What do you think?
Rate this book
In the Fullness of Time: An Introduction to the Biblical Theology of Acts and Paul
An Exegetical Study of the Book of Acts and Pauline Theology Christians often skip a crucial starting point when studying the apostle Paul: the foundations of his deeply nuanced theology. Some studies on the book of Acts attempt to touch on every major theme in Paul’s letters, making them difficult to understand or prone to leaving out important nuances. Christians need a biblical, theological, and exegetically grounded framework to thoroughly understand Paul’s theology. In this ebook, Richard B. Gaffin Jr. gives readers an accessible introduction to Acts and Paul. Building on a lifetime of study, Gaffin teaches on topics including the redemptive-historical significance of Pentecost; eschatology; and the fulfillment of redemptive history in the death and resurrection of Christ. In the Fullness of Time is an exegetical “textbook” for pastors, students, and lay leaders seeking to learn more about Acts and Paul from a Reformed and evangelical perspective.
448 pages, Hardcover
Published May 3, 2022
38 people are currently reading
227 people want to read
About the author
Richard B. Gaffin Jr.
35 books24 followersRichard B. Gaffin, Jr. is a Calvinist theologian, Presbyterian minister, and was the Charles Krahe Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from 1999 to 2008. He became the Professor Emeritus, Biblical and Systematic Theology in 2008.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
December 26, 2022
Best theology book I read in 2022. So good.
June 7, 2022
The acts of Paul
When a Jewish man named Saul, well-versed in the Old Testament, was on the road to Damascus, then Jesus, the risen savior appeared to him. This life-altering event changed him to become an apostle Saint Paul. He wrote 13 books of the New Testament, and preached Christ to the Gentiles and conveyed God’s plan for managing the church. Most of Paul’s letters fall into two groups: letters to churches and letters to individuals. Nine of Paul’s letters were addressed to local churches in certain areas of the Roman empire. In the first 11 chapters, Paul explains what the gospel is, and what it means to be a “living sacrifice.” Paul’s pastoral epistles contain significant Christians theology, which contains the story of Jesus described in Gospels is explained in significant detail. We learn how Christians should live in response to Christ’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Author Richard Gaffin examines Biblical literature including the significance of the Pentecost and God's plans for the redemption of this world. The history and theology found in Pauline Epistles are described well. The book is written mainly for students of seminary and Biblical scholars.
When a Jewish man named Saul, well-versed in the Old Testament, was on the road to Damascus, then Jesus, the risen savior appeared to him. This life-altering event changed him to become an apostle Saint Paul. He wrote 13 books of the New Testament, and preached Christ to the Gentiles and conveyed God’s plan for managing the church. Most of Paul’s letters fall into two groups: letters to churches and letters to individuals. Nine of Paul’s letters were addressed to local churches in certain areas of the Roman empire. In the first 11 chapters, Paul explains what the gospel is, and what it means to be a “living sacrifice.” Paul’s pastoral epistles contain significant Christians theology, which contains the story of Jesus described in Gospels is explained in significant detail. We learn how Christians should live in response to Christ’s life, crucifixion, and resurrection.
Author Richard Gaffin examines Biblical literature including the significance of the Pentecost and God's plans for the redemption of this world. The history and theology found in Pauline Epistles are described well. The book is written mainly for students of seminary and Biblical scholars.
December 1, 2022
I have no doubt that my appreciation for this book would be higher if I had a working knowledge of Greek and read all of the scripture references that glittered every page. Even still, Richard B. Gaffin effectively communicated what I would've previously thought were either niche or obvious (or at least somewhere in the back of my head) theological points, and breathed new life into the scripture he was ultimately pointing to. Solid and well documented theological introduction to Acts and Paul.
September 13, 2022
4.5 stars.
The only reason preventing Gaffin's latest work from a full five-star review is that the subtitle "An Introduction to the Biblical theology of Acts and Paul" is somewhat inaccurate. Gaffin's main motif across this book is Pauline theology, and therefore the "biblical theology" of Acts covered in this book is limited, and Gaffin only presents materials in Acts that overlap and culminate in his overall thesis on Pauline theology: that Paul's soteriology has an undergirding eschatological, already-not yet structure/framework, and that the resurrection of Jesus is that architectonic piece of Pauline soteriology that inaugurates this eschatological process.
Therefore, there are not a lot of biblical-theological reflections on the book of Acts per se, which is the main attention of the first half of the book. Even in this first half, much of the reflection is drawn from the canonical Gospels, especially the book of Luke. And this is because Gaffin's main purpose is to present that eschatological structure that culminates and unfolds from Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, with the resurrection connected to the Pentecost in Acts as the climatic pivot point of redemptive history, inaugurating the eschatological age and unravelling the "Age of the Spirit/Pnuematos." Hence, it is perhaps more accurate to subtitle this book "The Resurrection as Eschatology-Soteriology in (mainly) Paul and Luke-Acts."
That said, this is a book of tour de force. Condensed from Gaffin's "Acts and Paul" class delivered through four decades of teaching New Testament at Westminster Seminary (Philadephia), you can expect a lot of dense exegesis and theological reflections. Most of the contents are combined and drawn from his previous works and Gaffin's own theological influences. The eschatological structure in Pauline theology builds upon the work of Ridderbos and Vos in Pauline scholarship (yay Dutch Reformed!), while the resurrection as the architectonic piece of redemptive history and Pauline soteriology are drawn from his early doctorate dissertation "Ressurection and Redemption (first published 1978). Echoes of Gaffin's other scholarly and popular level works, such as "Perspectives on Pentecost" and "By Faith, not by Sight" can also be traced in this book. So if you had read some of Vos, Ridderbos, and Gaffin, in some sense these materials in Gaffin's book are relatively familiar.
Gaffin's writing style is accessible and pacey, and you can almost tell that these are transcribed from his lectures with dense theological reflections flowing from line to line, paragraph to paragraph, and section to section. A more mainstream reader would probably struggle with the Greek exegesis. The main highlight and bulk of this book is Gaffin's development of his resurrection piece in the Pauline corpus through very detailed, nuanced and precise exegesis, juggling and moving on the tight tension of systematic theology and biblical exegesis, forming biblico-theological reflections that shed light on the overall picture of Pauline soteriology and corpus, as well as New Testament theology. I personally enjoyed the swift historical summary of Pauline studies through the different ages and hermeneutical-theological traditions.
