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Christ Crucified: A Theology of Galatians
Join New Testament Scholar Thomas Schreiner as He Explores the Meaning and Purpose of Galatians
In a time marked by confusion and change, the pathway to salvation for the Galatians seemed unclear. While the false teachers contended for circumcision and obedience to the law as necessary for justification before God, Paul presented the truth of the gospel and redrew the lines of salvation around the cross of Jesus Christ.
In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, scholar Thomas R. Schreiner addresses the conflict between Paul and his opponents in Galatia, examines the gospel itself, and shows what it looks like to live out the truth of the gospel in the new era. After examining the dominant biblical-theological themes of Galatians, readers will be reminded of the gift of grace Christ offers through his death on the cross—the only possible path to salvation and true unity among believers.
For Those Interested in Biblical Ideal for college and seminary students, pastors, and professors Helpful Bible Study A great companion to commentaries on Galatians Part of the New Testament Theology Other volumes include Ministry in the New Realm; To Walk and to Please God; and more
In a time marked by confusion and change, the pathway to salvation for the Galatians seemed unclear. While the false teachers contended for circumcision and obedience to the law as necessary for justification before God, Paul presented the truth of the gospel and redrew the lines of salvation around the cross of Jesus Christ.
In this addition to the New Testament Theology series, scholar Thomas R. Schreiner addresses the conflict between Paul and his opponents in Galatia, examines the gospel itself, and shows what it looks like to live out the truth of the gospel in the new era. After examining the dominant biblical-theological themes of Galatians, readers will be reminded of the gift of grace Christ offers through his death on the cross—the only possible path to salvation and true unity among believers.
For Those Interested in Biblical Ideal for college and seminary students, pastors, and professors Helpful Bible Study A great companion to commentaries on Galatians Part of the New Testament Theology Other volumes include Ministry in the New Realm; To Walk and to Please God; and more
176 pages, Paperback
Published August 27, 2024
19 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
About the author
Thomas R. Schreiner
113 books208 followersThomas R. Schreiner (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is James Buchanan Harrison Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is the author or editor of numerous books, including New Testament Theology; Magnifying God in Christ; Apostle of God's Glory in Christ; and Romans in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament.
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October 6, 2025Read the first half of the book in preparation for teaching equipping group way back in January. Finished the second half in preparation for preaching in October
November 3, 2025
Schreiner loves to drop bangers and remind me I am part of God's people.
August 28, 2024
Dr. Thomas R. Schreiner, a professor of New Testament interpretation and biblical theology, provides a close reading of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Galatians in his latest book, Christ Crucified: A Theology of Galatians. This compact volume is available today, Aug. 27, 2024, and provides an in-depth view of Galatians as part of Crossway’s New Testament series.
Part 1 The Conflict
Dr. Schreiner begins his three-part study of Galatians with the conflict that prompted this letter to the early first-century church. The Galatians resided in the region of Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. They were descended from Celtic peoples who migrated from Gaul, or modern-day France. (Blue Letter Bible ) Paul wrote them to address the false claims of his adversaries. First, his adversaries claimed Paul taught “the gospel according to him” and not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. They also said Paul wanted to please others. These critics told the new believers that they needed to not just believe Christ is the Messiah, but also convert to Judaism. They compelled the Christians to live like Jews and observe things like circumcision and purity laws (clean vs. unclean foods), etc. Sources online called these critics Judaizers. They may have believed in Christ as the Messiah, but they also wanted to continue to live by Jewish customs. They were teaching a false gospel of “faith + works.” Paul twice told the Galatians that their false teachings would bring a curse (anathema, or devoted to destruction) in Gal. 1:6-9.
