Date of Award

3-23-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Exegetical Theology

First Advisor

Mark A. Seifrid

Scripture References in this Resource

Galatians 6:11–18; Galatians 2:11–18; Galatians 2:19–21; Galatians 3:6–9; Galatians 3:15–18; Galatians 3:26–29; Galatians 4:1–7; Galatians 4:21–31; Galatians 1:1–9; Galatians 3:2

Abstract

Nickodemus, Benjamin J. “The Apocalyptic Character of the Ethnic Identity Argument in Galatians.” Ph.D. diss., Concordia Seminary, 2023. 281 pp.

The relationship between Paul’s ethnic identity argument to bring Gentiles into the line of Abraham and the apocalyptic inbreaking of Christ into the present has been poorly defined. The new creation seems to relativize all difference in ethnic identity, yet the importance of Gentiles being heirs of Abraham remains a fundamental component of Paul’s argument. This dissertation argues that the tension between these two identity arguments arises because they are not in fact two arguments, but one reality. The ethnic argument is enclosed within the apocalyptic. The ethnic is relativized in the apocalyptic, but the ethnic is never lost.

This dissertation analyzes Paul’s ethnic argument to show the way in which the ethnic is best understood as a component of the apocalyptic. In so doing, this dissertation first establishes the Second Temple traditions that Paul employs. Following this, the formal analysis of Galatians begins with the apocalyptic frame of the entire letter (1:1–9; 6:11–18). It then covers the Antioch incident in 2:11–21 to show that there is no Jewish priority, but that all are apocalyptically under the power of sin. It then moves to the formal ethnic argument concerning Abraham in 3:6–4:31. It looks at the way descent is reframed ἐκ πίστεως (3:7), to a singular heir in Christ (3:16), adoption (4:1–7), and the allegory of Hagar and Sarah (4:21–31). Of particular significance is the theological structure of ἐπαγγελία to show the apocalyptic character of fulfillment in the blessing of Abraham understood as inheritance. Paul then shows the way that at fulfillment the ἐπαγγελία has included as heirs of Abraham all Gentiles in Christ. This shows that all in Christ are coheirs with Christ of the blessings to Abraham.

Reframing Paul’s ethnic argument as enclosed within the apocalyptic shows the deep meaning of Paul’s theology of promise and inheritance as not a clever way to bring Gentiles into Israel through some ethnic side door, but instead, but an embrace of the transformation of all things in Christ that includes within that transformation the boundaries of the inheritance of Abraham as well as the inheritance itself.

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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