In conclusion, it is as Sinclair Ferguson's forward to this book: a rewarding venture into "Acts and Paul," as if one is seating at Gaffin's feet, attending the legendary "NT223" class in Westminster Seminary that has culminated from four decades of research and learning. One might wonder why Gaffin has taught this class as "Acts and Paul," in contrast to how NT theology is usually taught, which is to separate the narrative books (canonical Gospels and Acts) from the Epistles. But in positing "Acts and Paul" as a seamless motif of resurrection as the architectonic piece to eschatological salvation, one can grasp a sense of canon unity across the NT. And even more so, one can experience and grasp how the resurrection was preached by the Apostles and Paul in the book of Acts, which was then carried forward through a seamless unity to the preaching and application of the resurrection by Paul in his epistles.
The only reason preventing Gaffin's latest work from a full five-star review is that the subtitle "An Introduction to the Biblical theology of Acts and Paul" is somewhat inaccurate. Gaffin's main motif across this book is Pauline theology, and therefore the "biblical theology" of Acts covered in this book is limited, and Gaffin only presents materials in Acts that overlap and culminate in his overall thesis on Pauline theology: that Paul's soteriology has an undergirding eschatological, already-not yet structure/framework, and that the resurrection of Jesus is that architectonic piece of Pauline soteriology that inaugurates this eschatological process.
Therefore, there are not a lot of biblical-theological reflections on the book of Acts per se, which is the main attention of the first half of the book. Even in this first half, much of the reflection is drawn from the canonical Gospels, especially the book of Luke. And this is because Gaffin's main purpose is to present that eschatological structure that culminates and unfolds from Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, with the resurrection connected to the Pentecost in Acts as the climatic pivot point of redemptive history, inaugurating the eschatological age and unravelling the "Age of the Spirit/Pnuematos." Hence, it is perhaps more accurate to subtitle this book "The Resurrection as Eschatology-Soteriology in (mainly) Paul and Luke-Acts."
That said, this is a book of tour de force. Condensed from Gaffin's "Acts and Paul" class delivered through four decades of teaching New Testament at Westminster Seminary (Philadephia), you can expect a lot of dense exegesis and theological reflections. Most of the contents are combined and drawn from his previous works and Gaffin's own theological influences. The eschatological structure in Pauline theology builds upon the work of Ridderbos and Vos in Pauline scholarship (yay Dutch Reformed!), while the resurrection as the architectonic piece of redemptive history and Pauline soteriology are drawn from his early doctorate dissertation "Ressurection and Redemption (first published 1978). Echoes of Gaffin's other scholarly and popular level works, such as "Perspectives on Pentecost" and "By Faith, not by Sight" can also be traced in this book. So if you had read some of Vos, Ridderbos, and Gaffin, in some sense these materials in Gaffin's book are relatively familiar.
Gaffin's writing style is accessible and pacey, and you can almost tell that these are transcribed from his lectures with dense theological reflections flowing from line to line, paragraph to paragraph, and section to section. A more mainstream reader would probably struggle with the Greek exegesis. The main highlight and bulk of this book is Gaffin's development of his resurrection piece in the Pauline corpus through very detailed, nuanced and precise exegesis, juggling and moving on the tight tension of systematic theology and biblical exegesis, forming biblico-theological reflections that shed light on the overall picture of Pauline soteriology and corpus, as well as New Testament theology. I personally enjoyed the swift historical summary of Pauline studies through the different ages and hermeneutical-theological traditions.
In conclusion, it is as Sinclair Ferguson's forward to this book: a rewarding venture into "Acts and Paul," as if one is seating at Gaffin's feet, attending the legendary "NT223" class in Westminster Seminary that has culminated from four decades of research and learning. One might wonder why Gaffin has taught this class as "Acts and Paul," in contrast to how NT theology is usually taught, which is to separate the narrative books (canonical Gospels and Acts) from the Epistles. But in positing "Acts and Paul" as a seamless motif of resurrection as the architectonic piece to eschatological salvation, one can grasp a sense of canon unity across the NT. And even more so, one can experience and grasp how the resurrection was preached by the Apostles and Paul in the book of Acts, which was then carried forward through a seamless unity to the preaching and application of the resurrection by Paul in his epistles.
February 1, 2023
Fantastic book. Has given me lots to think about. Gaffin has some good stuff from Luke-Acts on Pentecost and it's significance in salvation history. The stuff on Paul is where it gets really good. Gaffin argues Christians undersell the "now" in the "now and not yet" of Pauline eschatology. The key is a more thorough understanding of the significance of Christ's resurrection, our union with Christ, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Whilst not forgetting that the Christian experience is suffering in the present and hope of future resurrection. It's definitely not a comprehensive theology of Acts and Paul but it's a great place to get into Gaffin's work!
March 10, 2025
4.5. Solid all-encompassing and approachable entry on Paul’s theology. I wish it was split more evenly between Acts and Paul, but Paul was clearly Gaffin’s passion and I won’t complain about it (which I guess I just did but whatever)
February 24, 2024
Excellent book. It is a reworking of his NT lectures and a great resource if you’re looking to go deeper or remember your seminary education. Very little can be said in way of critique.
March 28, 2025
There’s some good stuff in here that I found very helpful, but for the most part, I didn’t enjoy reading it. That’s okay though. I’m working on not being a hater.
July 27, 2022
Print version of my favorite and most formative class at Westminster. Although I have moved away from Gaffin on some of his conclusions in Acts; his work on Paul is the best there is. Thankful to see this in print.
January 10, 2024
So helpful. Even more helpful when I went back through and re-read my highlights. Had to google some words, but that's not a bad thing.
Gaffin helps us see that the believer's experience of resurrection isn't only rooted in the future (which is where we often tend to focus), and thinks about the present and future realities of Jesus's resurrection.
