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Galatians: Commentaries for Christian Formation
The first major biblical commentary from the pen of N. T. Wright
While full of theological import, Paul’s letter to the Galatians also captures and memorializes a significant moment in the early history of Christianity. This commentary from N. T. Wright—the inaugural volume of the CCF series—offers a theological interpretation of Galatians that never loses sight of the political concerns of its historical context. With these two elements of the letter in dialogue with each other, readers can understand both what Paul originally meant and how his writing might be faithfully used to respond to present questions.
Each section of verse-by-verse commentary in this volume is followed by Wright’s reflections on what the text says about Christian formation today, making this an excellent resource for individual readers and those preparing to teach or preach on Galatians. The focus on formation is especially appropriate for this biblical letter, in which Paul wrote to his fellow early Christians, “My children—I seem to be in labor with you all over again, until the Messiah is fully formed in you!”
While full of theological import, Paul’s letter to the Galatians also captures and memorializes a significant moment in the early history of Christianity. This commentary from N. T. Wright—the inaugural volume of the CCF series—offers a theological interpretation of Galatians that never loses sight of the political concerns of its historical context. With these two elements of the letter in dialogue with each other, readers can understand both what Paul originally meant and how his writing might be faithfully used to respond to present questions.
Each section of verse-by-verse commentary in this volume is followed by Wright’s reflections on what the text says about Christian formation today, making this an excellent resource for individual readers and those preparing to teach or preach on Galatians. The focus on formation is especially appropriate for this biblical letter, in which Paul wrote to his fellow early Christians, “My children—I seem to be in labor with you all over again, until the Messiah is fully formed in you!”
439 pages, Hardcover
Published May 25, 2021
97 people are currently reading
208 people want to read
About the author
N.T. Wright
460 books2,865 followersN. T. Wright is the former Bishop of Durham in the Church of England (2003-2010) and one of the world's leading Bible scholars. He is now serving as the chair of New Testament and Early Christianity at the School of Divinity at the University of St. Andrews. He has been featured on ABC News, Dateline NBC, The Colbert Report, and Fresh Air, and he has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities. Wright is the award-winning author of Surprised by Hope, Simply Christian, The Last Word, The Challenge of Jesus, The Meaning of Jesus (coauthored with Marcus Borg), as well as the much heralded series Christian Origins and the Question of God.
He also publishes under Tom Wright.
He also publishes under Tom Wright.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
June 20, 2021
Most commentaries are written so that the reader can look up a passage for information on those verses in particular. Others have this same goal but the author makes an effort to help readers read the text from cover to cover. This commentary stands out in that it is *best* read from cover to cover. Wright consistently makes his arguments in one section dependent on what he has argued previously. This, of course, is exactly how Paul writes his letters. For this reason this commentary is exceptionally helpful and simply a joy to read.
There are, of course, places where I’d quibble with (or outright refute) some of Wright’s conclusions, but that is the beauty of commentary: all the thoughts are there for you to weigh for yourself.
There are, of course, places where I’d quibble with (or outright refute) some of Wright’s conclusions, but that is the beauty of commentary: all the thoughts are there for you to weigh for yourself.
August 14, 2021
Simply stunning. The best commentary on a book of the Bible I’ve read. Wright provides a much needed recovery of the original message of Galatians. He elegantly makes the case that Paul is chiefly concerned about false teachers forcing Gentile believers to be circumcised and the effect this compulsion would have upon the family of God. He also provides a necessary critique of the view that Paul is primarily concerned about a disembodied heaven and works righteousness. Rather, Paul calls the churches in Galatia to their true vocation, to be a light to the world, and a united family under the Messiah. My favorite line in the book: the resurrection of Jesus is the pivot point that changed the world forever. A must read.
January 23, 2023
Absolutely terrific. I don't agree with Wright on everything, but he does an excellent job of bringing in a cohesive understanding of both the Old Testament and Jewish history, which gave me a much better grasp of the context of the letter than I previously had.
August 27, 2024
This was the inaugural volume of the new Commentaries for Christian Formation (CCF) series. I’m sure they were pleased to snag N. T. Wright since he is such a major scholar. To be sure, he is controversial because he is one of the proponents of the New Perspective on Paul. Because I especially liked the new volume on Hebrews in this series, I backed up to check out this one. Since I’m not a NPP guy and because Wright isn’t in any of the main series I’ve consistently reviewed, this was my first foray into Wright’s writing.
