Interpreting Galatians: Explorations in Exegetical Method

"Silva's detailed and erudite work tackles important issues in a creative manner, and in the process provides many useful and practical insights into the process of exegesis, much of which would be transferable to the exegesis of other texts."

"New Testament scholars are confronted by many and diverse approaches to the text--linguistic, literary, historical, and theological. All too often such methods are uncritically or separately applied. In this well-written yet detailed book, Silva introduces the ways in which these approaches should be harnessed for our understanding of what the biblical authors intended. We are given hands-on experience with examples taken from Galatians. Readers are encouraged to apply his insights and critical judgments to other New Testament texts. Silva's timely book will help students and pastors. It is warmly welcomed."

“Many books are written today on how to do exegesis, and yet students are often frustrated by their abstract character. Silva's work is distinctive, for he shows how to interpret the text by using Galatians as a case study. He offers sage advice on interpretive philosophy, textual criticism, Greek syntax, historical background, Pauline theology, and more! I learned much from this wise book, and I commend it enthusiastically to others.”

“Silva has mastered the literature on Galatians from Aquinas to Zuntz and offers wisdom from his years of research that the scholar will find invaluable. Students will also breathe a sigh of relief over his clear style and unpretentious, often humorous, approach to the subject. Both scholar and student will benefit from the example of erudition and humility characteristic of everything Silva writes.”

“This volume is packed with information seasoned with sound advice. 'Exegetical method' carries a very wide sense--not just instructions on word study and sentence diagramming, but 'explorations' into mirror reading, linguistic theory, discourse analysis, and history of interpretation. Silva's survey maintains the big picture but avoids oversimplifications and abstraction by concentrating on Galatians as a test case. Take up and read--you'll learn a lot about Galatians, and much else too.”