The two events of Jesus's coming and of his return shouldn't be seen as two separate events, but as one event with two phases, and as believers we're encourage to look back to what has already taken place in the coming of Christ in the fullness of time, to look forward to what will happen when Christ returns, and to look 'upward' where, in light of the ascension, Paul reflects on the present existence of Christ and of believers in union with him.
Also super helpful in helping my understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, and his relation to Christ, of the tension in Romans 6 (what does the resurrection help us understand about the fact that we're in mortal bodies continuing to sin, yet we're made alive in Christ and declared righteous now), and in seeing suffering as an essential mark of the believer's present experience of resurrection.
It's chunky, and not something you can read with any other distractions going on (I tried to read over Christmas... it didn't work!), but worth it!
Gaffin helps us see that the believer's experience of resurrection isn't only rooted in the future (which is where we often tend to focus), and thinks about the present and future realities of Jesus's resurrection.
The two events of Jesus's coming and of his return shouldn't be seen as two separate events, but as one event with two phases, and as believers we're encourage to look back to what has already taken place in the coming of Christ in the fullness of time, to look forward to what will happen when Christ returns, and to look 'upward' where, in light of the ascension, Paul reflects on the present existence of Christ and of believers in union with him.
Also super helpful in helping my understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, and his relation to Christ, of the tension in Romans 6 (what does the resurrection help us understand about the fact that we're in mortal bodies continuing to sin, yet we're made alive in Christ and declared righteous now), and in seeing suffering as an essential mark of the believer's present experience of resurrection.
It's chunky, and not something you can read with any other distractions going on (I tried to read over Christmas... it didn't work!), but worth it!
January 16, 2024
Like a readable version of Resurrection and Redemption and Perspectives on Pentecost. In other words, brilliant.
May 21, 2024
This book is intended to uncover the deep structure of Paul's theology in the New Testament. As an intro to Paul's theology it is of course selective, but Gaffin focuses on what he takes to be the central structural features and framework within which all that Paul says should be understood. There is a heavy emphasis on the gift of the Spirit poured out at Pentecost as a one time historical act, but one with epochal significance for the life of the church and the believer. There is also a heavy focus on resurrection—again the one time historical resurrection of Christ, but also the way in which that resurrection is the down payment and firstfruits of the full resurrection harvest in which all believers will share, and in which we share already by the Spirit.
The gift of the Spirit, the resurrection, the "age to come" - Gaffin focuses on specific texts that serve as windows into how this framework structures all that Paul says. I like how all his discussions are rooted in straightforward exegetical work on specific statements that Paul makes, even sometimes on fine points of grammar and syntax. At the same time, the writing is very clear and easy to follow.
Lots of good stuff, although if you've read or heard any Gaffin before, you will have imbibed a lot of what he says here already.
The gift of the Spirit, the resurrection, the "age to come" - Gaffin focuses on specific texts that serve as windows into how this framework structures all that Paul says. I like how all his discussions are rooted in straightforward exegetical work on specific statements that Paul makes, even sometimes on fine points of grammar and syntax. At the same time, the writing is very clear and easy to follow.
Lots of good stuff, although if you've read or heard any Gaffin before, you will have imbibed a lot of what he says here already.
March 15, 2023
This sits somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5.
Gaffin's wonderful work deftly synthesizes incisive New Testament exegesis and systematic-theological reflection, while drawing deeply from the Dutch Reformed tradition - particularly the likes of Herman Ridderbos and Geerhardus Vos. He argues that the center of Pauline theology lies at the intersection of the apostle's Christology, soteriology, and eschatology, and supports his thesis on the basis of substantial, exegetical argumentation. This book is clearly the work of a biblical scholar who has devoted decades to studying and thinking about the ways in which the strands of Paul's theology not only interact within the corpus of his own epistles, but also intersect with the teachings and key events found in the book of Acts. The end product is an absolute feast.
My quibbles with Gaffin's book are, at most, quite minor. Much of them stem from the fact that this work is really an adaptation of his lectures for a class he used to teach at WTS on Acts and Paul. Unfortunately, as a result, the flow of the book's chapters and sections can, at times, feel a little discursive and uneven, with some chapters being quite short, and others, excessively long. Relatedly, Gaffin's usage of footnotes and interaction with other scholarship is a bit sparse. I think he could have relegated certain sections of his book to the footnotes, and also would have liked to have seen him bring more discussion partners to the table in addition to Ridderbos and Vos (for instance, I was surprised to find George Ladd's name entirely absent from Gaffin's discussion of inaugurated eschatology and from the book overall).
Gaffin's wonderful work deftly synthesizes incisive New Testament exegesis and systematic-theological reflection, while drawing deeply from the Dutch Reformed tradition - particularly the likes of Herman Ridderbos and Geerhardus Vos. He argues that the center of Pauline theology lies at the intersection of the apostle's Christology, soteriology, and eschatology, and supports his thesis on the basis of substantial, exegetical argumentation. This book is clearly the work of a biblical scholar who has devoted decades to studying and thinking about the ways in which the strands of Paul's theology not only interact within the corpus of his own epistles, but also intersect with the teachings and key events found in the book of Acts. The end product is an absolute feast.
My quibbles with Gaffin's book are, at most, quite minor. Much of them stem from the fact that this work is really an adaptation of his lectures for a class he used to teach at WTS on Acts and Paul. Unfortunately, as a result, the flow of the book's chapters and sections can, at times, feel a little discursive and uneven, with some chapters being quite short, and others, excessively long. Relatedly, Gaffin's usage of footnotes and interaction with other scholarship is a bit sparse. I think he could have relegated certain sections of his book to the footnotes, and also would have liked to have seen him bring more discussion partners to the table in addition to Ridderbos and Vos (for instance, I was surprised to find George Ladd's name entirely absent from Gaffin's discussion of inaugurated eschatology and from the book overall).
Read
March 18, 2024I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Gaffin provides a clear and careful overview of Pauline theology, showing its direct continuity with the teaching of Jesus and situating it within the new age ushered in by his humiliation, exaltation, and giving of the Spirit.