By the end of the Introduction here, I felt I understood Wright and could see what all the hoopla was about. He is an engaging, even provocative writer. Rather than an academic work, I felt I was reading a captivating essay. The more I read, the more I wondered if it would help a lot of works to adopt that style. It is much more gripping and makes for more of what we might call a real reading experience. I must give Wright all the props for his writing.
Still, I wasn’t fully persuaded by his arguments. They had enough going for them that I could find places for caution in running mindlessly to our usual conclusions, but not enough to just overthrow them. (You can decide if I was too biased a reader). For example, he is convinced that the Reformation oriented New Testament studies away from what they were in the First Century (that will never do in some circles! ). Again, I think he gives us enough to consider more carefully earlier concerns, but no where near enough to think the Reformation recreated Christianity in its own image. From there his comments had value mostly in regard to when he was not trying to advance his scheme because, as I said before, the man unquestionably possesses advanced writing skills.
His work still has value in the commentary section. I see him as a guy standing at a different vantage point. Sometimes it’s too far away to see through all the bushes, but where he has a clear line of sight, it’s something else.
He’s probably geared quite nicely for Christian formation, probably more so than for theological precision for sure too. Based on what I’ve said, you’ll know how many stars to give this work.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
By the end of the Introduction here, I felt I understood Wright and could see what all the hoopla was about. He is an engaging, even provocative writer. Rather than an academic work, I felt I was reading a captivating essay. The more I read, the more I wondered if it would help a lot of works to adopt that style. It is much more gripping and makes for more of what we might call a real reading experience. I must give Wright all the props for his writing.
Still, I wasn’t fully persuaded by his arguments. They had enough going for them that I could find places for caution in running mindlessly to our usual conclusions, but not enough to just overthrow them. (You can decide if I was too biased a reader). For example, he is convinced that the Reformation oriented New Testament studies away from what they were in the First Century (that will never do in some circles! ). Again, I think he gives us enough to consider more carefully earlier concerns, but no where near enough to think the Reformation recreated Christianity in its own image. From there his comments had value mostly in regard to when he was not trying to advance his scheme because, as I said before, the man unquestionably possesses advanced writing skills.
His work still has value in the commentary section. I see him as a guy standing at a different vantage point. Sometimes it’s too far away to see through all the bushes, but where he has a clear line of sight, it’s something else.
He’s probably geared quite nicely for Christian formation, probably more so than for theological precision for sure too. Based on what I’ve said, you’ll know how many stars to give this work.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
March 18, 2022
NT Wright has thought and written about the ideas in this Galatians commentary for 40+ years. It would take me that long just to fully comprehend half this book.
August 5, 2021
Next to Romans, Paul's letter to the Galatians has stood at the center of Protestant self-understandings. It is here, in Paul's debate with what is often referred to as the Judaizers that he defines the way of salvation. That is, justification by faith. That is the standard interpretation as handed down to most of us. But what does that all mean? What is the Galatian letter all about besides whether or not circumcision is a prerequisite for salvation and church membership? The assumption in the minds of many that the reason we need a proper answer to the question is that it affects our heavenly destination. But what if salvation in the mind of Paul, especially, as described here in Galatians doesn't have anything to do with going to heaven?
it is always helpful to have expert guidance when exploring Scripture, which usually comes in the form of commentaries. Some commentaries are highly technical diving deep into the original languages and textual variants. Those are important, but often do not provide the guidance that preachers and Bible teachers need. Fortunately, there are commentaries designed for that purpose as well. They're written by top scholars who can do the detailed stuff but can also lay things out in ways that the nonspecialist can understand and make use of without consulting a Latin dictionary. Such is the case here with N.T. Wright's commentary on Galatians.
The commentary under review here is part of a new series from Eerdmans that focuses on faith formation. In the series introduction, the editors note that this series seeks to integrate the concerns of exegesis, preaching, teaching, and application. Thus, the series seeks to serve the church "by showing how sound theological exegesis can underwrite preaching and teaching, which in turn forms believers in the faith." (p. xi). Thus, this is a series concerned about exegesis but also theology in support of preaching and teaching.
