The Law and Its Fulfillment: A Pauline Theology of Law

By Thomas R. Schreiner

Book Overview

Thomas R. Schreiner (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of Interpreting the Pauline Epistles and Romans in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. A prominent evangelical scholar reevaluates Paul's view of the Old Testament law in light of the biblical texts and recent scholarly debate."In this excellent book Professor Schreiner reasserts the traditional Protestant understanding of Paul's approach to the Mosaic law with clarity and exegetical rigor. These qualities have made his treatment of this hotly contested issue one of the standard works in the field. Hopefully this new paperback edition will put the book on the shelf of everyone interested in Pauline theology."--Frank Thielman

"No single area of Paul's theology has occupied more scholarly attention in the last twenty years than 'Paul and the Law.' Despite a maze of conflicting interpretations, significant advances in our understanding of the topic have been achieved. Sadly, the average evangelical pastor and congregation, and not a few professionally trained systematic theologians, seem entirely unaware of these developments. Some of them offer a striking paradigm shift from classic Reformation thought. Schreiner offers a reliable guide to the recent discussion in readable style, helping us know where our views should change and where Calvin and Luther remain on target. Overall Schreiner's book remains an excellent evangelical synthesis and critique of the issues. It is good to have this new edition in paperback."--Craig L. Blomberg

"A trustworthy guide through the thicket of current discussion, Dr. Schreiner provides thoughtful analysis and his own balanced conclusions. This rewarding book is marked by evenhandedness, clear thinking, first-rate scholarship, and above all by solid, faithful exegesis. One of the most helpful discussions available."--Donald A. Hagner

"The place of the law in the theology of Paul is one of the most difficult and disputed areas in contemporary New Testament study, not least since the advent of the so-called 'new perspective' on Paul some twenty years ago. Baker Book House is therefore to be commended for making available in paperback version Tom Schreiner's volume on this important theme. His comprehensive work addresses the major issues, engages in a careful exegetical study of the significant Pauline texts relating to the law, interacts with a wide range of secondary literature bearing on the major theological issues, and carefully nuances his conclusions. Dr. Schreiner defends the historic Protestant viewpoint with clarity and conviction. He writes in an irenic spirit, and treats differing positions fairly and courteously. Even if readers disagree on particular points they will be grateful to him for having laid out the issues so clearly."--Peter O'Brien

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0801021944
• ISBN13: 9780801021947
• Release Date: August 1998
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Length: 296 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"
• 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.