from Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes
by Gary M. Burge
Some readers will recognize that this is the title of an important technical theological work written by New Testament professor John Barclay from the University of Durham, England. Barclay is challenging us to rethink Paul’s perception of what he discovered in Christ. It was a gift—which came from God and therefore was transformative. The implications of this for Paul were compelling and profound. Gifts were not simply received and taken; they were gestures of relationship and obligation. This is why Paul can talk about the generosity of God in grace while at the same time talking about our obligations to obey. Both were included in the ancient concept of “gift.” Barclay explains this in detail and shows how we have no cultural parallel to it in the modern western world.
We have a glimpse of this in the Old Testament story of Abraham. Barclay points out how God offers the patriarch a stupendous gift of land and descendants. But how do we understand this gift? Is it based on Abraham’s righteousness (Ge 17:1)? Or his obedience (Ge 22:15–18)? Deuteronomy clarifies that this gift originated in God’s “love” (7:8) even though these recipients of divine favor had a long history of disloyalty and sin. The “gift” and its acceptance are predicated on a binding relationship that comes with expectations. God is both loving and generous but also a God who can be jealous and angry; he has steadfast love to a thousand generations and repays those who ignore him (Dt 7:9–10). We here have two halves of God’s character (loving care; firm anger), which have troubled many theologians. But, Barclay shows, this is resolved when we see how gifts functioned in the ancient world. Divine benefaction led to
relationship and ideally it transformed the recipient of the gift. This is how God’s mercy and grace is balanced by his justice and expectations.
In Galatians 2:19–21 we read what may be the first time that Paul explains what happened to him in his conversion. Of course, it included the identity of Israel’s messiah and with this came reflection about his life and work, including his death on the cross. But the full embrace of this gift meant something transformational: Paul was crucified; Christ lives in him; he lives trusting/believing in the Son of God. And he will live a life mirroring that of Christ.
This is important because for Paul, Christian faith was not merely a theological idea or an ethical position (though he teaches in these arenas regularly). Christian faith began with experience. It was personal. He met Christ, and Christ began to dwell in him through the Spirit.
Which makes us wonder if Paul would always recognize our preaching today. Particularly in conservative circles, sound teaching and moral instruction often make up much of what we present to audiences. Oddly we fail to talk as often about the indwelling Christ, the Holy Spirit, or the full transformation of our lives, as Paul does here. For Paul, transformation lives on the other side of a relationship, a relationship found in the graciousness of God. It is not a transformation that can be found in the law or demanded. It is born when we see what remarkable gifts we possess and who has given them.
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This post is adapted from Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes by Gary M. Burge. If you are interested in adopting this book for a college or seminary course, please request a faculty examination copy. We will also consider requests for your blog or media outlets.
Praise for Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes!
“Kregel’s Background and Application Commentary does far more than that title suggests. It offers a succinct, persuasive, evangelical commentary on one or more biblical books, while focusing via sidebars and pullouts on Old Testament backgrounds and contemporary significance. The high-quality standard set by the series’ initial volumes is preserved in Gary Burge’s newest contribution. Fully aware of the most cutting-edge scholarship, this commentary wears its learning very lightly. Burge’s explanations of Israel and the church (Galatians), and of household codes (Ephesians) are not to be missed.”
—Craig L. Blomberg,
Distinguished Professor Emeritus of New Testament, Denver Seminary
“Reading the New Testament ‘through Old Testament eyes’ is not only a requirement of historical exegesis but also a theological and pastoral imperative: the very identity and mission of the church is conditioned by whether and how Israel’s Scriptures become ‘our story.’ Gary Burge’s Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes makes an important contribution to this essential hermeneutical task. Burge’s thorough—though not overbearing—analysis of Paul’s Old Testament intertexts invites readers to track the theological substructure of Paul’s argument, and thereby to find themselves in God’s story of cosmic redemption. Highly recommended.”
—Max Botner,
Associate Professor of Biblical Studies, Jessup University (Rocklin)
“You cannot read long in Paul’s letters before you encounter quotations from, allusions to, or echoes of Old Testament texts or ideas. Veteran biblical interpreter, Gary Burge, attends to these features in two of the apostle’s most powerful letters, Galatians and Ephesians; and he assists those of us less in tune to hear—and indeed feel—their intense biblical resonances. Unlike some work in intertextuality, Burge does not rush immediately to the New Testament readings; he lingers first to listen to the Old Testament on its own terms.”
—David B. Capes
Director of Academic Programming, Lanier Theological Library and Learning Center, Houston
“Like a museum docent who truly understands the story and the moods that a painting is meant to capture and the varied elements that the artist has drawn upon to make that painting a rich, evocative representation of that story, Gary Burge leads us reliably through the galleries of Galatians and Ephesians. He helps us attend to the pastoral needs that called forth these written interventions, to the ways in which the author has drawn upon the shared, authoritative material in the Hebrew Bible, and to the author’s interpretation of the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for the ongoing, normative force of those ancient texts. He truly helps us to read these texts not only ‘through Old Testament eyes,’ but also through the eyes of Greco-Roman culture and, most importantly, through the eyes of faith in the coming of the Messiah and the new age he has ushered in for Jew and Gentile in the one body.”
—David A. deSilva,
Trustees’ Distinguished Professor of New Testament and Greek, Ashland Theological Seminary
“Gary M. Burge provides an excellent guide to these two Pauline letters, thoroughly exploring their Old Testament background while remaining clear and accessible. Not only does the scriptural context of the epistles come into crisp focus, Burge engages aspects of Paul’s world that require special attention with precision, allowing readers to view these writings with a newfound appreciation. What readers could easily miss Burge has drawn to the fore, which deepens our awareness of and respect for the Old Testament’s influence within Galatians and Ephesians.”