This particular commentary is written by N.T. Wright, who has spent his career in both the academic and ecclesial arena, having been a Bishop in the Church of England as well as a professor of New Testament. He has written on both the Gospels and the Pauline letters. His work has sought to root the study of Scripture within history, trying to place texts in their historical/cultural context. Here he seeks to answer two questions. First, what did the text mean to Paul and his audience (historical)? Secondly, what does the text of Galatians have to do with Christian formation (contemporary application).
As Wright reads Galatians, he addresses the traditional Protestant interpretation, especially that rooted in Luther, that focuses on justification by faith. The problem is that too often this has led to a focus on how we get to heaven, something Wright believes Paul didn't have in mind here. For Paul, the concern was the new creation in Christ, wherein Jew and Gentile become the one Israel of God, that is, the seed of Abraham. Thus, Abraham isn't just an example of faith, he is the progenitor of the children of God. The concern for Paul here is the means by which Gentiles are included in the Israel of God. It is faith and not circumcision. When Paul speaks of faith here, he's not opposing it to works.
I found the commentary stimulating and helpful. He takes us verse by verse through the letter, offering theological interpretations rooted in exegesis that takes seriously the context in which it is written. While we all have our interpretive starting points, what is helpful here is that he is not limited by his Protestant/Reformed heritage. Wright isn't a liberal but he's not conservative. In other words, he's hard to pin down. For the most part, I didn't have any real problems with his interpretation of Galatians. So, I believe it will prove to be quite useful. I know I will consult it as I engage with the text of Galatians. I look forward to seeing what the rest of the series will look like once other volumes emerge since this is what I might expect from Wright.
it is always helpful to have expert guidance when exploring Scripture, which usually comes in the form of commentaries. Some commentaries are highly technical diving deep into the original languages and textual variants. Those are important, but often do not provide the guidance that preachers and Bible teachers need. Fortunately, there are commentaries designed for that purpose as well. They're written by top scholars who can do the detailed stuff but can also lay things out in ways that the nonspecialist can understand and make use of without consulting a Latin dictionary. Such is the case here with N.T. Wright's commentary on Galatians.
The commentary under review here is part of a new series from Eerdmans that focuses on faith formation. In the series introduction, the editors note that this series seeks to integrate the concerns of exegesis, preaching, teaching, and application. Thus, the series seeks to serve the church "by showing how sound theological exegesis can underwrite preaching and teaching, which in turn forms believers in the faith." (p. xi). Thus, this is a series concerned about exegesis but also theology in support of preaching and teaching.
This particular commentary is written by N.T. Wright, who has spent his career in both the academic and ecclesial arena, having been a Bishop in the Church of England as well as a professor of New Testament. He has written on both the Gospels and the Pauline letters. His work has sought to root the study of Scripture within history, trying to place texts in their historical/cultural context. Here he seeks to answer two questions. First, what did the text mean to Paul and his audience (historical)? Secondly, what does the text of Galatians have to do with Christian formation (contemporary application).
As Wright reads Galatians, he addresses the traditional Protestant interpretation, especially that rooted in Luther, that focuses on justification by faith. The problem is that too often this has led to a focus on how we get to heaven, something Wright believes Paul didn't have in mind here. For Paul, the concern was the new creation in Christ, wherein Jew and Gentile become the one Israel of God, that is, the seed of Abraham. Thus, Abraham isn't just an example of faith, he is the progenitor of the children of God. The concern for Paul here is the means by which Gentiles are included in the Israel of God. It is faith and not circumcision. When Paul speaks of faith here, he's not opposing it to works.
I found the commentary stimulating and helpful. He takes us verse by verse through the letter, offering theological interpretations rooted in exegesis that takes seriously the context in which it is written. While we all have our interpretive starting points, what is helpful here is that he is not limited by his Protestant/Reformed heritage. Wright isn't a liberal but he's not conservative. In other words, he's hard to pin down. For the most part, I didn't have any real problems with his interpretation of Galatians. So, I believe it will prove to be quite useful. I know I will consult it as I engage with the text of Galatians. I look forward to seeing what the rest of the series will look like once other volumes emerge since this is what I might expect from Wright.
August 26, 2021
Well written. You definitely have to not mind his style of writing, of course.
It lays out his perspective on Galatians well. It definitely will be in tension with other perspectives like the apocalyptic Paul and others. I am curious to compare this with folks like Campbell.
I like what he did with the Hagar stuff. It made a lot of sense to me. This commentary helped Galatians hang together more tightly to me. Persuasive.
