Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, 1 Thessalonians (Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament | ACNT)
Overview
This volume of the Augsburg Commentary on the New Testament contains commentaries on Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, and 1 Thessalonians.
Galatians was written in the heat of controversy. Paul believed the Gospel to be under a deadly attack that would destroy the churches he had founded and ultimately destroy the Gospel itself. He used all the arguments at his command to counteract that attack: personal experience, biblical interpretation of the Old Testament, sarcasm, personal appeal, and the apostolic tradition. In this chapter-by-chapter commentary on Galatians, Edgar Krentz reveals the urgency and importance of Paul’s message and explains the relationship between the Galatian church and modern pastoral concerns.
Philippians, unlike Galatians, portrays a congregation in harmony with the teachings of Jesus and the writings of Paul. While Paul’s letter to the Galatians is filled with polemics, statements of self-defense, and attempts to correct misunderstandings about his teachings, Philippians contains no hint of emotional, intellectual, or spiritual conflict. The church in Philippi could make the legitimate claim to being Paul’s favorite. But this doesn’t mean the Philippian church was without problems. This commentary contains exegesis and interpretation of the key sections of Paul’s letter to the Philippians, and reveals a deep and honest relationship between Paul and the church in Philippi.
The short book of Philemon contains vexing cultural questions and reveals a tense relationship between slaves and masters. The epistle to Philemon remains part of the long tradition of Judeo-Christian attempts to achieve justice. This commentary bears out the accuracy of that vision.
Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians is not classified as one of his major epistles. In this relatively brief letter Paul attacked no heresies, and more than half the letter is devoted to thanksgiving, allowing Paul the opportunity to express his concern and appreciate to God for the new congregation in Macedonia. Yet this letter to the Thessalonians is important because it offers a glimpse into a side of Paul’s ministry easily missed in his major letters. This chapter-by-chapter commentary portrays Paul as a pastor deeply concerned for his parishioners and thankful for the Gospel.
- Discussion of historical issues, such as authorship, dating, and location
- Textual and literary notes
- Bibliographies and suggestions for further reading and study
- Scripture references linked to your Greek New Testament or English translation
Top Highlights
“Thus the command here probably urges care for the physical needs of the teacher of the word‚104 that is, the word of God” (Page 89)
“The third triad, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (5” (Page 83)
“Adoption is completely by gift, not by merit. An adopted son has no prior claim on the father.” (Page 60)
“Working out this salvation would mean a collective living out by believers of their share in the great drama just narrated. As Christ took on human form to redeem the world, so those who are in Christ at Philippi must incarnate God’s will through actions that specifically befit the redemption of their city (see 2:14–15). That is the meaning of the word own: the salvation in your corner of the world.” (Page 154)
“Paul will make clear that the law’s function and power belong to a person’s pre-Christian existence” (Pages 42–43)
Edgar Krentz earned his M.Div. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and the Ph.D. in classical philology from Washington University. He has taught New Testament at Concordia Theological Seminary and at Christ Seminary-Seminex in St. Louis.
John Koenig received his B.D. from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and his Th.D. from Union Seminary in New York. He is an ordained minister of the Lutheran Church in America.
Donald H. Juel is professor of New Testament at Luther Northwestern Theological Seminary. He has also taught at Indiana University and Princeton Theological Seminary.