Paul’s Apostleship and Authority
The adversaries first questioned Paul’s motives and his apostleship and authority to spread the good news of the Gospel. Paul said if he wanted praise from people he would have stayed a Pharisee. Since becoming a servant of Christ, Paul had been persecuted and had the scars to prove it. Paul shared his testimony on his calling. He once lived as a Pharisee. He received his education from the famous Rabbi Gamaliel and was “circumcised on the eighth day.” He loved the law of Moses and thought of it as life. Paul even persecuted Christians out of his zeal for God. Dr. Schreiner noted passages of Acts that confirm this in Acts 9:1-2, 4, 13-14; 22:4-5, 7-8, 19-20, 26:9-11. He said Paul saw himself like a modern-day Phinehas and Mattathias.
Jesus interrupted Paul’s plans on the road to Damascus. This is why Paul said his gospel is independent of the twelve. The Gospel came to him from a divine source – “through revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:12). He compares Jesus’ call on his life to those of the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah. He said in Galatians 1:15-17:
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
Paul eventually met with the apostles, but not because he had any doubts of what Jesus shared with him on the road to Damascus. (Gal. 1:18-24) Paul mentions the known pillars, and says he met with Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. James, Peter, and John would later recognize Paul and Barnabas’ ministry to the Gentiles.
Circumcision vs. The Cross of Christ
Paul’s adversaries sought to confuse the new Christians. Like the Pharisees of old, they became the proverbial wolves in sheep’s clothing. They sought to undermine the Gospel. Circumcision became their battleground.
These adversaries told the Galatians they needed more than to believe Jesus is the Messiah. Dr. Schreiner said Old Testament Jews and those in the Second Temple period saw circumcision as the way to becoming God’s people. Paul would show how the cross of Christ is the center of the Gospel and is necessary for entrance, not circumcision. Luke wrote in Acts 4:12,
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Paul’s critics then (and now) wanted to know why Timothy was circumcised if circumcision was not necessary for entrance into God’s family. Timothy was part Jew through his mother’s side. The motivation for his circumcision is one of mission. Paul knew Timothy needed access to the synagogues to teach, so he met the Jewish cultural demand for circumcision (See note). But Timothy did not need to be circumcised under the new covenant (See this great commentary from Matthew Henry on Acts 16).
Paul refused to compel his mission partner Titus, a gentile, to become circumcised. The act of circumcision as a requirement to be part of God’s kingdom people passed away with the old age, Paul said. Christ’s death and resurrection ushered in a new age. No one could ever do all that the whole law demands, not even the Judaizers (Gal. 6:12-13). See Titus 3:5-7.
The cross of Christ is one of the main themes explored in this letter to the Galatians. The cross of Christ meant believers no longer live under the Law, but are one in Christ, adopted sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ, members of God’s family, the church. Paul defended the truth of the Gospel he said to the point he would admonish Peter and his fellow apostle Barnabas when they treated the Gentiles in a similar way as these Judaizers. Known as the Antioch incident (a city in Southern Galatia), James had written to Peter about not eating with Gentiles (purity laws). Fear drove Peter and the other Jews to separate themselves from the Gentiles. Paul asked Peter why he was compelling the Gentiles to follow Jewish customs, distorting the Gospel. Dr. Schreiner said the word anankazō for “compel” is used here. Paul’s famous words in Gal. 2: 20-21 illustrate what happens when we accept Christ as our Savior. Cultural barriers that segregated Jews from Gentiles have come down thanks to Jesus’ work on the cross.
Part 2 The Gospel
The Promise vs. The Law
Paul felt led to admonish Peter at Antioch because Christ had united Jews and Gentiles through His death on the Cross. No longer would animal sacrifices stand in the place of the sinner. No longer would humans be in bondage to sin. Christ wants unity within the church, a “unity rooted in truth,” Dr. Schreiner said.
After comparing circumcision vs. the Cross of Christ, Paul compared the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham to the conditional covenant God made with Moses. God promised Abraham in Genesis 12: 2-3 that He would make Abraham a great nation. When God freed the Israelites from Egyptian captivity, He made a conditional covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). This Mosaic, or Sinai, covenant is the torah, or the Law. The Law revealed to the Israelites their sinfulness and need for a Savior. See also Romans 3:23-24. Paul explains why the Law was given in Gal. 3:19. "It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come."
The Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, came to fulfill the promise God made to Abraham. He is the only fully divine, fully human, second Person of the Trinity who kept the whole Law. He delivered humanity from the bondage of sin and death when He suffered and died on the cross. Christians no longer live under the Law’s curse. Dr. Schreiner said that the Law itself is not a curse; the curse is human fallenness and sin. Jesus’ atoning work on the cross freed sinners from life in the flesh. See Gal. 3:28-29.
Part 3 The New Life
The Galatians needed to hear that they were part of God’s promise to Abraham. The Law came 430 years after. Paul makes a distinction between the life of the flesh (old era) and life in the Spirit (new era). Christians aren’t made perfect by the flesh, he said, but by the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. Paul said these adversaries were living as if the new creation had not arrived and were trying to get the Galatians to do the same. He then presents an allegory using the story of Hagar and Sarah from Genesis. Paul likened those who did not have the faith of Abraham to the child born of a slave, Ishmael (Gal. 4:21-31). Paul told the Galatians they became like Isaac, born of a free woman when they accept Christ by faith (3:3, 7-8). God’s covenant with Abraham – the Abrahamic Covenant — is in full effect (Galatians 3:16-18).
Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ
Dr. Schreiner said Paul wanted the Galatians to not listen to those who were trying to get them to revert back to old era, life in the flesh. He said that love for the world ends at the cross. After accepting Christ, the believer receives the promised Holy Spirit. He resides within Christians who undergo a renovation that starts the moment they accept Christ. Christians are “governed and directed by the Holy Spirit” to live in a way pleasing to God.
Christians will still experience the desires of the flesh while living in this fallen world, but the Spirit empowers them to “crucify the flesh”, to repent and turn away from sin. He produces within the believer fruits of the spirit that signify a life lived in service to the Lord. (The works of the flesh versus the fruits of the Spirit are given in Gal. 5:19-25.) Christians rooted in the life of the Spirit no longer live for themselves: they live for Christ. While each person must decide to follow Jesus, Dr. Schreiner said, each one has a place, a role to fulfill, within the corporate body of Christ.
Concluding Thoughts
I had not read a devotional solely on Galatians; in fact, the last time I read Galatians, I also read Ephesians and Philippians with tie-ins to Paul’s other letters. Even though this book is on Galatians, Dr. Schreiner took me to other biblical passages. Scripture interprets Scripture, so I fully expected to explore other books of the Bible. Galatians also ties into end times study, or eschatology, Dr. Schreiner said. Christians reside in God’s Kingdom now and are awaiting Christ’s return. The “already, but not yet” eschatology in Paul’s letters is of interest to modern Bible scholars.
Dr. Schreiner is a Pauline scholar and professor of New Testament, as well as an associate dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In his discussion, he used other religious texts besides the Hebrew Bible, such as the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books and the Masoretic Text. I think he used those works to provide historical, literary, philosophical, and religious context for Paul’s letter to the Galatians…but that’s just my take on it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crossway publishing for allowing me to read and review this advance reader copy of Christ Crucified: A Theology of Galatians.
Part 1 The Conflict
Dr. Schreiner begins his three-part study of Galatians with the conflict that prompted this letter to the early first-century church. The Galatians resided in the region of Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. They were descended from Celtic peoples who migrated from Gaul, or modern-day France. (Blue Letter Bible ) Paul wrote them to address the false claims of his adversaries. First, his adversaries claimed Paul taught “the gospel according to him” and not the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. They also said Paul wanted to please others. These critics told the new believers that they needed to not just believe Christ is the Messiah, but also convert to Judaism. They compelled the Christians to live like Jews and observe things like circumcision and purity laws (clean vs. unclean foods), etc. Sources online called these critics Judaizers. They may have believed in Christ as the Messiah, but they also wanted to continue to live by Jewish customs. They were teaching a false gospel of “faith + works.” Paul twice told the Galatians that their false teachings would bring a curse (anathema, or devoted to destruction) in Gal. 1:6-9.