It lays out his perspective on Galatians well. It definitely will be in tension with other perspectives like the apocalyptic Paul and others. I am curious to compare this with folks like Campbell.
I like what he did with the Hagar stuff. It made a lot of sense to me. This commentary helped Galatians hang together more tightly to me. Persuasive.
Read
August 28, 2025So it feels strange to rate a book by someone way smarter and more learned than I could ever dream of being. Who am I to tell a scholar and academic "Good job" or "bad job." That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this contribution from Wright. It was helpful to have Galatians presented start to finish more in line with its original historical context as opposed to just what modern protestants (post-Luther) have tried to read into the text. I'm also super thankful for the focus that he (and this series to come, which I'm super excited about) puts on how this text can and ought form us as Christian communities. It's obviously an academic work as a commentary but is helpful beyond the pulpit due to that sole factor.
If there were one aspect that wasn't my favorite, it was how much ink was devoted to making clear what the text WASN'T saying or what he clearly disagrees with. He made this super clear in the beginning but then continued to interrupt his thoughts of what Paul meant by making clear what he didn't mean. Granted, this might be necessary for many readers because of how much has to be unlearned when it comes to a text like this; I just felt it a bit much for me.
If there were one aspect that wasn't my favorite, it was how much ink was devoted to making clear what the text WASN'T saying or what he clearly disagrees with. He made this super clear in the beginning but then continued to interrupt his thoughts of what Paul meant by making clear what he didn't mean. Granted, this might be necessary for many readers because of how much has to be unlearned when it comes to a text like this; I just felt it a bit much for me.
March 11, 2023
Insightful and well written, NT Wright's commentary on Galatians opened my eyes to so many contextual factors that I hadn't before known. Even with what I've learned, Wright helped me understand that there is so much more to this letter that he didn't include in the book or that the author himself did not have the answer to.
The good thing about reading Wright is that he makes you fall in love with the Bible again. If I thought I knew Galatians, well, I was wrong by a mile. I still had much to explore and discover!
I won't give away the story here, but the underlying socio-religious and political backstory is compelling. An agitated Paul writes this letter in haste to address what was an iceberg, so to speak, along the fledgling voyage of the historical movement then known as the way of Jesus Messiah.
I recommend this book to all Christians; as well, 1st century or Reformation history buffs will also appreciate this work by Wright. The author offers several correctives to the modern traditional view of Galatians that I found helpful and would benefit anyone.
The good thing about reading Wright is that he makes you fall in love with the Bible again. If I thought I knew Galatians, well, I was wrong by a mile. I still had much to explore and discover!
I won't give away the story here, but the underlying socio-religious and political backstory is compelling. An agitated Paul writes this letter in haste to address what was an iceberg, so to speak, along the fledgling voyage of the historical movement then known as the way of Jesus Messiah.
I recommend this book to all Christians; as well, 1st century or Reformation history buffs will also appreciate this work by Wright. The author offers several correctives to the modern traditional view of Galatians that I found helpful and would benefit anyone.
August 12, 2025
Solid. Not known for his prolific commentating—verse by verse exegesis must feel like a straight jacket for him—but having commentated Romans two decades prior, the powers that be wouldn’t let Wright ride into the sunset before smushing Luther’s other soapbox epistle. Of the disparate New Perspective voices, Wright has been the most engaging and prolific. While his best work has always been in the bigger, Bible-spanning tomes, his beyond-academia appeal stems from his ability to distill these down into many popular level works (Surprised by Hope, The Day the Revolution Began, etc.). And if you thought the more constrained commentary genre would be a roadblock for his favorite spiels—well maybe it is, it’s only his third commentary by my count—and yet, somehow his shoehorn keeps working.
May 1, 2023
It’s really no secret that I love everything Tom Wright publishes.
It is so important to the modern Western church today to know what Galatians is really about.
I love how this commentary helps us step away from the medieval and enlightenment ideas that have led us to believe we know just what Galatians is about.
I have to laugh that Tom starts out telling us he is not going to provide many footnotes. I have not read his series that includes Paul and the faithfulness of God—but this felt rather heavy on footnotes!
Justification by faith is not a moral-less religion. It is a radical redefinition if the people of God around the messiah Jesus. Faith is FAITHFULNESS to the Messiah and his pattern. Wow!
It is so important to the modern Western church today to know what Galatians is really about.
I love how this commentary helps us step away from the medieval and enlightenment ideas that have led us to believe we know just what Galatians is about.
I have to laugh that Tom starts out telling us he is not going to provide many footnotes. I have not read his series that includes Paul and the faithfulness of God—but this felt rather heavy on footnotes!
Justification by faith is not a moral-less religion. It is a radical redefinition if the people of God around the messiah Jesus. Faith is FAITHFULNESS to the Messiah and his pattern. Wow!
August 13, 2021
The new perspective on Paul is the right perspective on Paul.
December 4, 2021
I have found myself recommending this commentary to those unfamiliar with Wrights body of work. It might not seem the place to find a working summary of his most important ideas, but for me they have never been given a more concise and available treatment. That these ideas can be understood while working alongside the scriptures that inform them makes this an equally formative and informative exercise.
December 23, 2025
In this commentary on the epistle to the Galatians, N.T. Wright attempts to set right the direction of thought that Luther took when analyzing this short, Pauline epistle. Of course, Luther (and reformed theologians since that time) leaned heavily on the concept that justification is by faith alone, apart from work of the law. I mean, that's what Paul said, right?
The problem, of course, is that Paul was writing to a specific situation in Galatia -- a situation involving teachers who had come from Jerusalem telling the Galatian Christians that in order for them to truly be accepted by God they needed to undergo circumcision. The problem was that this created two classes of Christians -- circumcised Christians and uncircumcised Christians. Apparently, Peter initially ate with both, but under pressure from the circumcision party, eventually pulled back from eating with the uncircumcised Gentile Christians.
The early church was known for its holy living -- for its ascetism. The idea that Paul would teach that personal purity and holy living were unimportant is opposed to what the apostle did teach. Instead, Paul's focus here was on the idea that all -- Jews and Gentiles -- become "the seed of Abraham" through belief in and following of the Messiah's teachings. This would begin with a statement of faith and baptism, but would continue on through holy Christian living.
Wright does his own translation of Galatians and begins each section with an excerpt of this translation followed by a discussion of it, along with the permutations of various Greek words.
I did find that he repeated himself a fair amount. He also tells you all of the things that Paul didn't mean to say along the way to telling you what the apostle's intentions were.
There is another theme of Wright's that is repeated several times -- the idea that Paul was not focused on redeemed people going to heaven. The idea of heaven is a Platonic idea, while Paul and the second temple Jews were focused on a physical resurrection. The idea throughout Scripture is not that God's people will go to live with Him, but that God is preparing the world for Him to come and live with them.
I enjoyed the commentary. It is quite readable and a nice adjustment to Protestant thought since the time of Luther.
The problem, of course, is that Paul was writing to a specific situation in Galatia -- a situation involving teachers who had come from Jerusalem telling the Galatian Christians that in order for them to truly be accepted by God they needed to undergo circumcision. The problem was that this created two classes of Christians -- circumcised Christians and uncircumcised Christians. Apparently, Peter initially ate with both, but under pressure from the circumcision party, eventually pulled back from eating with the uncircumcised Gentile Christians.
The early church was known for its holy living -- for its ascetism. The idea that Paul would teach that personal purity and holy living were unimportant is opposed to what the apostle did teach. Instead, Paul's focus here was on the idea that all -- Jews and Gentiles -- become "the seed of Abraham" through belief in and following of the Messiah's teachings. This would begin with a statement of faith and baptism, but would continue on through holy Christian living.
Wright does his own translation of Galatians and begins each section with an excerpt of this translation followed by a discussion of it, along with the permutations of various Greek words.
I did find that he repeated himself a fair amount. He also tells you all of the things that Paul didn't mean to say along the way to telling you what the apostle's intentions were.
There is another theme of Wright's that is repeated several times -- the idea that Paul was not focused on redeemed people going to heaven. The idea of heaven is a Platonic idea, while Paul and the second temple Jews were focused on a physical resurrection. The idea throughout Scripture is not that God's people will go to live with Him, but that God is preparing the world for Him to come and live with them.
I enjoyed the commentary. It is quite readable and a nice adjustment to Protestant thought since the time of Luther.
February 28, 2023
Un très bon commentaire par N. T WRIGHT (avec le défaut habituel: celui de nous renvoyer souvent à ses "gros livres).
Wright fait ici une excellente exposition de la lettre aux Galates selon ce qu'il pense être le sens véritable au vu du contexte de la lettre. Et il est très convaincant, utilisant de nombreuses ressources de l'époque du Second Temple pour replacer les termes et discussion dans leurs contextes respectifs.