Especially helpful was Gaffin’s consideration of the center of Paul’s theology—“determined by the triangulation of his Christology, soteriology, and eschatology” (238). Christ in his death, resurrection, and ascension has ushered in the eschatological Kingdom of God and purchased the right for his people to participate in this kingdom by their union with him. To approach Paul through a single one of these doctrinal lenses is to miss the full picture.
More than anything, this book helped me understand the structure of the New Testament and gave me a new appreciation for the occasional nature of Paul’s letters. I’m sure I will find my way back to this book in the future for reference.
Two sentences I found fruitful to reflect on:
“Paul’s epistemic commitment—as exclusive as it is comprehensive—is the crucified Christ” (237).
“The Christian life in its entirety is to be subsumed under the category of resurrection” (367).
Especially helpful was Gaffin’s consideration of the center of Paul’s theology—“determined by the triangulation of his Christology, soteriology, and eschatology” (238). Christ in his death, resurrection, and ascension has ushered in the eschatological Kingdom of God and purchased the right for his people to participate in this kingdom by their union with him. To approach Paul through a single one of these doctrinal lenses is to miss the full picture.
More than anything, this book helped me understand the structure of the New Testament and gave me a new appreciation for the occasional nature of Paul’s letters. I’m sure I will find my way back to this book in the future for reference.
Two sentences I found fruitful to reflect on:
“Paul’s epistemic commitment—as exclusive as it is comprehensive—is the crucified Christ” (237).
“The Christian life in its entirety is to be subsumed under the category of resurrection” (367).
February 27, 2023
I won't try to give a technical review here (who am I to critique Dr. Gaffin's work?), but will suffice it to say that I have never failed to be challenged, edified, and encouraged by Dr. Gaffin's writings. This is a tremendous book, well-argued, thoroughly exegetical, and eye-opening in many respects. If you are already familiar with his work, I don't think that you will find a lot of "new" or unfamiliar material here. This is something of a compendium of his work on the subject, taken in part from his books, articles, and classroom lectures.
June 24, 2022
A remarkably helpful book in explaining some of the most significant themes in Acts and Paul’s letters. Gaffin goes deep into the text and traces our connections often missed. Especially helpful, in my opinion, is how Gaffin recovers the often neglected importance of the doctrine of Christ’s resurrection and its implications for Christian life in the present.
August 17, 2025
3.5-3.75 ish stars. Really interesting content but I personally find the way that Richard Gaffin structures and organizes his books is a little choppy and doesn’t flow very well logically.
October 25, 2025
From 10/25/2025:
Just wanted to reaffirm my happiness in reading Gaffin that I already expressed over three years ago, and I would only add that his exegetical claims in the last chapter on the relation of Christian suffering to the resurrection life is really good, and is also found in other writings of his (mainly in his selected shorter writings).
---
From 07/22/2022:
This is a spectacular book. For someone like me who has never encountered Gaffin before, and will never (most likely) sit in his classroom like the generation before me, this is about as good as I can get. And it is very good.
In the first half of the volume, Gaffin shows how Pentecost is the major event of the Luke-Acts narrative. He makes a compelling case that we should consider Pentecost with death, resurrection, and ascension. He shows that Jesus's idea of the kingdom is directly related to the Holy Spirit, to the point of the Spirit being used synonymously with the kingdom. He shows this by pointing out the importance of the Spirit throughout Luke's Gospel, especially in John the Baptist's remark that Jesus will "baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire." And when Gaffin moves to Acts, he shows that Pentecost is truly the central act (of Jesus) that compels the rest of the narrative. He also shows the integral connection between Jesus and the Holy Spirit throughout the Luke-Acts narrative, reinforced by passages from the other Gospels.
These observations have several implications: (1) Gaffin shows how Acts is a unity that has a purposeful ending--the completion of reaching the ends of the earth. (2) Acts itself should be understood as a narrative describing the extraordinary beginning founding of the church, and not the ordinary life of the church. (3) This means that the mini-Pentecosts throughout Acts should be understood as unique redemptive-historical events, and not events that will happen in every believers' life. He does not just merely assert this, but gives very good evidence to support this reading of Acts.
In the second half of the book, Gaffin moves to discussing the content of the Pauline epistles. He argues that Paul's gospel is the person and work of Christ, and he especially develops the link in which Christ "became the life-giving Spirit" in 1 Cor 15 (Christ is the Spirit 2 Cor 3:17 and "the Spirit of Christ"), showing that the ascended Christ now works in the world through the Pentecostal Spirit. He shows that although Paul doesn't use the word kingdom a lot, he is not preaching anything different than Jesus's Kingdom of God gospel; he just emphasizes the Christ-Spirit aspect.
Gaffin also exposits Paul's two-ages theology, fully fleshing out the more popular notion of "already-but-not-yet" in a distinctly Pauline metaphor. Paul's understanding of the conflict between the Spirit and Flesh must be understood, then, as a conflict between two ages, and not solely an individual conflict. In relation to this, Gaffin shows that when Paul says that Christians are already resurrected, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father in this life (Eph 2:2-6; etc.), he is employing this idea of an already eschatologically realized age. Which leads Gaffin to the last two chapters, where he shows how Paul's ethics, in its indicative-imperative structure, is founded upon an understanding of the already realized age in order to make imperatives.
All in all, this is a very good book, and very helpful for understanding not just Acts and Paul, but the relationship between Christ and the Spirit, the Spirit and the church, Christ's resurrection and ours, and much much more. I would recommend this to all who want to dive deeper in the theology of Acts and Paul, if any of the above content interested you.
Just wanted to reaffirm my happiness in reading Gaffin that I already expressed over three years ago, and I would only add that his exegetical claims in the last chapter on the relation of Christian suffering to the resurrection life is really good, and is also found in other writings of his (mainly in his selected shorter writings).
---
From 07/22/2022:
This is a spectacular book. For someone like me who has never encountered Gaffin before, and will never (most likely) sit in his classroom like the generation before me, this is about as good as I can get. And it is very good.
