The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law

by Thomas R. Schreiner

Book Overview

A prominent evangelical scholar reevluates Paul's view of the Old Testament low in light of the biblical texts and recent scholarly debate. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801083532
• ISBN13: 9780801083532
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Baker Books
• Length: 294 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Reformed Understanding...

This book was very well done. Whether or not you agree with Dr. Schreiner or not, you will definitely get an exegetical explanation of the understanding of Pauline Theology and Law. Mostly, this book was a polemic against Sanders and others that try and show that Pauline theology when looking to law is not only controversial, but contradictory to his own writings and others. Although this book was written in 1993 and deals primarily with older works by Sanders and no new works by N.T. Wright, Schreiner gives great explanation of why Pauline writings were indeed writing and preaching against a legalistic Judaism. Sanders, and now N.T. Wright, both try and point to the fact that Second Temple Judaism was not legalistic, but saw its works as an outworking of loving the grace of God. Schreiner shows exegetically why this cannot be true through looking at key texts within the writings of Paul. Schreiner, like most, do agree that it was God's plan for this to take place, but the Jews, by the showing of Paul's writing were not following the plans of God in the outworking of the grace shown to them. Because of this you will see explained what works and grace meant to Paul and what justification, grace and works of the law meant to Paul and the bottom line that is answered masterfully is: Why does the Law exist? Schreiner meticulously goes through much in this book to try and show the real purpose of the writings of Paul and his view of Law. Even though there have been many writings after Schreiner's to this point, Schreiner's work will stand pretty firm because it went from more an exegitical argument instead of a mere argument from the writings of others. Anytime you get into the writings of Paul or the commentaries in respect to them, you will find it to be a very difficult read. I believe though that Schreiner's work was done in a way for the reader to understand easier than other works that I have encountered. This work is a great read for anyone desiring a better understanding of some of the arguments against the New Perspective of Paul and why the historic reading of the law and Paul still stand. Highly Recommended. Chapter Titles: 1. The Meaning of the Term Law in Paul 2. Why the Works of the Law Cannot Save 3. The Purpose of the Law 4. Is Paul Opposing Jewish Legalism? 5. The Temporary Nature of the Mosaic Covenant 6. The Fulfillment of the Law by Christians 7. Did Paul Teach Justification by Works? 8. Soundings from the Rest of the New Testament

An able critique, but not thorough in its own formulation.

The previous reviewers are quite accurate in their apparaisal of Schreiner's critique of the so-called "New Perspective" on Paul. He shows how it is lacking time and again in the terms Paul sets out for the Law.However, although he is correct in his defense against the New perspective, I am unconvinced that he adequately lays out a correct understanding of "nomos" from the Greek NT. Quite simply, he does not deal with the totality of Paul's statements on the Law, and thus is forced to charicature Paul's position just as surely as the New Perspective does. If the New Perspective desires to say Paul was not critiquing "authentic" jewish religion and re-defines him in that light, Schreiner for his part reads Paul in light of Calvinist formulation. THis is more accurate, but not the same as exegeting a true "Biblical Theology" of Paul's use of the Law as he claims to aim.I would suggest that anyone interested in a thorough formulation of this look to Frank Thielmann's outstanding "Paul and the Law, A Contextual Approach." Thielmann examines the WHOLE of the Pauline corpus in his work. And his conclusions as a result are, in my mind, far more convincing.

An excellent traditional approach to Paul's theology

Schreiner's treatment of Paul's theology of law is clear, thorough, and scholarly. He argues persuasively for Pauline consistency and defends a traditional Protestant interpretation of Paul's understanding of the Law of Moses. Every relevant Biblical passage is discussed and Schreiner does not shy away from interaction with other New Testament scholars. His conclusion is that the deficiency of the law is really in man's inability to obey it, and that therefore justification must be by faith. However, Schreiner is careful to emphasize the Spirit's enabling power to keep the divine commandments and the fact that works are necessary to inherit salvation on the day of judgment. His insight into these areas opens the door for showing the remarkable agreement that exists between James and Paul (and other New Testament authors), which he unpacks in chapter eight. Overall, the work was excellent, and I highly recommend it, to evangelical and Catholic readers alike.