. And so Paul determines to write a letter….

The Letter

The two decide to summon the the other prophets and teachers at Antioch, Lucius, Simeon, nicknamed Niger, and Manaen. The rest of the book traces a long evening of dialogue, with Niger writing down what became the letter. They begin with a prologue in which Paul cites his authority as well as the shared origin of the letter. Through questions and answers, the content emerges, beginning with why adopting Jewish practice was so dangerous, another gospel. They recall their mission and the reception of the gospel, including Paul’s stoning and the receptiveness of young Timothy.

Returning to the letter, they consider the promise to Abraham and his singular seed and the place of the law, as a custodian for a young people. All this awaited the promise fulfilled in Christ’s faithfulness through which they live. Hence Paul’s concern that they don’t return to slavery, having been freed in Christ. Rather, they live in love, the fulfillment of the law. “We obey it because we are free, not because we want to be free.” They then conclude with Paul penning his own closing words.

The Value of This Approach

This narrative commentary does several things well. For one, it helps the reader understand Paul’s anguished tone. Secondly, it interweaves the Acts passages from the first missionary journey into the narrative of the writing, giving context a vivid reality. Thirdly, the question and answer dialogue between the five and Paul’s responses brings to life the argument of a book. Thus, we are enabled to better grasp how Paul’s ideas build upon each other.

In addition to the narrative commentary, a glossary of names and places is provided along with a timeline for Paul’s life. A bibliography is provided for those wanting to pursue more in depth study. This is a brief work, coming in at 100 pages. Obviously, that doesn’t allow for the textual discussions of other commentaries. Rather than focusing on all the individual trees, we get a sense of the forest and the lay of the land. And we get some sense of the anguish, love and passion of Paul as he wrote, or rather, dictated. I look forward to other books in this series!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.