The Holy Epistle to the Galatians: Sermons on a Messianic Jewish Approach

by D. Thomas Lancaster

Bible readers generally understand Galatians as Pauls dissertation against the Torah and against Judaism. More than any other book of the New Testament, Galatians defines the line between Messianic Judaism and greater Christianity. Paul was a prodigy educated in the most elite schools of Pharisaism. He wrote and thought from that Jewish background, rendering several key passages of his work incomprehensible to readers unfamiliar with rabbinic literature. This collection of sermons on a Messianic Jewish approach to Galatians opens Pauls world and provides the historical Jewish context necessary to decipher the epistle. In an easy-to read, narrative style, Torah Club author D. Thomas Lancaster, takes his readers from one end of the epistle to the other, challenging conventional interpretations and offering new insights to reveal the Jewish Paul.

Genres: Theology, Christian, History, Spirituality

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

D. Thomas Lancaster is Director of Education at First Fruits of Zion, editor of Messiah Magazine, and author of the Torah Club commentaries and several books and study programs. He is also the pastor of Beth Immanuel Messianic Synagogue in Hudson, WI.

Reviews

[Cara]

This book clearly shows that Paul was a practicing Jewish pharisee, and shows that "Christianity" is really a sect of Judaism. Western Christians should all read this book to get a good grasp of how far we have strayed from how the original disciples practiced their faith, and how important Torah is to our walk with Jesus.

[Marty Solomon]

As a Jewish believer in Jesus, I have been constantly frustrated in the typical Evangelical's response (or lack thereof) to Judaism, and the Messianic's interpretation which seems to lack any nod to the theology of the New Testament. With the rise of so much modern scholarship in the realm of first century Judaism (especially on the Apostle Paul), I have been waiting for scholarship and orthopraxy to collide.

In Lancaster's work here, an authoritative Messianic voice has finally addressed a proper reading of the Apostle Paul in light of modern scholarship and given voice to a proper theology of the Jew and Gentile. This collection of sermons serves as a verse by verse exegesis of the book of Galatians that is full of history, context, Judaism, and scholarship. It's a fantastic work.

While I found myself in disagreement with Lancaster's positions (didn't seem to follow his own logic) in the last four chapters, the book is a MUST READ for anyone wrestling with the place of Judaism in Christianity.

[Rebecca]

This has changed my whole perspective on Galatians. So many "ah ha" moments. Such a rich read.

[Benjamin Sullivan]

Genuinely shocking how different this study of Galatians is compared to other books I’ve read and sermons I’ve listened to. I’m pretty sure it is the result of modern Christianity being divorced from its Jewish roots as well as American Christianity building and feeding off of the echo chamber of our cultural moment and perspective.

This book has been another step in the enlightening journey of being willing to give voices outside the bubble I grew up in a chance to speak into my life.

The historical and contextual work in this book is unparalleled. My perspective on basically the entirety of the New Testament has been shifted.

Great stuff from D. Thomas Lancaster and another home run recommendation from Marty Solomon.

[Tracy]

Mind blowing!!! Loved every minute. We used it as a group study, using DTL's actual recorded sermons on his Congregations website- Beth Immanuel Fellowship, in Hudson WI.

This is a book every believer in Messiah needs to read! Paul was a Torah Observant Jew along with Yeshua and all of his Disciples.

[Brice Karickhoff]

Had so many thoughts when I finished it 2 months ago but forgot to review it then and just realized because another book I’m reading reminded me of it.

Great book for historical context and a different perspective. Very “new perspective on Paul”-esque. When Paul says “law”, what does he mean? Moral perfection of belonging to/becoming a Jew? Seems like a simple question, but it’s created a fault line you would’ve believe in Pauline scholarship.

I’ve only scratched the surface. I’m in that stage where I’m less convince by ideas and more convinced by which side is annoying me more with their personalities.

To be fair, I think that’s how almost everyone develops opinions on almost everything. Hopefully I can learn a little more and hold my opinion based more on the credibility of ideas.

For now, I like NT Wright but I think a subset of his brainchildren are sketch.

[Noel Taylor]

This book examines replacement theology and distinction theology from understandings common to first century Galilean Jews, becoming perhaps the most important book on the apostle Paul ever written. Best yet, it shows how historical Christianity misunderstood and reversed James' (the brother of Jesus) third requirement of Paul -- to remember the Evyonim (poor ones) -- when designating Paul as the Apostle to the Gentiles.

