“Our Freedom in Christ”: Revisiting Pauline Imagery of Freedom and Slavery in His Letter to the Galatians in Context

The Letter to the Galatians is a polemical correspondence about course of gospel mission that at stake in view apostle Paul. When Paul represents his own contacts with Jerusalem church, he defends “our freedom which we have Christ Jesus” (Gal 2:4). In aim focus on unity all Christ, even goes lengths state there no difference between slave and free 3:28), while polemically associating both former unbelievers 4:8) emphasis by missionary opponents circumcision covenant law 4:12–31) bondage slavery. Yet, what did (ἐλευθερία, Gal 2:4) its opposite, slavery (δουλεία, 4:24, 5:1), exactly mean ancient world readers lived communicated? Jews, Greeks, Romans not necessarily same these terms, nor as modern conceptions term. This paper aims contextualize Paul’s imagery biblical traditions, early Jewish notions freedom, Graeco-Roman registers discourse, taking into account historical, literary, linguistic, rhetorical-critical contexts interpretation revisiting language insights from linguistic anthropology. then revisits Pauline position “freedom Christ” relation previous hypotheses mission.