In the first half of the volume, Gaffin shows how Pentecost is the major event of the Luke-Acts narrative. He makes a compelling case that we should consider Pentecost with death, resurrection, and ascension. He shows that Jesus's idea of the kingdom is directly related to the Holy Spirit, to the point of the Spirit being used synonymously with the kingdom. He shows this by pointing out the importance of the Spirit throughout Luke's Gospel, especially in John the Baptist's remark that Jesus will "baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire." And when Gaffin moves to Acts, he shows that Pentecost is truly the central act (of Jesus) that compels the rest of the narrative. He also shows the integral connection between Jesus and the Holy Spirit throughout the Luke-Acts narrative, reinforced by passages from the other Gospels.
These observations have several implications: (1) Gaffin shows how Acts is a unity that has a purposeful ending--the completion of reaching the ends of the earth. (2) Acts itself should be understood as a narrative describing the extraordinary beginning founding of the church, and not the ordinary life of the church. (3) This means that the mini-Pentecosts throughout Acts should be understood as unique redemptive-historical events, and not events that will happen in every believers' life. He does not just merely assert this, but gives very good evidence to support this reading of Acts.
In the second half of the book, Gaffin moves to discussing the content of the Pauline epistles. He argues that Paul's gospel is the person and work of Christ, and he especially develops the link in which Christ "became the life-giving Spirit" in 1 Cor 15 (Christ is the Spirit 2 Cor 3:17 and "the Spirit of Christ"), showing that the ascended Christ now works in the world through the Pentecostal Spirit. He shows that although Paul doesn't use the word kingdom a lot, he is not preaching anything different than Jesus's Kingdom of God gospel; he just emphasizes the Christ-Spirit aspect.
Gaffin also exposits Paul's two-ages theology, fully fleshing out the more popular notion of "already-but-not-yet" in a distinctly Pauline metaphor. Paul's understanding of the conflict between the Spirit and Flesh must be understood, then, as a conflict between two ages, and not solely an individual conflict. In relation to this, Gaffin shows that when Paul says that Christians are already resurrected, ascended, and seated at the right hand of the Father in this life (Eph 2:2-6; etc.), he is employing this idea of an already eschatologically realized age. Which leads Gaffin to the last two chapters, where he shows how Paul's ethics, in its indicative-imperative structure, is founded upon an understanding of the already realized age in order to make imperatives.
All in all, this is a very good book, and very helpful for understanding not just Acts and Paul, but the relationship between Christ and the Spirit, the Spirit and the church, Christ's resurrection and ours, and much much more. I would recommend this to all who want to dive deeper in the theology of Acts and Paul, if any of the above content interested you.
February 15, 2023
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I can't put this one off any longer—if I could, I promise you I would. I'm out of my league here, but I've got nothing else to write about. And I really need to write something about this.
WHAT'S IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME ABOUT?
First, let's look at what was on the Publisher's Website:
After reading the book, however, I'd offer a tweak or two to that description. For example, I'd add to that "for pastors, students, and lay leaders" lay people in general (or just swap out "leaders" for "people").
Also, I'm not sure I'd include eschatology alongside those other topics. It seemed to me (on first read, anyway) that this was a book about Eschatology as presented by/understood through the New Testament—with a focus on understanding Pentecost and the fulfillment of redemption (and a couple of other topics) in light of that eschatology. That may seem like splitting hairs, and really, I'm guessing the good people at Crossway understand the book a bit better than I do. Still, I didn't get the impression that the book thought of those ideas as equal (unlike the description).
The chapters in this book came from lecture notes for the class that Gaffin taught for years on Paul and Acts—a class I've heard several people mention over the years, and really wish I could've taken. Getting that material in written form is a blessing I didn't expect and was more than happy to receive.
THE CENTRALITY OF ESCHATOLOGY
In Chapter 2, Gaffin writes:
It's this dual focus that characterizes so much of this book, and grounds the arguments Gaffin puts forth.
THE EXEGETICAL PORTIONS
Throughout the book, Gaffin offers a lengthier exegesis of a particular passage as either a foundation for a chapter's position or to show how something from earlier in a chapter is worked out through Paul or Luke's work. These are the best parts of this book.
Period. It's not even close.
For example, he uses a little more than two pages to exegete Philippians 2:12-13 while considering the indicative and imperative in Paul. I don't remember a better example of writing leading to doxology recently.
I get—between this being based on the course, where he only had so much time and the design of the book—that he couldn't have given us similar treatment for several more passages that he touched upon. But man, I wish he had. But that brushes up on the next section, so I guess it's time to transition.
COULD USE A LITTLE MORE
In addition to wanting more exegetical portions, there's something else I could use more of.
I think that despite the length of the book, it should've been longer—too much needs to be fleshed out a little more. Not much, but almost every point could be expressed more fully. More than once, Gaffin does a better job of clarifying what he's not addressing or not saying than he does in making it clear what he is trying to say.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME?
I read a chapter (or just a half of one) a week for a few months to carefully work through the book—and I'm sure I need to do the same (or slower) once or twice more to really get a handle on Gaffin's arguments. But what I got this time around was about as good as anyone could ask for.
Reading this felt like I was sitting in a lecture hall featuring my favorite professor—in a strange way. I felt like I was a beginning student—almost like looking at some of these passages for the first time. Yet, while reading I simultaneously felt like I was understanding texts with a depth I'm not accustomed to. Reading Gaffin you're frequently running into thinking more subtle and profound than a lot of what you've encountered previously—and that's certainly the case here. Still, I thought this work was a bit easier to work through than some of his shorter works.
For me, this is the kind of work that you want to read alongside one or more others, so you can pause and talk things through from time to time—just to make sure everyone is understanding everything. Or at least you're stupified with company.
Anyway, I don't think I have anything else to say at this point—maybe on the eventual reread, I'll be able to say something more substantive than this. Basically, you want to read this, wrestle with it, study it, and do it again.
---
I can't put this one off any longer—if I could, I promise you I would. I'm out of my league here, but I've got nothing else to write about. And I really need to write something about this.
WHAT'S IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME ABOUT?