[Jacob Klink]

Amazing book, quoting really good scholarship. Lancaster made his arguments very convincingly. My only problem is that the last 3 chapters seem to contradict everything he said up to that point... Other than that it was phenomenal and highly recommend for an easy read on the modern scholarship surrounding the book of Galatians.

[Larry Guthrie]

I had high hopes for it. It wasn't a great theological exposition. I found the author to be fork tongued. The hypocrisy was astounding. He railed about the anti-Semitic bent of Christianity but worried about losing Jewish identity if Gentiles married Jews. Infuriating read. I can find common ground with the author but the blatant hypocrisy is unbelievable.

[Adam Bevis]

To read a well-written sermonized book from a Messianic Christian’s mind, interpretation and perspective of a Pauline letter doesn’t convince me of me to do anything different but convicts my understanding of the Jewish thought process of what they should do or not to do with all these post-modern Gentile Christ-fearers.

[Bob Wolniak]

Messianic Jewish commentary with many compelling arguments against some widespread traditional interpretations of Galatians.

[Lynnae]

Definitely recommend this book to help unravel the language of Galatians. The Jewish perspective of the Bible is always so helpful for me, and I love how it changes my view of the Bible and God.

[Bianca]

September 2026 update

I originally gave this book 4 stars and found much in it valuable, particularly Lancaster's detailed engagement with the text of Galatians and his attempt to read Paul's letter within a Messianic Jewish context. I appreciated the attention to Jewish background and the desire to take seriously questions surrounding Torah, Jewish and Gentile identity, and Paul's relationship to the Law.

However, my understanding of several of the theological and interpretive issues addressed in this book has developed considerably since I read it. My assessment of FFOZ's theology has also changed significantly, and I no longer agree with much of its theology. As a result, I would no longer give this book the same rating or recommend it in the way I did when I first read it.

I am adding this update because an older 4-star rating, without any explanation, could reasonably be understood as a current recommendation. In particular, readers coming from a historic evangelical background should be aware that FFOZ's present-day theological perspective should not simply be assumed to represent mainstream evangelical theology. In some important respects, I now see its trajectory as considerably closer to contemporary Orthodox Judaism, and there are areas of its teaching concerning the Church, Kabbalah, the Trinity etc that may be surprising to evangelical readers.

That does not mean that everything I appreciated in this book has become worthless to me. I can still recognise why I valued its serious engagement with Scripture and Jewish background when I read it. But I would now approach its interpretation of Galatians, particularly its treatment of Torah, Paul, and the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers, much more critically and with considerably greater discernment.

My original review below reflects what I thought when I first read the book. It should therefore be understood as a historical reflection on my response at that time, not as my current endorsement of FFOZ's theology or of all the conclusions in this book.

[Cigno]

Even the Apostle Peter said that Paul’s words were difficult to understand, “And regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as also our dear brother Paul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, speaking of these things in all his letters. Some things in these letters are hard to understand, things the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they also do to the rest of the scriptures.” (2 Peter 3:15-16)

This book is based on a 26 part sermon series on the Pauline letter to the Galatians from a Messianic Jewish perspective and hermeneutic.

When taken out of context, many statements in the letter seem almost anti-Semitic, and much of church history has taken it as such. But how can this be when Paul himself was a practicing Jew, as were all the disciples, and early converts? The author unpacks a cornucopia of context as it pertains to the first century sect of Judaism who followed the Messiah Yeshua, comprised of Jews, Gentile converts to Judaism, and Gentile God-fearers who had not converted to Judaism.

The author breaks down Paul’s teachings and does a masterful job explaining the nuance of the language, religious practices, and common teachings of the day to unpack what Paul’s intended message was to his original audience.

[Robin]

This is a great book that gives a lot of insight into the culture to which this epistle was written. So much has been lost in the Church today as we have moved further and further away from the Jewish roots of Christianity (some intentional ways and other unintentional). I believe this book is a great resource for any who take the study of God's Word seriously and those who want to gain deeper understanding of what God's Word means for us and how needs to be applied today.

[Thomas Blake]

A must read for Messianic Jews & Gentiles

[Jerry Graham]

Mind Expanding

[Robanjo]

The book is a good conveyance of a sermon series. Lots to ponder for a different reading of the book of Galatians.