One âapocalypticâ reading of Paulâs letter to the Galatians has been attempted before and is now widely accepted, but that reading is not based on a thorough engagement with Jewish apocalyptic traditions of the Second Temple period. In this book, James M. Scott argues that there is an essential continuity between Galatians and Paulâs Jewish past, and that Paul uses the apocalyptic Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 92â105) as a literary model for his own letter. Scott first contextualizes the Epistle of Enoch using the entire Enochic corpus and explores the extensive similarities (and some significant differences) between the Enochic tradition and early Stoicism. Then he turns to deal specifically with Paulâs letter to the Galatians, showing that, despite their obvious differences, the two apocalyptic letters have some remarkable features in common as well. This approach to the interpretation of Galatians fundamentally stands to change the way biblical scholars understand Paulâs letter and the gospel that he preached. Paul is âwithin Judaism,â if the net for what is included in âJudaismâ is wide enough to encompass the Enochic tradition.
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