First, let's look at what was on the Publisher's Website:
An Exegetical Study of the Book of Acts and Pauline Theology
Christians often skip a crucial starting point when studying the apostle Paul: the foundations of his deeply nuanced theology. Some studies on the book of Acts attempt to touch on every major theme in Paul’s letters, making them difficult to understand or prone to leaving out important nuances. Christians need a biblical, theological, and exegetically grounded framework to thoroughly understand Paul’s theology.
In this book, Richard B. Gaffin Jr. gives readers an accessible introduction to Acts and Paul. Building on a lifetime of study, Gaffin teaches on topics including the redemptive-historical significance of Pentecost; eschatology; and the fulfillment of redemptive history in the death and resurrection of Christ. In the Fullness of Time is an exegetical “textbook” for pastors, students, and lay leaders seeking to learn more about Acts and Paul from a Reformed and evangelical perspective.
Explores the Foundations of Paul's Theology: Offers a nuanced look at the core of Paul’s thinking
Wide-Ranging Audience: A valuable study for pastors, theology students, and lay leaders
Thorough Yet Accessible: An in-depth look at Pauline theology that’s accessible to readers
After reading the book, however, I'd offer a tweak or two to that description. For example, I'd add to that "for pastors, students, and lay leaders" lay people in general (or just swap out "leaders" for "people").
Also, I'm not sure I'd include eschatology alongside those other topics. It seemed to me (on first read, anyway) that this was a book about Eschatology as presented by/understood through the New Testament—with a focus on understanding Pentecost and the fulfillment of redemption (and a couple of other topics) in light of that eschatology. That may seem like splitting hairs, and really, I'm guessing the good people at Crossway understand the book a bit better than I do. Still, I didn't get the impression that the book thought of those ideas as equal (unlike the description).
The chapters in this book came from lecture notes for the class that Gaffin taught for years on Paul and Acts—a class I've heard several people mention over the years, and really wish I could've taken. Getting that material in written form is a blessing I didn't expect and was more than happy to receive.
THE CENTRALITY OF ESCHATOLOGY
In Chapter 2, Gaffin writes:
for much Christian theology and preaching seeking to be faithful to the Bible as God’s inscripturated word, the rediscovery of eschatology can be seen as having a corrective significance that has resulted in laying hold of biblical teaching in a way that has not been fully appreciated in the past.
For instance, in a standard volume on systematic theology, “Eschatology” is the last chapter. More significantly, coming at the end of the volume, eschatology tends to be defined exclusively in terms of the “last things” having to do with what is still future for the church—Christ's return and matters concomitant with his return, perhaps including as well some treatment of what occurs at death and the so-called intermediate state. Even more significantly, very often little, if any, attention is given to the relationship with what has preceded, to the integral connection between the future hope of the church and its present life and the practical relevance of the former for the latter.
What has become more and more clear is that in an overall presentation of biblical teaching, eschatology is not properly compartmentalized at the end. In particular, the New Testament teaches, as our own work will show, what is often termed a “realized eschatology." Biblical eschatology is to be defined in terms of the first as well as the second coming of Christ. New Testament eschatology has a dual focus. In that respect it is elliptical, defined by two foci, present and future, the proverbial already-not-yet.
It's this dual focus that characterizes so much of this book, and grounds the arguments Gaffin puts forth.
THE EXEGETICAL PORTIONS
Throughout the book, Gaffin offers a lengthier exegesis of a particular passage as either a foundation for a chapter's position or to show how something from earlier in a chapter is worked out through Paul or Luke's work. These are the best parts of this book.
Period. It's not even close.
For example, he uses a little more than two pages to exegete Philippians 2:12-13 while considering the indicative and imperative in Paul. I don't remember a better example of writing leading to doxology recently.
I get—between this being based on the course, where he only had so much time and the design of the book—that he couldn't have given us similar treatment for several more passages that he touched upon. But man, I wish he had. But that brushes up on the next section, so I guess it's time to transition.
COULD USE A LITTLE MORE
In addition to wanting more exegetical portions, there's something else I could use more of.
I think that despite the length of the book, it should've been longer—too much needs to be fleshed out a little more. Not much, but almost every point could be expressed more fully. More than once, Gaffin does a better job of clarifying what he's not addressing or not saying than he does in making it clear what he is trying to say.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME?
I read a chapter (or just a half of one) a week for a few months to carefully work through the book—and I'm sure I need to do the same (or slower) once or twice more to really get a handle on Gaffin's arguments. But what I got this time around was about as good as anyone could ask for.
Reading this felt like I was sitting in a lecture hall featuring my favorite professor—in a strange way. I felt like I was a beginning student—almost like looking at some of these passages for the first time. Yet, while reading I simultaneously felt like I was understanding texts with a depth I'm not accustomed to. Reading Gaffin you're frequently running into thinking more subtle and profound than a lot of what you've encountered previously—and that's certainly the case here. Still, I thought this work was a bit easier to work through than some of his shorter works.
For me, this is the kind of work that you want to read alongside one or more others, so you can pause and talk things through from time to time—just to make sure everyone is understanding everything. Or at least you're stupified with company.
Anyway, I don't think I have anything else to say at this point—maybe on the eventual reread, I'll be able to say something more substantive than this. Basically, you want to read this, wrestle with it, study it, and do it again.
August 4, 2024
Excellent work from my former professor. It was like I was back in the classroom; as I read I could hear him lecturing.!
January 18, 2024
Personal Experience and Level of Enjoyment in this Book:
My interest in this book, In the Fullness of Time, stemmed from the description of the title on the Crossway landing page. Considered an exegetical study of Acts and Paul, it’s further described to cover foundations of Paul’s deeply nuanced theology via pseudo-textbook format.
As I reflect on Richard B. Gaffin Jr. 's wisdom and insight, writing style, scholarly influences, and theology, the description from Crossway expressed the nature of this book to near perfection. This title stretched my understanding of the basic, essential themes of Acts and Paul well beyond my imagination and expectations. In other words, as difficult as this book was to read, it was equally enjoyable!
