Intermediate Biblical Greek Reader – Galatians and Related Texts (Gupta and Sandford)

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This intermediate graded reader is designed to move from simpler translation work (Galatians) towards more advanced readings from the book of James, the Septuagint, and from one of the Church Fathers. In each reading lesson, the Greek text is given, followed by supplemental notes that offer help with vocabulary, challenging word forms, and syntax. Discussion questions are also included to foster group conversation and engagement.

The debate over Paul’s use of ἔργα νόμου tends to focus on Galatians, where Paul engages in discussion over how one is justified: not by ἔργα νόμου but through πίστις (Ἰησοῦ) Χριστοῦ. These two concepts are held together most clearly in Galatians 2:16, where ἔργα νόμου is found three times in relation to justification. Again, in recent history, Paul’s phrase ἔργa νόμου has been understood to refer to some sort of identification marker, or a term referring to the boundaries of a group, while others argue that it implies strict adherence to all of the commandments of Torah.

Scholars such as Garlington believe that attention to the preposition ἐκ illuminates how Paul uses ἔργα νόμου in Galatians. When ἔργα νόμου is paired with ἐκ, it may be appropriate to understand the complete phrase as referring to belonging to a certain realm/sphere or remaining within the boundaries defined by Torah-works. We see this in 2:16 in the clauses οὐ δικαιοῦται ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, ἵνα δικαιωθῶμεν ἐκ πίστεως Χριστοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐξ ἔργων νόμου, and ἐξ ἔργων νόμου οὐ δικαιωθήσεται. Here Paul rejects the idea that a person is justified by God by “belonging to the arena of Torah-works”; rather, one is justified “within the realm of Christic faith . . .because no person will be justified by remaining within the sphere of Torahworks.”