Galatians and Romans

Of all the writings of Paul none have made so signal a contribution to Christian life and identity as the Letter to the Galatians and the Letter to the Romans. While written at quite separate stages of his apostolic career and very different in tone, the two letters unite in projecting above all a common vision of God as a God of grace. Both call for a human response of faith and love, from which will flow a Christian life lived in freedom and hope.

This commentary brings out these positive emphases in Galatians and Romans, while also remaining sensitive to the part these letters have played in divisions between Protestants and Catholics, on the one hand, and Christian caricature of Judaism, on the other. The aim is to clarify and shed light where Paul can be obscure as well as to bring out the full riches of his powerful presentation of the Good News for the life of believers today.

Brendan Byrne, SJ, is professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. A member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission (1990 - 96) and Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Humanities (2000 -), he is editor in chief of the theological journal Pacifica. Byrne is the author of numerous books, including Romans in the Sacra Pagina series and a three-volume commentary on the Synoptic Gospels (Liturgical Press). He is currently preparing a similar commentary on the Gospel of John.