Paideia Commentaries focus on the final form of New Testament texts. This volume provides a reader-centered, clear, and comprehensive look at Paul's Letter to the Galatians. While this study is designed for seminarians, graduate students, and upper-division undergraduates who are neither fully cognizant of historical-critical issues nor proficient in Koine Greek, advanced scholars will also find it an enjoyable analysis that puts ancient and contemporary scholars into productive dialogue. Peter Oakes' introduction discusses the nature, contexts, and structure of Galatians, as well as issues pertaining to its reception. He acknowledges that the many ways scholars have outlined Galatians provide valid insights into the complexity of this letter. Oakes' own structure of Galatians consists of opening (1:1–10), body (1:11–6:10), and closing (6:11–18). He divides the body into three sections: narrative (1:11–2:21), argument (3:1–4:11), and instructions with argument (4:12–6:10), each of which is subdivided into three segments. These divisions establish the chapters of the commentary; each chapter consists of two sections. Oakes calls each first section “Tracing the Train of Thought” and begins with his own translation of a line or short segment followed by his discussion. These first sections are enhanced by sidebars summarizing the “rhetorical flow” of the section under consideration. He titles the second section of each chapter “Theological Issues” and uses it to call attention to the theological ideas or concerns introduced in the section. Scattered throughout the text are seven illustrations as well as additional sidebars that explain the range of meaning for particular Greek words, such as adelphoi (39); describe the significance of grammatical features, such as dikaioō in the passive voice (85); or clarify related historical concerns, such as Luther on law (123). Discussions in the first sections establish how the text would be understood at the time of Paul and take into consideration archeological, social, and historical details. Oakes systematically notes differences from contemporary presuppositions read into the text. He dialogues with other scholars on specific issues, especially when there exist a variety of views. While he generally follows the scholarly consensus, he refines many issues. In a number of instances he clarifies Paul's message by references to passages in the other undisputed letters. For example, the opening section Paul speaks of the Galatians “turning away from the one who called you by the grace of Christ” (Gal 1:6). The vast majority of scholars sense that Paul claims the Galatians have deserted God. Oakes notes that Paul does mention God and is more likely speaking of himself, since “an important Greco-Roman moral convention [was] loyalty to the founding figure” (41). In the body of the letter Paul identifies Christian as sons—a literal translation of huioi (Gal 3:26, 4:6), huios (Gal 4:7). While modern versions tend to render these words as “children” and “child” in recognition that Paul understood them to apply to both men and women, Oakes insists that Paul is speaking in terms of adoption (Gal 4:5) that renders people heirs (Gal 3:29, 4:1, 4:7) to an inheritance (Gal 3:29). At the time of Paul both men and women could be adopted as a son to be an heir. In his discussion of Paul's conclusion in Gal 6:12–15 Oakes rejects the view that Paul's opponents wanted the Galatians to adopt Jewish practices to avert their persecution by the Romans; he also rejects the idea that they were synagogue officials and the idea that they were Gentile Christians who had themselves already accepted circumcision. Oakes considers Paul's opponents Christian Jews who did not agree with Paul's insights. Oakes' second sections concerning theological issues are far shorter than those concerned with tracing Paul's thoughts. Most often these sections discuss one issue, although a number introduce two (and the first instance actually addresses three theological issues). These sections offer valuable topics for classroom discussions at both graduate and undergraduate levels. This is a significant new commentary that should be included in every library supporting a biblical studies program. It would make a splendid text for an undergraduate or seminary course devoted to an English exegesis of Galatians.