Et de fait un certain nombre de difficultés du texte disparaissent. De plus il le fait en restant près du texte, là où certains aiment se perdre à commenter les commentaires plus que le texte. Ce qui en fait une lecture plaisante, fluide et entraînante (du Wright quoi).
Néanmoins en dehors de l'aspect "nouvelle perspective" Wright ne dit pas grand chose de plus sur le texte que n'importe qui. Et si il propose de bonnes pistes de réflexions il ne va pas très loin et reste très court sur les applications.
Donc un excellent volume pour replacer l'épître dans son contexte, ce qui est important car comment comprendre ce que le texte me dit aujourd'hui si je ne comprends ce qu'il disait à l'époque ?
Mais peut-être un peu limite sur le plan exploration de l'épître en tant que tel, difficile de s'en contenter comme unique commentaire pour quelqu'un voulant approfondir la lettre. (à l'inverse par exemple de celui de Gordon Fee qui fait mieux l'affaire de ce point de vue).
Wright fait ici une excellente exposition de la lettre aux Galates selon ce qu'il pense être le sens véritable au vu du contexte de la lettre. Et il est très convaincant, utilisant de nombreuses ressources de l'époque du Second Temple pour replacer les termes et discussion dans leurs contextes respectifs.
Et de fait un certain nombre de difficultés du texte disparaissent. De plus il le fait en restant près du texte, là où certains aiment se perdre à commenter les commentaires plus que le texte. Ce qui en fait une lecture plaisante, fluide et entraînante (du Wright quoi).
Néanmoins en dehors de l'aspect "nouvelle perspective" Wright ne dit pas grand chose de plus sur le texte que n'importe qui. Et si il propose de bonnes pistes de réflexions il ne va pas très loin et reste très court sur les applications.
Donc un excellent volume pour replacer l'épître dans son contexte, ce qui est important car comment comprendre ce que le texte me dit aujourd'hui si je ne comprends ce qu'il disait à l'époque ?
Mais peut-être un peu limite sur le plan exploration de l'épître en tant que tel, difficile de s'en contenter comme unique commentaire pour quelqu'un voulant approfondir la lettre. (à l'inverse par exemple de celui de Gordon Fee qui fait mieux l'affaire de ce point de vue).
April 10, 2023
It took me a shamefully long time to finish this. I would read slowly but avidly for weeks at a time and then misplace it and not think of it for months. But at long last on Easter 2023, I finished.
It’s no secret that I love Wright and no secret that I loved reading commentaries in college. So it makes sense that the first commentary I would read in its entirety outside of a course requirement would be Wright’s first commentary (I suppose the New Testament For Everyone books could be counted as commentaries but Galatians is at the very least Wright’s first academic commentary).
I’m by no means qualified to speak on the quality of the scholarship but I suspect that Wright has all his academic ducks quite well in a row. And, although this is a scholarly work, the commentary is very readable and may be one of the most approachable texts I’ve ever encountered for layfolk wanting to take their first peek into academic theology.
Wright splays open a fairly dense letter with seeming poise and stitches together in the reader’s mind as thorough an understanding of Paul’s world and writing as could be expected.
It’s no secret that I love Wright and no secret that I loved reading commentaries in college. So it makes sense that the first commentary I would read in its entirety outside of a course requirement would be Wright’s first commentary (I suppose the New Testament For Everyone books could be counted as commentaries but Galatians is at the very least Wright’s first academic commentary).
I’m by no means qualified to speak on the quality of the scholarship but I suspect that Wright has all his academic ducks quite well in a row. And, although this is a scholarly work, the commentary is very readable and may be one of the most approachable texts I’ve ever encountered for layfolk wanting to take their first peek into academic theology.
Wright splays open a fairly dense letter with seeming poise and stitches together in the reader’s mind as thorough an understanding of Paul’s world and writing as could be expected.
December 23, 2021
Tom Wright takes the reader through Galatians painstakingly interpreting it from his 'fresh perspective'. On the whole I think his understanding brings light to a letter that see foreign and harsh. He is always to read, if rather exhausting.
Some caveats:
There is a lot of Wright here compared to Paul. To explicate the text there are long introductions to each section - Wright reworking the way we casually read Paul
Consequently it is almost impossible to 'look up' a verse, or get a quick view of a paragraph, there is so much introductory material.
