Readers will profit greatly from Hulitt Gloer and Perry Stepp’s new commentary, Reading Paul’s Letters to Individuals: A Literary and Theological Commentary on Paul’s Letters to Philemon, Titus and Timothy. Treating the Pastoral Letters together with Philemon allows the authors to emphasize the commonalities between four letters which are rarely considered together, though they are carefully clustered together in the cannon. Gloer and Stepp write well, and the reader will appreciate their clearly presented insights into the historical and literary aspects of the texts. Their comments on the real-life experiences of slaves in the ancient world enlighten their study of Philemon, which is covered first. When introducing the Pastoral Letters, they reject the arguments for pseudonymous authorship and opt instead for a theory of “free amanuensis,” believing that an imprisoned Paul gave great latitude to an assistant to write letters for him. They treat Titus before the two letters to Timothy because they believe it was written first of the three, and this insight helps the reader think historically about the letters, as well as appreciating their theological insights. Readers interested in Paul’s view of women will find excellent insight in their treatment of 1 Timothy 2:9-15.

—Mark J. Olson
President
Leland Seminary

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Hulitt Gloer’s and Perry Stepp’s Reading Paul’s Letters to Individuals places the letters to Philemon, Titus, and Timothy into much fuller and more informative contexts. This reader-friendly book sheds new light on these four brief letters, illuminating the theological and social richness of Philemon, on the one hand, and the sequence and significance of the Pastoral Letters, whose exegetical treatment for generations has been mired in oversimplified debates revolving around authorship, on the other. Anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Paul as he neared the end of his ministry and life will want to read this book.

—Craig A. Evans
Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament
Acadia Divinity College,
Nova Scotia, Canada