Galatians: A Commentary

Keener is outstanding for placing Galatians within its first-century Jewish, Greco-Roman, social, and cultural worlds while still maintaining close attention to Paul’s argument. His immense command of ancient sources frequently illuminates details that other commentators pass over, and he is especially strong on Abrahamic inheritance, the Spirit, sonship, the Hagar-Sarah argument, ethics, and the relationship between the Law and the “law of Christ.” His reading of 5:13–6:10 as the practical outworking of Spirit-enabled life is particularly helpful. The sheer abundance of comparative material can sometimes obscure the main exegetical judgment, and he is usually more contextual than revolutionary in his conclusions, but the amount of genuinely useful information throughout makes this one of the most valuable major commentaries currently available.

When it comes to detailed information on the historical, cultural, and social context of Galatians, Keener’s work is unparalleled. His work enables the pastor and scholar to better understand these crucial contexts. [Full Review]

Keener is a capable and brilliant exegete – with a genuinely scary reading ability. This doorstop on Galatians is excellent – if overkill for some uses. A significant chunk of it is bibliography!

Keener’s historical, cultural, and theological knowledge is encyclopaedic and his views meticulously researched. Like deSilva, Keener is always fair and balanced. This Baker commentary is an expansion of a previous commentary on Galatians he wrote recently. [Full Review]