Paul and Judaism: An Anthropological Approach, Second Edition

A sharp reappraisal of Paul's conflict with Judaism, this book shows how questions of human freedom, sin, and grace reshape covenantal nomism and the New Perspective on Paul. Written by internationally recognized Pauline expert Timo Laato, Paul and Judaism: An Anthropological Approach, Second Edition tackles one decisive question: what did Paul and his Jewish contemporaries assume about the human person? Drawing on decades of research in New Testament theology and hermeneutics, Laato moves beyond abstract debates about law and "works" to examine concrete claims about will, bondage, and divine initiative. These assumptions, he argues, mark the real point of divergence between Paul and Second Temple and Rabbinic Judaism. By reframing familiar disputes through anthropology rather than legal categories, Laato brings new clarity to long-standing debates. Building on his influential work on Romans and Paul's use of Scripture, he engages covenantal nomism, E. P. Sanders, and key Jewish texts to show both where Paul stands apart and where modern scholarship has often misunderstood him. This volume offers: A focused account of how sin and human inability shape Paul's soteriology Careful comparison of Paul with Tannaitic literature and the Dead Sea Scrolls Fresh assessment of synergism, grace, justification, and Torah observance A clear guide to the New Perspective on Paul and its principal critics Ideal for scholars, pastors, and students ready to rethink Paul at the deepest anthropological level, this book changes the terms of the debate.