At a key point he relies on Teresa Morgan's understanding of 'faith', I do not know how accepted her work is. A large part of re-reading Galatians, away from classical 'justification by faith' depends on Morgan's reading.
I am not sure if this is what the editors wanted to launch a commentary series 'for Christian formation', but if a reader picked up for 'Spiritual Disciplines' or devotional thoughts they are going to be disappointed. The 'Conclusion' sections are too general, and read like afterthoughts.
Some caveats:
There is a lot of Wright here compared to Paul. To explicate the text there are long introductions to each section - Wright reworking the way we casually read Paul
Consequently it is almost impossible to 'look up' a verse, or get a quick view of a paragraph, there is so much introductory material.
At a key point he relies on Teresa Morgan's understanding of 'faith', I do not know how accepted her work is. A large part of re-reading Galatians, away from classical 'justification by faith' depends on Morgan's reading.
I am not sure if this is what the editors wanted to launch a commentary series 'for Christian formation', but if a reader picked up for 'Spiritual Disciplines' or devotional thoughts they are going to be disappointed. The 'Conclusion' sections are too general, and read like afterthoughts.
September 30, 2021
Wright’s commentary on Galatians is a spectacular treat. I enjoyed it immensely. I’ve read Galatians countless times, but without Wright’s historical and theological expertise I read it poorly every time.
As Wright says, “We have Platonized our eschatology; we have moralized or anthropology; and therefore we have paganized our soteriology. It’s not a pretty sight. And, not least, we have done all this in our reading of Galatians.”
Furthermore, “Developing a well formed Christian mind is not a private hobby for those who enjoy mental gymnastics on the strange apparatus called ‘Scriptures and theology.’ At is the essential lifeblood of the whole church.”
Lastly, “A biblical commentary is first and foremost a work of history.”
I highly recommend reading this book. Also be sure to listen to Jerry Bowyer’s podcast episode interview of NT Wright on this book on his Meeting of the Minds podcast. It was a brilliant conversation on Galatians that should lead you wanting to read this book.
As Wright says, “We have Platonized our eschatology; we have moralized or anthropology; and therefore we have paganized our soteriology. It’s not a pretty sight. And, not least, we have done all this in our reading of Galatians.”
Furthermore, “Developing a well formed Christian mind is not a private hobby for those who enjoy mental gymnastics on the strange apparatus called ‘Scriptures and theology.’ At is the essential lifeblood of the whole church.”
Lastly, “A biblical commentary is first and foremost a work of history.”
I highly recommend reading this book. Also be sure to listen to Jerry Bowyer’s podcast episode interview of NT Wright on this book on his Meeting of the Minds podcast. It was a brilliant conversation on Galatians that should lead you wanting to read this book.
July 10, 2024
This is another excellent book by NT Wright. I also look forward to reading his books because of how much I get out of them. Then when reading the book, I struggle to get through the book while staying attentive to what he is saying. Thus, my average rating may be a reflection on my cognitive ability. The author does an outstanding job of presenting his primary arguments, which seek to place the book of Galatians in a first century context (where it belongs). This part of the book is excellent. I was disappointed with the minimal discussion regarding Christian formation. It was there, but it was minimal. In fact, I get the impression that the author believes that the amount of teaching in Galatians on Christian formation is minimal (but crucial), and there was nothing additional to be said. Ultimately it comes down to loving each other with the importance of unity in the church (while retaining truth).
June 29, 2021
I don’t read commentaries from cover to cover, but I did want to know what N. T. Wright was up to these days, and I hope to do a Lenten Study on Galatians in the next year or two. So, as with most commentaries, I read the introductory material and spot-read the sections I was most interested in. Wright has always been a fairly conservative, if extremely able, scholar, and he seems to be drifting more in that direction.
While he is basically sound, things like his contortions of Paul’s chronology in order to harmonize Acts and Galatians seem a bit off to me. At the same time, his rejection of such notions as the point of the Christian life being to get to heaven is refreshingly biblical. Also, he remains both comprehensive and readable.
While he is basically sound, things like his contortions of Paul’s chronology in order to harmonize Acts and Galatians seem a bit off to me. At the same time, his rejection of such notions as the point of the Christian life being to get to heaven is refreshingly biblical. Also, he remains both comprehensive and readable.
