Paul the Allegorist

“Andrew C. Burrow provides a much-needed critique of the standard treatments of the relationship between Paul’s interpretive practices and those of (other) allegorical interpreters. He also shows that the criteria typically used for identifying comparable allegorical interpreters and interpretations need to be reconsidered. His work should be of great interest to all those interested in a better understanding of Paul as an interpreter of Scripture.”


—Roy E. Ciampa, chair of religion, Samford University





“A welcome addition to Galatians scholarship, both valuable and instructive, Andrew C. Burrow situates 4:21–31 within an oft-misunderstood, ancient interpretive tradition: allegory. He highlights how Paul seizes the Genesis texts’ law-observant Jewish children of Sarah and sees her children—unlike the rival interpreters at Galatia—as non-law-observant gentiles. Then, Burrow demonstrates the allegory is comparable to what one finds in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Philo, and the Epistle of Barnabas and should be laid alongside other instances of allegory in Paul’s letters.”


—A. Andrew Das, professor of religious studies, Elmhurst University