Publisher's Description: Since the time of the Reformation, considerable attention has been given to the theme of justification in the thought of the apostle Paul. The ground-breaking work of E. P. Sanders in Paul and Palestinian Judaism (1977) introduced the "new perspective on Paul," provoking an ongoing debate which is now dominated by major protagonists. Foundational theological issues are at stake.

In this new study, Mark Seifrid offers a comprehensive analysis of Paul's understanding of justification, in the light of important themes including the righteousness of God, the Old Testament law, faith, and the destiny of Israel. A detailed examination of justification in the letter to the Romans is followed by a survey of the entire Pauline corpus.

Seifrid's analysis incorporates a critical assessment of the "new perspective," challenging its most basic assumptions; an evaluation of the contribution of recent German scholarship; and a reaffirmation of the "Christ-centered" theology of the Reformers. In this wide-ranging exposition of the biblical message of justification, Seifrid provides a fresh, balanced reworking of Pauline theology.

222 Pages
Published March 2001

About the Author: Mark Seifrid is professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is a graduate of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and he received his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary.

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About This Series: New Studies in Biblical Theology is a series of monographs that address key issues in the discipline of biblical theology. Contributions to the series focus on one or more of three areas: (1) the nature and status of biblical theology, including its relations with other disciplines (e.g. historical theology, exegesis, systematic theology, historical criticism, narrative theology); (2) the articulation and exposition of the structure of thought of a particular biblical writer or corpus; and (3) the delineation of a biblical theme across all or part of the biblical corpora.

Above all, these monographs are creative attempts to help thinking Christians understand their Bibles better. The series aims simultaneously to instruct and to edify, to interact with the current literature, and to point the way ahead. In God’s universe, mind and heart should not be divorced: in this series we will try not to separate what God has joined together. While the notes interact with the best of scholarly literature, the text is uncluttered with untransliterated Greek and Hebrew, and tries to avoid too much technical jargon. The volumes are written within the framework of confessional evangelicalism, but there is always an attempt at thoughtful engagement with the sweep of the relevant literature.