—Amber M. Dillon,
Adjunct Professor of New Testament, Denver Seminary
“Burge has gifted us an excellent resource for reading Galatians and Ephesians through the lens of relevant Old Testament contexts. Paul’s discussions on matters such as grace, Jew and Gentile relations, the Spirit, righteousness, and holy living come alive as he appeals to their deep resonances in Israel’s Scriptures. Any student of Paul’s letters should get a copy of this book!”
— Miguel G. Echevarría,
Associate Professor of New Testament and Greek,
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“Gary Burge is a first-rate scholar with a pastoral heart. Not surprisingly, then, this volume is both well-informed and eminently readable. Those who know the scholarly debates will recognize Burge’s awareness of those discussions. He knows the background, approaches the discussions fairly, and comes to reasoned conclusions throughout.”
—Craig S. Keener,
F. M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary
“The apostle Paul’s epistles to the Galatians and Ephesians declare the profound truth that all who are in Christ are one people, a people marked by the transforming work of the Spirit. While this reality is widely recognized, readers may overlook the fact that Paul anchors much of his instruction in these writings on the truths and promises contained in Hebrew Scriptures. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of biblical backgrounds, Gary Burge’s illuminating study of Galatians and Ephesians explores in fascinating detail the ways in which Paul grounds much of his teaching on the Law, Prophets, and Writings. Readers will be left with a greater appreciation of the roots of their faith, the work of Christ, and the power of the gospel.”
—Benjamin P. Laird,
Professor of Biblical Studies, John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, Liberty University
“More than a book on ‘how Paul used the Old Testament,’ Burge’s commentary demonstrates that the Old Testament is the theological lens through which Paul wrote Galatians and Ephesians. Scholarly yet accessible to all readers, Burge explains the text, listening closely for allusions and echoes to Scripture and the theological concepts from the Old Testament that illuminate Paul’s letters. Paul builds Christian theology by weaving Old Testament ideas that were natural to him.”
—Phillip J. Long,
Professor of Biblical Studies, Grace Christian University
“Gary Burge brings his expertise as a seasoned NT scholar to bear on this helpful commentary. Refusing to treat Galatians and Ephesians as isolated Christian texts, the volume skillfully bridges any seeming cultural and theological gaps to Old Testament and Second Temple backgrounds, illuminating the rich range of ancient Jewish metaphors and echoes in these important Pauline letters. In doing so, Burge weaves a tapestry of connections between Galatians and Ephesians to the voice of the Hebrew Scriptures, displaying a unified theological framework in divine, biblical revelation. The commentary is also full of helpful insights concerning relevant Greco-Roman influences within both epistles. This volume will quickly become my go-to commentary to inform my lectures, sermons, and other projects that delve into the language, culture, religious history, and beauty of Galatians and Ephesians. A stellar contribution to Kregel’s Through Old Testament Eyes series!”
—Cory M. Marsh,
Professor of New Testament, Southern California Seminary,
Scholar in Residence, Revolve Bible Church
“Those who often measure the quality of a volume by its size will be pleasantly surprised by both the academic rigor and pastoral relevance of this concise commentary. Building on a careful examination of the structure of Galatians and Ephesians—as well as a close interaction of the Greek text—Burge is able to highlight the significance of Old Testament quotations, allusions, echoes, concepts, and institutions within these Pauline epistles. Moreover, in performing such intertextual explorations, Burge opens windows for modern readers to appreciate the power of these biblical texts in contemporary intercultural and intergenerational contexts, especially within a polarized society that desperately craves to hear the gospel afresh.”
—David W. Pao,
Academic Dean and Professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
“For two relatively short letters, Galatians and Ephesians can be overwhelming—uncommon words, major theological concepts, reflections of very different social experiences, and biblical echoes bombard the reader in verse after verse. Gary Burge’s commentary expertly guides readers through the complexity. The mix of attention to the words Paul uses, the letters’ historical and social contexts, and their intricate relationship with the rest of the Bible provide a rich resource. Even more, Burge’s own pastoral sensitivity helps readers hear the living voice of these first century letters, to connect their challenge with our world.”
—Caryn A. Reeder,
Westmont College
“Galatians and Ephesians Through Old Testament Eyes is a fine commentary for the lay reader. It works to defeat Bible literacy in the church. Back to the basics, its emphasis on Old Testament background helps enlighten the reader with the apostle Paul’s own canon. Professor Burge’s commentary, intended for ‘preachers, teachers, and other readers,’ is based on the Greek text. Burge gives good attention to the meaning of words as well as introduces readers to critical issues. Burge is fair to both the Reformed and Wesleyan traditions. A highpoint of his commentary is his vision of ‘Paul delighting in the picture of a Roman slave-woman preaching in one of Paul’s churches as Jews, free citizens, and men sat attentively.’ Burge concludes that Paul wants to overturn ‘the old order of the Roman household.’ Christians can trust that this commentary on Galatians and Ephesians is well-balanced, sound, easy to read, and yet encouraging the reader to imitate Paul’s vision for today.”
— Aída Besançon Spencer,
Senior Professor of New Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“Burge is a seasoned scholar and an able guide through these two significant letters from Paul. He deftly handles cultural context and Old Testament background, opening our eyes to much that we may miss on our own. The result: a fresh encounter with the text, and motivation and preparation for the preacher and teacher who wants to communicate this word in our day.”
—Craig Swanson,
Pastor, First Evangelical Covenant Church,
Grand Rapids, Michigan