Paul’s Apostleship and Authority
The adversaries first questioned Paul’s motives and his apostleship and authority to spread the good news of the Gospel. Paul said if he wanted praise from people he would have stayed a Pharisee. Since becoming a servant of Christ, Paul had been persecuted and had the scars to prove it. Paul shared his testimony on his calling. He once lived as a Pharisee. He received his education from the famous Rabbi Gamaliel and was “circumcised on the eighth day.” He loved the law of Moses and thought of it as life. Paul even persecuted Christians out of his zeal for God. Dr. Schreiner noted passages of Acts that confirm this in Acts 9:1-2, 4, 13-14; 22:4-5, 7-8, 19-20, 26:9-11. He said Paul saw himself like a modern-day Phinehas and Mattathias.
Jesus interrupted Paul’s plans on the road to Damascus. This is why Paul said his gospel is independent of the twelve. The Gospel came to him from a divine source – “through revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:12). He compares Jesus’ call on his life to those of the prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah. He said in Galatians 1:15-17:
But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.
Paul eventually met with the apostles, but not because he had any doubts of what Jesus shared with him on the road to Damascus. (Gal. 1:18-24) Paul mentions the known pillars, and says he met with Peter and James, the brother of Jesus. James, Peter, and John would later recognize Paul and Barnabas’ ministry to the Gentiles.
Circumcision vs. The Cross of Christ
Paul’s adversaries sought to confuse the new Christians. Like the Pharisees of old, they became the proverbial wolves in sheep’s clothing. They sought to undermine the Gospel. Circumcision became their battleground.
These adversaries told the Galatians they needed more than to believe Jesus is the Messiah. Dr. Schreiner said Old Testament Jews and those in the Second Temple period saw circumcision as the way to becoming God’s people. Paul would show how the cross of Christ is the center of the Gospel and is necessary for entrance, not circumcision. Luke wrote in Acts 4:12,
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Paul’s critics then (and now) wanted to know why Timothy was circumcised if circumcision was not necessary for entrance into God’s family. Timothy was part Jew through his mother’s side. The motivation for his circumcision is one of mission. Paul knew Timothy needed access to the synagogues to teach, so he met the Jewish cultural demand for circumcision (See note). But Timothy did not need to be circumcised under the new covenant (See this great commentary from Matthew Henry on Acts 16).
Paul refused to compel his mission partner Titus, a gentile, to become circumcised. The act of circumcision as a requirement to be part of God’s kingdom people passed away with the old age, Paul said. Christ’s death and resurrection ushered in a new age. No one could ever do all that the whole law demands, not even the Judaizers (Gal. 6:12-13). See Titus 3:5-7.
The cross of Christ is one of the main themes explored in this letter to the Galatians. The cross of Christ meant believers no longer live under the Law, but are one in Christ, adopted sons and daughters, co-heirs with Christ, members of God’s family, the church. Paul defended the truth of the Gospel he said to the point he would admonish Peter and his fellow apostle Barnabas when they treated the Gentiles in a similar way as these Judaizers. Known as the Antioch incident (a city in Southern Galatia), James had written to Peter about not eating with Gentiles (purity laws). Fear drove Peter and the other Jews to separate themselves from the Gentiles. Paul asked Peter why he was compelling the Gentiles to follow Jewish customs, distorting the Gospel. Dr. Schreiner said the word anankazō for “compel” is used here. Paul’s famous words in Gal. 2: 20-21 illustrate what happens when we accept Christ as our Savior. Cultural barriers that segregated Jews from Gentiles have come down thanks to Jesus’ work on the cross.
Part 2 The Gospel
The Promise vs. The Law
Paul felt led to admonish Peter at Antioch because Christ had united Jews and Gentiles through His death on the Cross. No longer would animal sacrifices stand in the place of the sinner. No longer would humans be in bondage to sin. Christ wants unity within the church, a “unity rooted in truth,” Dr. Schreiner said.
