Letters To The Galatians And Ephesians

Plot

The daily readings in this volume are, as usual in the series, made up of Dr. Barclay's own translation of the passage to be considered and his interpretive commentary on the passage. THE LETTER TO THE GALATIANS strikes back at an attack that, in successful, might have made the community of Jesus'; followers merely a Jewish sect. Christianity could not be so restricted. It was not dependent on a fleshly sign or on a man's ability to keep the law. On the contrary, it was dependent upon nothing but God's free gift of grace, bestowed on all who would accept that gift by faith, Gentile and Jew alike. Because it proclaims this universality and confutes the Judaizing Christians, the letter is one of the great theological cornerstones of Christianity. THE LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS, which was written while Paul was in prison, has been called "the Queen of the Epistle." It probably was not addressed specifically to the church at Ephesus but, as a circular letter, to the Christian churches generally. In contrast to Paul's other writings, it is meditative and poetic in character. The main theme is the universal battle between good and evil, and the ultimate unity to be achieved only when all things are gathered together in Christ. Dr. Barclay's scholarship is deep and thoroughgoing. At the same time, his style has such remarkable felicity that his commentary is easy and delightful to read.