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Wassell, Blake
The Connection of Σάρξ and Circumcision in Galatians 5:13–26 in Light of Philo’s Writings
(SCD Press, 2025-10) Chen, Sunny; Constantine R. Campbell and James R Harrison; Pilgrim Theological College
Paul’s use of σάρξ in the σάρξ-πνεῦμα juxtaposition in Galatians 5:13–26 has been a challenge in NT scholarship. The term is frequently understood to denote sin, an evil force, or fallen human nature. Nonetheless, those proposed interpretations usually struggle to explain how the juxtaposition connects to the rest of the letter, specifically regarding the topic of circumcision. This study examines the occurrences of σάρξ in Galatians, and then surveys the term in Philo’s writings. The findings show how ἡδονή, in particular, sexual pleasure, serves as the connection between σάρξ in the juxtaposition and the practice of circumcision.
Intertextual Reference to Creation Narrative, Augmented Assertion of Universal Equality, or Subversive Argument against Gender Differentiation: Revisiting οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ in Galatians 3:28
(2025-09) Chen, Sunny; Pilgrim Theological College
This paper examines Paul’s tripartite declaration in Galatians 3:28 (οὐκ ἔνι Ἰουδαῖος οὐδὲ Ἕλλην, οὐκ ἔνι δοῦλος οὐδὲ ἐλεύθερος, οὐκ ἔνι ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ· πάντες γὰρ ὑμεῖς εἷς ἐστε ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no male and female”), with particular focus on the third antithesis, “there is no male and female,” which distinguishes itself from the preceding pairs, “Jew or Greek” and “slave or free.” While the first two antitheses recur elsewhere in the Pauline corpus and clearly emphasise unity in Christ across ethnic and socio-economic divisions, the gendered pair is unique in both form and content. Its distinctive wording and conjunction suggest a deliberate allusion to Genesis 1:27 (LXX), invoking the creation of humanity as male and female in the image of God. Building on this widely recognised intertextual connection, the study explores whether Paul intended this statement to articulate a theological claim about gender equality or whether it functions primarily within a soteriological and ecclesial framework. By engaging contemporaneous Koine Greek literature, particularly the writings of Philo of Alexandria, this study situates the verse within its broader intellectual and cultural context. It identifies the anomalous use of an otherwise obsolete Greek term for “male” in both Philo’s and Paul’s discourse and, ultimately, clarifies the extent and limits of any gender-based nuance in Galatians 3:28 and its role within Paul’s overall argument in the epistle.
Creevey, Paul J. “The Unknowability of God in John’s Gospel”. Pages 136-152 in Biblical Theological Investigations into the Incomprehensibility of God, edited by Francois P. Viljoen and Albert J. Coetsee. Wipf & Stock, Eugene, OR: 2025.
(Wipf & Stock Publishers, 2025) Creevey, Paul; Francois Viljoen and Albert Coetzee; Yarra Theological Union
Dogba, Paul