After comparing circumcision vs. the Cross of Christ, Paul compared the unconditional covenant God made with Abraham to the conditional covenant God made with Moses. God promised Abraham in Genesis 12: 2-3 that He would make Abraham a great nation. When God freed the Israelites from Egyptian captivity, He made a conditional covenant with the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-24). This Mosaic, or Sinai, covenant is the torah, or the Law. The Law revealed to the Israelites their sinfulness and need for a Savior. See also Romans 3:23-24. Paul explains why the Law was given in Gal. 3:19. "It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come."
The Seed of Abraham, Jesus Christ, came to fulfill the promise God made to Abraham. He is the only fully divine, fully human, second Person of the Trinity who kept the whole Law. He delivered humanity from the bondage of sin and death when He suffered and died on the cross. Christians no longer live under the Law’s curse. Dr. Schreiner said that the Law itself is not a curse; the curse is human fallenness and sin. Jesus’ atoning work on the cross freed sinners from life in the flesh. See Gal. 3:28-29.
Part 3 The New Life
The Galatians needed to hear that they were part of God’s promise to Abraham. The Law came 430 years after. Paul makes a distinction between the life of the flesh (old era) and life in the Spirit (new era). Christians aren’t made perfect by the flesh, he said, but by the Holy Spirit who lives within every believer. Paul said these adversaries were living as if the new creation had not arrived and were trying to get the Galatians to do the same. He then presents an allegory using the story of Hagar and Sarah from Genesis. Paul likened those who did not have the faith of Abraham to the child born of a slave, Ishmael (Gal. 4:21-31). Paul told the Galatians they became like Isaac, born of a free woman when they accept Christ by faith (3:3, 7-8). God’s covenant with Abraham – the Abrahamic Covenant — is in full effect (Galatians 3:16-18).
Justification by Faith in Jesus Christ
Dr. Schreiner said Paul wanted the Galatians to not listen to those who were trying to get them to revert back to old era, life in the flesh. He said that love for the world ends at the cross. After accepting Christ, the believer receives the promised Holy Spirit. He resides within Christians who undergo a renovation that starts the moment they accept Christ. Christians are “governed and directed by the Holy Spirit” to live in a way pleasing to God.
Christians will still experience the desires of the flesh while living in this fallen world, but the Spirit empowers them to “crucify the flesh”, to repent and turn away from sin. He produces within the believer fruits of the spirit that signify a life lived in service to the Lord. (The works of the flesh versus the fruits of the Spirit are given in Gal. 5:19-25.) Christians rooted in the life of the Spirit no longer live for themselves: they live for Christ. While each person must decide to follow Jesus, Dr. Schreiner said, each one has a place, a role to fulfill, within the corporate body of Christ.
Concluding Thoughts
I had not read a devotional solely on Galatians; in fact, the last time I read Galatians, I also read Ephesians and Philippians with tie-ins to Paul’s other letters. Even though this book is on Galatians, Dr. Schreiner took me to other biblical passages. Scripture interprets Scripture, so I fully expected to explore other books of the Bible. Galatians also ties into end times study, or eschatology, Dr. Schreiner said. Christians reside in God’s Kingdom now and are awaiting Christ’s return. The “already, but not yet” eschatology in Paul’s letters is of interest to modern Bible scholars.
Dr. Schreiner is a Pauline scholar and professor of New Testament, as well as an associate dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In his discussion, he used other religious texts besides the Hebrew Bible, such as the Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical books and the Masoretic Text. I think he used those works to provide historical, literary, philosophical, and religious context for Paul’s letter to the Galatians…but that’s just my take on it.
Thank you to Netgalley and Crossway publishing for allowing me to read and review this advance reader copy of Christ Crucified: A Theology of Galatians.
February 11, 2025
First sentence: Galatians heralds the truth of the gospel, and this gospel stands as the authority over all people everywhere.