September 23, 2021
What a trip. NT Wright uses a variety of apocryphal texts familiar to Paul, other epistles, and rhetorical logic to to deconstruct the worst of misinterpretations that have led to numbed grace, toxic theologies, and historical misperception. I’m grateful for this brilliance.
I honestly don’t think it could work as mere verse commentary — you need to read the full book to really grasp the complex (yet perfectly rational) arguments made by both Paul and Wright. It’s a lengthy text and parts will feel redundant as he tries to catch up the readers who dip in and out of the book, but trust me, it’s worth pushing through.
Once done, you can’t interpret Galatians the same — perhaps to the annoyance of your church friends.
I honestly don’t think it could work as mere verse commentary — you need to read the full book to really grasp the complex (yet perfectly rational) arguments made by both Paul and Wright. It’s a lengthy text and parts will feel redundant as he tries to catch up the readers who dip in and out of the book, but trust me, it’s worth pushing through.
Once done, you can’t interpret Galatians the same — perhaps to the annoyance of your church friends.
February 10, 2025
I'm not going to tell you I read this cover to cover, but I read most of it upon completing a sermon series and Bible study of Galatians. This is the best of NT, avoiding his frequent barbs against "Platonism" and only infrequently repeating "Surprised By Hope". Wright argues for a "New Perspective" reading which is both historically nuanced and ecclesially practical. Even though Wright is known for his progressive politics (particularly in contrast with fascist America), this volume is noteworthy for articulating and pushing for an exegetically informed, lower case s supersessionist ecclesiology of a Jew+Gentile, Messianic family.
October 4, 2023
“Granted that few if any churches today are being pressurized, for either political or theological reasons, to adopt circumcision or other signs of Jewish family membership, what relevance might a letter about that topic have for the formation of churches and individual Jesus-followers in the twenty-first century?”
*insert 400 pages of characteristic Tom Wright stuff*
Helpful teaching commentary on Galatians! His treatment of many behind-the-text issues goes far beyond what a normal Bible class could handle, but it was all good and helpful information to have as a teacher.
*insert 400 pages of characteristic Tom Wright stuff*
Helpful teaching commentary on Galatians! His treatment of many behind-the-text issues goes far beyond what a normal Bible class could handle, but it was all good and helpful information to have as a teacher.
November 29, 2024
An absolutely stellar treatment of Galatians. I appreciated the inclusion of some very recently scholarship (like that of Teresa Morgan) of which I was not yet aware. This is typical Wright: detailed exegesis of the Greek where it really matters and very good insights for the preacher and/or devotional reader of Galatians. This became my primary study resource while preaching through Galatians, with regular dips into Dunn and Burton for the technical/detailed exegetical matters not covered by Wright.
June 17, 2025
Wright takes us beyond Galatians to show how Paul formed his church, and how we should form the church today
Incredible commentary…a deep study of both Paul, the letter, and the broader Christian church…Wright ranges far and wide to bring this letter to life, and more importantly to make it relevant and practical to guide modern Christian formation. Cannot recommend this book highly enough for those seeking a deeper understanding of Paul, the early church, and what it all means for today’s church.
Incredible commentary…a deep study of both Paul, the letter, and the broader Christian church…Wright ranges far and wide to bring this letter to life, and more importantly to make it relevant and practical to guide modern Christian formation. Cannot recommend this book highly enough for those seeking a deeper understanding of Paul, the early church, and what it all means for today’s church.
August 31, 2021
This is the first commentary I've ever read from beginning to end. And it was excellent. Wright is such an excellent author. He is both enjoyable to read and thorough in his analysis. This commentary was not only intellectually insightful, it was also spiritually enriching. Well worth your time!
August 28, 2024
The late, great Fred Craddock said that every pastor needs two good commentaries for every book of the Bible. Currently, when it comes to the tricky book of Galatians, I would argue that the pastor needs three--Keener's, Gupta's and this one, which is a modern masterpiece.
July 19, 2021
Super good and helpful, just took me a loooong time.
October 23, 2022
Insightful but challenging read.
An in depth treatment of Galatians stretching the understanding of the non-Greek, non-academic scholar. Eye-opening and faith expanding. Read it.
An in depth treatment of Galatians stretching the understanding of the non-Greek, non-academic scholar. Eye-opening and faith expanding. Read it.
December 22, 2022
What a fabulous book to read and commentary to use.
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