To speak first to the difficulty – this book undoubtedly lived up to its categorization as a “textbook”. Through 400 plus pages, Gaffin meticulously and decisively communicates each theme down to its core. In particular, though not an exhaustive list, these themes were Pentecost, pneumatology (study of the Holy Spirit), the kingdom, missiology, eschatology, and the resurrection (specifically in relation to Pauline theology). My challenge in balancing and understanding these themes was just that: balancing these themes. Although I’m moderately familiar with the aforementioned subjects, their particular relationship in regard to Acts and Paul are areas I don’t find myself typically pondering. Furthermore, Gaffin’s penmanship tested my vocabulary time and time again. As far as I can recall, In the Fullness of Time wins the award for most googled words in a book ever read by Sam Brock – I was literally keeping count until I got sick of tallying…
Before departing to speak on my interest and enjoyment in this book, I’d like to round out my thoughts on the overall difficulty of this read, particularly on Gaffin’s style. As a former Westminster Professor, Gaffin draws much of his personal inspiration and source material from two formidable scholars: Geerhardus Vos (1862-1949) and Herman N. Ridderbos (1909-2007). Known in part for their impact and love for reformed theology, their collective passion has certainly been passed to Gaffin. It’s not reformed theology that brings forth troubles though (at least for myself). My struggles brewed progressively while reading due to the book's density, complexity, and sheer profoundness. Gaffin builds from bottom-up, starting with the micro and macro implications of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church, followed with an in-depth look at Pauline theology as it pertains to the last times and the resurrection of Christ. It would take a number of paragraphs to expound on these themes, so I’ll leave you with this – if you want to be challenged and think of Acts and Paul in ways you never did before this book may be for you. Also, keep in mind that the overall source material is derived from Richard B Gaffin Jr.’s classes taught at Westminster! Hence the reason it reads as it does.
What kind of person would like this book:
As I recently mentioned, the Christian reader looking for a decent challenge may be interested in this book. That being said, each of us are at a different stage of life and sanctification. You may find this read extremely easy while another may find it unbearably hard. I found In the Fullness of Time to be right on the edge, a space where I could tolerate the challenge and see it as profitable without finding myself completely lost (read something by Dostoyevsky if you’re interested in this feeling… or ignore this comment if you have no clue who that is). To wrap things up, I’ll say that I’m not particularly fond of or opposed to this book. I can’t find myself recommending this to many friends, though I do feel I benefited from Gaffin’s scholarship of the aforementioned topics. Perhaps I’ll pick it up again years in the future to appreciate his insights on a deeper level, but at the present moment, the desire to read something else is far greater.
My interest in this book, In the Fullness of Time, stemmed from the description of the title on the Crossway landing page. Considered an exegetical study of Acts and Paul, it’s further described to cover foundations of Paul’s deeply nuanced theology via pseudo-textbook format.
As I reflect on Richard B. Gaffin Jr. 's wisdom and insight, writing style, scholarly influences, and theology, the description from Crossway expressed the nature of this book to near perfection. This title stretched my understanding of the basic, essential themes of Acts and Paul well beyond my imagination and expectations. In other words, as difficult as this book was to read, it was equally enjoyable!
To speak first to the difficulty – this book undoubtedly lived up to its categorization as a “textbook”. Through 400 plus pages, Gaffin meticulously and decisively communicates each theme down to its core. In particular, though not an exhaustive list, these themes were Pentecost, pneumatology (study of the Holy Spirit), the kingdom, missiology, eschatology, and the resurrection (specifically in relation to Pauline theology). My challenge in balancing and understanding these themes was just that: balancing these themes. Although I’m moderately familiar with the aforementioned subjects, their particular relationship in regard to Acts and Paul are areas I don’t find myself typically pondering. Furthermore, Gaffin’s penmanship tested my vocabulary time and time again. As far as I can recall, In the Fullness of Time wins the award for most googled words in a book ever read by Sam Brock – I was literally keeping count until I got sick of tallying…
Before departing to speak on my interest and enjoyment in this book, I’d like to round out my thoughts on the overall difficulty of this read, particularly on Gaffin’s style. As a former Westminster Professor, Gaffin draws much of his personal inspiration and source material from two formidable scholars: Geerhardus Vos (1862-1949) and Herman N. Ridderbos (1909-2007). Known in part for their impact and love for reformed theology, their collective passion has certainly been passed to Gaffin. It’s not reformed theology that brings forth troubles though (at least for myself). My struggles brewed progressively while reading due to the book's density, complexity, and sheer profoundness. Gaffin builds from bottom-up, starting with the micro and macro implications of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the early Church, followed with an in-depth look at Pauline theology as it pertains to the last times and the resurrection of Christ. It would take a number of paragraphs to expound on these themes, so I’ll leave you with this – if you want to be challenged and think of Acts and Paul in ways you never did before this book may be for you. Also, keep in mind that the overall source material is derived from Richard B Gaffin Jr.’s classes taught at Westminster! Hence the reason it reads as it does.
What kind of person would like this book:
As I recently mentioned, the Christian reader looking for a decent challenge may be interested in this book. That being said, each of us are at a different stage of life and sanctification. You may find this read extremely easy while another may find it unbearably hard. I found In the Fullness of Time to be right on the edge, a space where I could tolerate the challenge and see it as profitable without finding myself completely lost (read something by Dostoyevsky if you’re interested in this feeling… or ignore this comment if you have no clue who that is). To wrap things up, I’ll say that I’m not particularly fond of or opposed to this book. I can’t find myself recommending this to many friends, though I do feel I benefited from Gaffin’s scholarship of the aforementioned topics. Perhaps I’ll pick it up again years in the future to appreciate his insights on a deeper level, but at the present moment, the desire to read something else is far greater.
June 3, 2024
I've got mixed feelings on this one, all around.
Gaffin has both a great biblical-theological sense (owing to his deep familiarity with Vos and Ridderbos) and a solid systematic-theological sense (owing to his deep familiarity with Calvin and Bavinck). This fact shows through in all the best parts of this book. That's not to say I was convinced by all his arguments, or that I didn't think he went a little too far in others. Still, the content is great -- especially in the Pauline theology half. He presents the most important points of Vos' Pauline Eschatology without (generally) sacrificing readability.