Who is this book for? Who is this book not for? I feel that the casual bible reader with little to moderate experience with scholarly deep-dives will struggle with this book. Primarily for two reasons: first, Galatians is a weighty book to unpack. It covers some of the same topics as Paul's letter to the Romans, however, it is less general, more specific, and more layered. You have a LOT of decoding context to do before you even get to the theological bits. Second, the book is scholarly. This in and of itself is neither good nor bad. It is what it is. This is not something that can be read, understood, comprehended, mastered by a casual read-through. It requires YOU the reader to engage in complex, weighty theological ideas and concepts so that you can keep up or follow along with the author. If your understanding begins to weaken, if things begin to slide right on over your head, there is no "catching up" and "muddling through" and hoping that the next chapter will clarify. For those more experienced with [weighty] theology and are used to reading scholarly books--textbooks even--then this one will prove an easier go.
One thing that I was able to appreciate was its clarity. You might be confused. Didn't I just say this one was too complex for the average reader? (And I am definitely in that grouping with this one. I struggled.) The book is clearly laid out and organized. It tells you what to expect in each part or section, each chapter. Each chapter has a CONCLUSION which sums up the main points of the chapter. If nothing else, the conclusions help clarify some of the arguments. If not for the conclusions, then I might have given up all hope of finishing this one.
What I did read and understand--there were some bits--I found thought-provoking. I appreciated that he was trying to put the book into context and piece together WHAT Paul's opponents actually-actually believed instead of just diving into the Scripture itself. If Paul is arguing THIS in response, can we figure out more clearly WHAT position(s) were being held. At one point it was like theological algebra--solving for x. The discussion on circumcision, for example, brought up some points that I had not considered.
I decided to rate four stars because I think most likely what is here is solid theologically, I just couldn't quite understand it well enough to fully engage and benefit from it. Perhaps ministers and teachers could benefit more from it because it was written more on their level.
Who is this book for? Who is this book not for? I feel that the casual bible reader with little to moderate experience with scholarly deep-dives will struggle with this book. Primarily for two reasons: first, Galatians is a weighty book to unpack. It covers some of the same topics as Paul's letter to the Romans, however, it is less general, more specific, and more layered. You have a LOT of decoding context to do before you even get to the theological bits. Second, the book is scholarly. This in and of itself is neither good nor bad. It is what it is. This is not something that can be read, understood, comprehended, mastered by a casual read-through. It requires YOU the reader to engage in complex, weighty theological ideas and concepts so that you can keep up or follow along with the author. If your understanding begins to weaken, if things begin to slide right on over your head, there is no "catching up" and "muddling through" and hoping that the next chapter will clarify. For those more experienced with [weighty] theology and are used to reading scholarly books--textbooks even--then this one will prove an easier go.
One thing that I was able to appreciate was its clarity. You might be confused. Didn't I just say this one was too complex for the average reader? (And I am definitely in that grouping with this one. I struggled.) The book is clearly laid out and organized. It tells you what to expect in each part or section, each chapter. Each chapter has a CONCLUSION which sums up the main points of the chapter. If nothing else, the conclusions help clarify some of the arguments. If not for the conclusions, then I might have given up all hope of finishing this one.
What I did read and understand--there were some bits--I found thought-provoking. I appreciated that he was trying to put the book into context and piece together WHAT Paul's opponents actually-actually believed instead of just diving into the Scripture itself. If Paul is arguing THIS in response, can we figure out more clearly WHAT position(s) were being held. At one point it was like theological algebra--solving for x. The discussion on circumcision, for example, brought up some points that I had not considered.
I decided to rate four stars because I think most likely what is here is solid theologically, I just couldn't quite understand it well enough to fully engage and benefit from it. Perhaps ministers and teachers could benefit more from it because it was written more on their level.
December 31, 2025
Schreiner offers a helpful guide to Galatians in this book. The short length and general style make this an accessible read. I’ve studied Galatians on my own before, but this brought clarity about the major themes and the issues at stake. Schreiner clearly demonstrated the centrality of the cross to Paul’s arguments in Galatians without reducing everything to that single theme.
Schreiner offers a helpful critique on the new perspective on Paul, which he explains as the book unfolds. He also highlights how an emphasis on the gospel doesn’t undermine moral living, and it impacts both our individual and corporate lives.
I wouldn’t say this is one of the top books I’ve ever read, but it is spiritually nourishing and a worth while read. These chapters helped me see afresh why the pure gospel must stand at the center of our belief and practice, and it prompted further thought about the relationship between the old and new covenants. This is a helpful book, and I look forward to reading other volumes in the series.
Schreiner offers a helpful critique on the new perspective on Paul, which he explains as the book unfolds. He also highlights how an emphasis on the gospel doesn’t undermine moral living, and it impacts both our individual and corporate lives.
I wouldn’t say this is one of the top books I’ve ever read, but it is spiritually nourishing and a worth while read. These chapters helped me see afresh why the pure gospel must stand at the center of our belief and practice, and it prompted further thought about the relationship between the old and new covenants. This is a helpful book, and I look forward to reading other volumes in the series.
August 23, 2024
We're studying Galatians in our life group right now and this is an excellent resource for gaining insight into Paul's overall line of argument in the letter. Schreiner carefully draws out key themes that are present throughout, themes like justification, Abraham's family, the law, and the Spirit. While I'm not sure I agree with all of his criticisms of the new perspective, I appreciated the charitable nature of the critique and believe he makes valid points worth considering. Overall, this is a concise and accessible summary of one of Paul's most important letters.
September 20, 2024
"Christ Crucified" discussed the theology found in Galatians. Each chapter examined a topic found in Galatians, like: Paul's apostolic authority, how to treat circumcision or the law in light of the gospel, justification by faith, who makes up Abraham's linage, etc. The author provided verses from other biblical books to help give background to the debate and looked at things like grammar and word meanings. The tone was scholarly, but I didn't have any trouble understanding his arguments. I'd recommend this book to those who'd like a deeper look at the arguments made in Galatians.
December 2, 2025
Excellent theological treatment of Galatians
Schreiner wastes no words in this excellent, short commentary on the theology of Galatians. For anyone who gets bored with longer commentaries that get bogged down in Greek translation rabbit holes or examining every historical interpretation, this commentary provides a ‘just-the-facts’ treatment of the meaning and theology of the letter. Highly recommended.
Schreiner wastes no words in this excellent, short commentary on the theology of Galatians. For anyone who gets bored with longer commentaries that get bogged down in Greek translation rabbit holes or examining every historical interpretation, this commentary provides a ‘just-the-facts’ treatment of the meaning and theology of the letter. Highly recommended.
Read
August 12, 2024Listened to some chapters of this book at the Moore College Lectures, so I won't give an official review as I think listening is different to reading, but what I liked:
The last section on Love being the fulfilment of the law (and the chief of the fruit of the Spirit) with the summary: "Christians need, not new moral law, but power to live God's way by the Spirit".
The last section on Love being the fulfilment of the law (and the chief of the fruit of the Spirit) with the summary: "Christians need, not new moral law, but power to live God's way by the Spirit".
January 2, 2025
Not bad for what it is. Gives a basic overview of some of the main themes of the letter. Considering its length it does a decent job interacting with NPP. Of course Schreiner had his ‘Law of Christ’ comments in there which is to be expected.
A good introduction for Lay people and a decent overview in general.
A good introduction for Lay people and a decent overview in general.
September 29, 2024
4.5–5 stars
Blog Posts:
https://www.crossway.org/articles/wha...
https://www.crossway.org/articles/jus...
Lectures:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy...
Blog Posts:
https://www.crossway.org/articles/wha...
https://www.crossway.org/articles/jus...
Lectures:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy...
May 9, 2025
Onto it. Excellent guide. Schreiner begins with Paul's agenda in writing the letter and persuasively argues for how each section contributes to that overall aim, including your favourite verses that you know and love. Schreiner doesn't miss.
December 19, 2024
Excellent. I read a pre-pub copy. The stuff on apocalyptic, and the review of John Barclay, were especially helpful.
August 7, 2025
Gearing up to preach on Galatians. This was a nice overview. Recommended. Not sure how useful it will be each week as I walk through the book of Galatians. But still quality stuff
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