From Law to Logos: Reading St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians

by Jon R. Jordan, Todd D. Still (Foreword)

St. Paul's epistle to the Galatians offers a fascinating window into the life of the Christian church in its earliest days. We see in this letter a pastor guiding his people through questions of salvation, theology, and ethics. The more we read, the more we realize that many of the same questions facing the Galatian Christians continue to face us Are we still under the Old Testament Law? What happened to the Law when Jesus came? Who are the people of God? From Law to Reading St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians is a primer for reading Galatians for all it is worth. The focus of this book is preparing lay Christians to understand Galatians by reading it as a letter, in its entirety, over and over again. At the end of each chapter, the reader is better prepared to read and study Galatians in its literary, historical, and theological context. "In our time of so many who are educated, interested, and Biblically illiterate, the gift of catechist may prove the most important, and Jon Jordan has it. He explains how to read an epistle, what Galatians' connections to the Old Testament are, how the argument goes, and only then what it says to our lives. I commend this book as in introduction to Paul's letter, and to the heart of our faith, highly."   --George Sumner, Episcopal bishop of Dallas "As a pastor I am constantly on the lookout for biblical commentary that is both accessible and theologically sound. This slim volume on Galatians is just that. With deft skill, Jordan cuts right to the heart of St. Paul's message without sacrificing one ounce of integrity. If you're looking for a commentary that will illumine, entertain, and steer miles clear of the tedium that bogs down much biblical scholarship--look no further."  --Ryan Casey Waller, Author of Broken  "Jordan's From Law to Logos is a gift to read. It offers an intelligent and contemplative re-reading of Galatians beneficial for theologian and novice alike. The reader will discover through Jordan's study of the text the gift of Christian identity as life spent in grateful self-gift in a cosmos infused with the faithfulness of Christ."  --Timothy P. O'Malley, PhD, University of Notre Dame Jon R. Jordan is a theology teacher and Dean of Students at Coram Deo Academy. He lives with his family in Dallas, Texas. You can contact him at jonjordan.com.

Genres: Christian, Biblical Studies

102 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2017

About the author

Jon is Principal and a theology teacher at Coram Deo Academy, and lives with his family in Dallas, TX.

Reviews

[Luisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my normal read, but interesting. Makes me want to read the bible, though in my case it would be as a historical piece. Any one that enjoys studying the bible this would be a good read

[Hanna Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Law to Logos is an in-depth guide on how to read the Apostle Paul's epistle to the Galatians. Jon R. Jordan includes in his work the entire epistle (New English Translation) in the back of the book for quick reference. Mr. Jordan's words are a right to the point delight with no frilly filler. 


The book takes you chapter by chapter into Galatians giving you a deeper look (perhaps a fresh look as well) at Paul the man and the circumstances that lead him to write his letter to the churches of Galatia. It also describes a great method for studying any of the Epistles. Overall this book reads as clean and crisp as its cover art looks.


Though some might find the language of this book a little dry, I thoroughly enjoyed its simplistic nature. It helped me to look at reading the Word of God in a whole new way. My hope is that Mr. Jordan will continue to write more books looking into and helping his readers to understand the Epistles. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to study the Bible.

Book was provided courtesy of the author through the Interviews & Reviews book review program.

[Peter Krol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite a commentary, and not quite a study guide. But Jordan equips us to read and re-read Galatians. Along the way, he explains Paul's flow of thought, and he covers the thorniest issues. In fewer than 80 pages, this book is well worth reading if you want to study Galatians.

[Don Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful Guide

Excellent study guide to Galatians - highly recommended. I especially liked how the author outlined Paul’s letter into logical, digestible chunks. This deepened my understanding.

[Tyson Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've known Jon for a long time and have come to discover in the last several years of teaching with him that he has a talent for communicating large concepts concisely, but thoroughly. In classes where I find myself babbling in circles and struggling for words, Jon will step in with a helpful image or a succinct summary and leave the students going, "Ooooh, that's what Mr. Guthrie was trying to say." From Law to Logos does just this for the book of Galatians. It interrupts the logorrhea of the scholarly commentaries and tells the people of God, "This is what they're trying to say." It is Jon's hope and my own that his book will awaken a hunger for more of these "books about books."

[Allen Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an accessible and valuable resource for understanding the book of Galatians. It provides a unique blend of big picture/overview along with particular insights and details, all without getting bogged down in scholarly debate (even while being able to acknowledge the existence of those debates).

I'm currently in the midst of teaching a Bible study on Galatians, and wish I would have had access to this resource while doing my preparation! Highly recommended for those who will be preaching/teaching this book, as well as for those who will be looking to the book of Galatians as part of their own personal devotions or study. This book could also be used to help teach others basic principles of Bible study (especially concerning the New Testament epistles), as part of a discipleship program or church-based class.

I hope that Jordan or others will look to produce similar volumes for other books of the Bible. Appreciated and recommended.

[Clarky · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I have been a life long Christian but have had many questions about how Christians should see the Old Testament or what to follow, what was strictly OT and what was NT Christianity. This book was the perfect solution to my questions. Galatians is a great book because it applies to so many things in your life, this book specifically was a great modern help for Galatians. I would absolutely recommend this book to my friends. I'm not usually one to annotate all over new books (it feels wrong to do so) but nearly every page of this book had some sort of marking. It's excellent!