Paul and His Letters

By John B. Polhill

Book Overview

Except for Christ himself, no figure has been more influential in the history of Christianity than the apostle Paul. And yet his remarkable life remains shrouded in mystery. In this probing new book, John B. Polhill scrapes away the myths about this great man and uncovers the truth of his life and thought. Using Acts, the Pauline epistles, and reliable traditions from non-canonical sources, Polhill weaves together the remarkable story of Paul's transformation from persecutor to persecuted, producing a dynamic account of his entire ministry. By placing each of Paul's letters in its proper historical context, Polhill brings new light to these foundation stones of the Christian faith. He follows Paul from his early years in Tarsus and Jerusalem to his imprisonment and eventual martyrdom, painting a detailed, comprehensive portrait of Paul that will serve as an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and pastors alike.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 080541097X
• ISBN13: 9780805410976
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: B&H Publishing Group
• Length: 496 Pages
• Weight: 1.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Paul and His Letters

I have ben studying Paul for two plus years and this is the most complete review of his writings and the most comprehensive look at why he wrote the letters and the theology behind them

Letters of Paul Book

The book was as advertised. Excellent condition and arrived promptly. Very pleased with the seller.

prompt delivery

i was very pleased with the purchase. the book was in great condition and came right on time.

Excellent Intro to Paul & His Letters

A previous reviewer wrote, "But you do not get anywhere near the depth of discussion you do in most commentaries devoted to one or two letters. There is no passage-by-passage analysis and little discussion of the Greek text. Again, a helpful introduction, but not much more." Indeed, a very helpful introduction. And it was not written to be "much more," so I wouldn't hold that against the book. I had to read this book in seminary for a NT II intro class taught by the author of the book, Dr. Polhill. His material in class is very closely related to the material he has in his book. So you are getting a seminary level introduction to Paul and his epistles. But don't let the word "seminary" scare you away from this book! I am not your average seminary student. I don't care to read books that are overly complicated or hard to read and Polhill does not disappoint. I found the book engaging in many respects and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an introduction to Paul and his epistles.

Excellent introductory material

Dr. Polhill has given us a well written introduction to Paul and his letters that reflects his many years of scholarship. He argues from a conservative evangelical perspective, but includes diverging opinions concerning authorship, provenance, etc. One of the strengths of this book is his detail in defining terms, people and places relating to Paul in Acts and his epistles. This will be a resource that I use often in the ministry and for personal use. I recommend highly to laypersons, seminarians and pastors.