Now, I know the book is assembled from his lectures at WTS on Acts and Paul, but the printing press is a place where the necessities of curricula can, in theory, be set aside. The connection between Acts and Paul, from a BT perspective, is a bit loose. So why combine them here? Why not two separate books? There's little to no thematic crossover between the two halves of this book. Also, the section on Acts just isn't as satisfying as the section on Paul. I can't quite pinpoint a reason for that.
The book also vascillates in its level of technicality. Gaffin gets far too in the weeds of grammar and syntax for me to recommend this to a layperson, but much of the book is also too introductory for me to recommend it to a fellow seminary student, pastor, or academic.
It's also a bit bloated. Gaffin repeats himself quite a bit. I imagine 50-60 pages could have been shaved off by removing redundancies or unnecessaries. Another sad case of editors being too gentle with an aged and revered author, I think.
All that said, I enjoyed much of this book, even though I slogged through some of it. It's genuinely worth reading.
Gaffin has both a great biblical-theological sense (owing to his deep familiarity with Vos and Ridderbos) and a solid systematic-theological sense (owing to his deep familiarity with Calvin and Bavinck). This fact shows through in all the best parts of this book. That's not to say I was convinced by all his arguments, or that I didn't think he went a little too far in others. Still, the content is great -- especially in the Pauline theology half. He presents the most important points of Vos' Pauline Eschatology without (generally) sacrificing readability.
Now, I know the book is assembled from his lectures at WTS on Acts and Paul, but the printing press is a place where the necessities of curricula can, in theory, be set aside. The connection between Acts and Paul, from a BT perspective, is a bit loose. So why combine them here? Why not two separate books? There's little to no thematic crossover between the two halves of this book. Also, the section on Acts just isn't as satisfying as the section on Paul. I can't quite pinpoint a reason for that.
The book also vascillates in its level of technicality. Gaffin gets far too in the weeds of grammar and syntax for me to recommend this to a layperson, but much of the book is also too introductory for me to recommend it to a fellow seminary student, pastor, or academic.
It's also a bit bloated. Gaffin repeats himself quite a bit. I imagine 50-60 pages could have been shaved off by removing redundancies or unnecessaries. Another sad case of editors being too gentle with an aged and revered author, I think.
All that said, I enjoyed much of this book, even though I slogged through some of it. It's genuinely worth reading.
January 17, 2024
Gaffin's comments on the teaching of Jesus and Paul concerning the resurrection, the Spirit, and the kingdom are generally helpful.
Gaffin writes with greater clarity than some similar writers in the biblical-theology genre; for example, while he cites Vos often, he beats him in clarity.
According to Gaffin, the resurrection of the dead is not only a future event in the life of the believer, but also one in the past, that informs his present reality. We have been "made alive with Christ."
The only point that I found objectionable was his assertion that Romans 1:3-4 ("concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.") has nothing to do with a distinction between Christ's divine and human natures. He seemed to base that conclusion on a false dichotomy between the verse addressing Christ's divinity and humanity, and his humiliation and exhaltation.
I would recommend this book to those seeking to better understand some of the major themes of the New Testament.
Gaffin writes with greater clarity than some similar writers in the biblical-theology genre; for example, while he cites Vos often, he beats him in clarity.
According to Gaffin, the resurrection of the dead is not only a future event in the life of the believer, but also one in the past, that informs his present reality. We have been "made alive with Christ."
The only point that I found objectionable was his assertion that Romans 1:3-4 ("concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.") has nothing to do with a distinction between Christ's divine and human natures. He seemed to base that conclusion on a false dichotomy between the verse addressing Christ's divinity and humanity, and his humiliation and exhaltation.
I would recommend this book to those seeking to better understand some of the major themes of the New Testament.
December 17, 2022
Dick Gaffin has some very interesting and helpful things about the theology of Paul. He sets all of Paul's thought between the coming of the Spirit and the coming (again) of Christ. These are the guideposts for the believer's life in this world. Gaffin continues to be an exegete par excellence--I'm convinced no scholar alive does a better job of tearing a Greek verse apart and building it back together in a coherent and convincing way.
Speaking of coherence--this book is based on Gaffin's lecture notes over decades of teaching at WTS. So it's a bit discursive, and many many sentences need reread just for their gist. But it is well worth the effort. I guarantee you'll understand Paul better--and appreciate Christ more--by tackling this work.
Speaking of coherence--this book is based on Gaffin's lecture notes over decades of teaching at WTS. So it's a bit discursive, and many many sentences need reread just for their gist. But it is well worth the effort. I guarantee you'll understand Paul better--and appreciate Christ more--by tackling this work.
December 29, 2024
This book is based upon lecture notes and transcriptions of Dr. Gaffin at Westminster Theological Seminary. Dr. Gaffin continues in the tradition of Geerhardus Vos and Herman Ridderbos in explicating the eschatological framework in the Acts of the Apostles and the letters of Paul. This was a study to savor. It is deep, but accessible. Careful, yet practical, not merely theoretical. Dr. Gaffin points to the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ as the center of Paul's theology and develops the implications of that -- he demonstrates that the application of salvation flows out of the history of salvation accomplished in time and space.
March 24, 2023
Helpful, though not as much about Acts as I had hoped (given the subtitle).
Overall it got me thinking in some new ways about Paul. I read this in preparation for teaching a class on Acts, so I was somewhat disappointed, but I will likely go back to it again in the future.
Overall it got me thinking in some new ways about Paul. I read this in preparation for teaching a class on Acts, so I was somewhat disappointed, but I will likely go back to it again in the future.
December 20, 2024
No doubt in my mind that this book was highly influential in the academic world, but this seminarian really struggled to the end haha! Not an easy read, very exegetical. I had a difficult time seeing the progression of his thesis from start to finish.
June 9, 2022
Vos and Ridderbos would be proud!
October 29, 2023
Vintage Gaffin. Incredible exegesis, brilliant biblical theology, and questionable references to Greek grammar 👌
January 3, 2025
Very academic, but interesting perspective sifting through Paul's theology. Helpful context for Pentecost, what Christ has accomplished but has yet to be fully applied to the Christian.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews