Christ Redeemed ‘Us’ From the Curse of the Law: A Jewish Martyrological Reading of Galatians 3:13

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Jarvis J. Williams argues that the Jewish martyrological ideas, codified in 2 and 4 Maccabees and in selected texts in LXX Daniel 3, provide an important background to understanding Paul’s statements about the cursed Christ in Gal. 3.13, and the soteriological benefits that his death achieves for Jews and Gentiles in Galatians. Williams further argues that Paul modifies Jewish martyrology to fit his exegetical, polemical, and theological purposes, in order to persuade the Galatians not to embrace the ‘other’ gospel of their opponents. In addition to providing a detailed and up to date history of research on the scholarship of Gal. 3.13, Williams provides five arguments throughout this volume related to the scriptural, theological and conceptual, lexical, grammatical and polemical points of contact, and finally the discontinuities between Galatians and Jewish martyrological ideas. Drawing on literature from Second Temple traditions to directly compare with Gal. 3.13, Williams adds new insights to Paul’s defense of his Torah-free-gentile-inclusive gospel, and his rhetoric against his opponents. Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Acknowledgments Abbreviations Chapter 1 Introduction and Thesis I. Method II. Contribution III. History of Research IV. Chapter Summaries Chapter 2 Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions I. Blessing, Curse, and the Promises to Abraham II. Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions III. Deuteronomic Blessing and Curse through Martyrdom, Military Action, and Effective Prayer IV. Conclusion of Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in 2 Maccabees V. Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in 4 Maccabees VI. Summary of Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in 4 Maccabees VII. Conclusion Chapter 3 Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in Galatians I. Deuteronomic Curse and Abrahamic Blessing in Galatians II. Conclusion Chapter 4 Representation and Substitution in Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions and in Galatians 3:13 I. A Definition of Jewish Martyrology II. Representation and Substitution in LXX Daniel 3:24–90 III. Martyrdom and Reconciliation in 2 and 4 Maccabees IV. Jewish Martyrdom, God’s Mercy, Satisfaction, and Purification in 4 Maccabees V. Deuteronomy, Jewish Martyrology, Representation, Substitution, and Galatians 3:13 VI. Summary VII. Conclusion Chapter 5 Lexical, Grammatical, and Additional Conceptual Similarities Between Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions and Galatians I. Lexical and Grammatical Similarities Between the Martyrological Traditions and Galatians II. Polemical Similarities Between the Jewish Martyrological Traditions and Galatians III. Additional Theological and Conceptual Similarities Between the Jewish Martyrological Traditions and Galatians IV. Conclusion Chapter 6 Conclusion: A Jewish Martyrological Reading of Galatians 3:13 I. Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions II. Deuteronomic Blessings and Curses in Galatians III. Representation and Substitution in Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions and in Galatians 3:13 IV. Lexical, Grammatical, and Additional Conceptual Similarities Between Second Temple Jewish Martyrological Traditions and Galatians V. The Contribution of a Jewish Martyrological Background Behind the Death of the Cursed Christ in Galatians 3:13 Bibliography Index of References Index of Authors