In a moment of great crisis, the apostle Paul gave new meanings to characters and events within Genesis 16-21 without completely denying or replacing their prior meanings. This interpretive practice, as found in Galatians 4:21-31, has troubled interpreters of Scripture since the fourth century. This book demonstrates that Paul's practice was allegorical and provides a more precise understanding of his practice by comparing Paul with three roughly contemporary interpreters of Scripture: the sectarian interpreters of texts in the Dead Sea Scrolls, the interpreter Philo, and the author of the Epistle of Barnabas. This book identifies Paul's interpretive work, explains how he used his allegorical practice to accomplish it, and reveals the implications of this practice for understanding him as an interpreter of Scripture. It helps resolve a debate ongoing for nearly two millennia by answering the questions, What does Paul do in Galatians 4:21-31, and why does it matter?

The Epistle of Paul to the Romans has always been regarded as central to the history and expansion of the Christian Church. Yet, with its apparent support of predestination (which mocks morality) and of civil authority, however tyrannical, it has been the subject of fierce controversy among commentators from Chrysostom in the fourth century to Dodd in our own. For the most part, however, they have accepted that Romans was written by one man at one time to one audience. The author, however, challenges the truth of this assumption. He maintains, both in principle and in detail, that the process of copying from manuscript to manuscript has allowed numerous glosses and interpolations to creep into the text of Paul's letter as it was finally established. He also claims that even longer sections not written by Paul were deliberately added. The words of Romans are not necessarily the words of Paul.

From Absalom and Achitophel to Zadig, and from Richard Adams to William Butler Yeats, this volume presents more than 400 articles covering all aspects of literary allegory. In addition, it examines the relationship of allegory to film, music, psychoanalysis, and other fields. Includes many illustrations and black-and-white photos, and an extensive index and bibliography. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR