Reflections on Galatians Part 1: Anger or compassion?


I wrote earlier that I'm memorizing Paul's letter to the Galatians. Part of that exercise is regular "performances" (on speech team they called it "oral interpretation") in which I try to get inside of Paul's mind and understand his feelings and emphasis in the text. I've had a few realizations that I hope are helpful to some. I'll be posting them over the next few days. Today: anger or compassion?

When I first started reading the letter, I did so from the perspective of apologetics: "Let's get our doctrine right, people!" As a result, I'd read passages like "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ ..." and imagine them in the voice of a marine drill seargent. Similarly, I'd imagine "You foolish Galatians!" in terms of a football coach or a teenager's parent shouting "What were you thinking?" the obvious implication that they weren't thinking in the first place.

I don't think that's an accurate way to read Galatians. Paul was certainly upset and troubled, but at the same time, I don't think his real purpose in the letter would permit it to be read that way.

This post was originally a lot longer, but I decided to break it up. I'll continue writing on this topic over the next few days.

Posted: Tue - January 1, 2008 at 02:42 PM           | |

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