This new commentary on Galatians is a thorough examination of the text of Galatians by Mark J. Keown. It includes an introduction to the letter and a verse by verse analysis of Paul's letter. It is designed to be a readable, thorough exploration of Galatians without being overly laden with engagement with secondary literature. The Greek of Galatians is transliterated throughout the commentary, including in the translations, making the Greek accessible to all readers. The real emphasis is engagement with the text, the meaning of the Greek, especially in regards to primary sources, and the flow of Paul’s argument against the Judaizers challenging his churches. Yet, as is usual in Mark Keown's work, it is all presented in an easily understandable and readable way. At points, the author pauses to share a personal story or two, adding flavor to the commentary. While it is comprehensive and thorough, It is ideal for preachers who are looking to really grapple with the meaning of Galatians for Christians today. Special emphasis is given to Paul's summons in the letter that readers live by faith and not works and embrace God's call in the gospel to lay aside all forms of prejudice under God's reign. In the discussion of Galatians 5, in-depth consideration is given to the ethical issues it raises, a helpful tool for Christians grappling with how to live by the Spirit in a twenty-first-century world full of challenges.  

Part One: An Introduction to Galatians

  Chapter One: Introduction to Galatians

Part Two: Prescript and Situation (Gal 1:1–10)

  Chapter Two: Prescript (Gal 1:1-5)

  Chapter Three: No Other Gospel (Gal 1:6–10)

Part Three: Paul’s Narrative in which He Defends his Gospel and Apostleship(1:11–2:14)

  Chapter Four: The Revelation of the Gospel (Gal 1:11–12)

  Chapter Five: Paul's Former Life in Judaism (1:13–14)

  Chapter Six: Paul’s Conversion and Call (1:15–16b)

  Chapter Seven: Paul’s Gospel Remains the Same (1:16c–21)

  Chapter Eight: Paul Otherwise Unknown in Judea (1:22–24)

  Chapter Nine: Paul, His Gospel, and His Mission Endorsed in Jerusalem (2:1–10)

  Chapter Ten: Paul and Peter Clash in Antioch (2:11–14)

Part Four: The Body of the Letter—Do not Yield to the Judaizing ‘Gospel!’

  Chapter Eleven: Thesis Statement: Justified by faith and Not Law (2:15–16)

  Chapter Twelve: The Judaizers Rather than Christ Serve Sin (2:17–18)

  Chapter Thirteen: Dead to the Law, Alive in Christ, By Grace, Not Law (2:19–21)

  Chapter Fourteen: Remember the Spirit Was Received by Faith, Not Law (3:1–5)

  Chapter Fifteen: Children of Abraham by Faith (3:6–9)

  Chapter Sixteen: Redeemed by Christ from the Curse of the Law (3:10–14)

  Chapter Seventeen: The Abrahamic Promise Fulfilled Through Christ Not Law (3:15–18)

  Chapter Eighteen: The Law's Function to Prepare for Justification by Faith in Christ (3:19–24)

  Chapter Nineteen: The Inclusion, Unity, and Equality of All Believers in Christ (3:25–29)

  Chapter Twenty: No Longer Slaves but Redeemed Children and Heirs (4:1–7)

   Chapter Twenty-One: Do Not Return to Slavery (4:8–11)

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Remember Your Conversion (4:12–20)

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Be Children of Sarah, Not Hagar (4:21–4:31)

  Chapter Twenty-Four: A Final Appeal: Do Not Accept Circumcision (5:1–6)

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Get Back in the Race (5:7–12)

Part Five: How then to Live? Freedom, Love, By the Spirit (5:13–6:10)

  Chapter Twenty-Six: The Freedom to Love! (5:13–15)

  Chapter Twenty-Seven: Walk in the Spirit (5:16–18)

  Chapter Twenty-Eight: Walk Away from the Works of the Flesh (5:19–21) 

  Chapter Twenty-Nine: Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit (5:22–26)

  Chapter Thirty: Bear One Another's Burdens (6:1–6)

  Chapter Thirty-One: Sow to the Spirit for Eternal Life (6:7–10)

Part Six: Postscript (6:11–18)

  Chapter Thirty-Two: Postscript (6:11–18)