Galatians 2:15–21 is one of the most debated passages in Paul — but why is it so difficult to interpret, and what exactly is Paul arguing? In this episode, we walk step-by-step through the flow of thought in Galatians 2, showing how the Greek text reveals Paul’s logic regarding justification, faith, the law, and Christian identity. Daniel Mikkelsen speaks with Nicolai Techow (Lecturer at Fjellhaug International University College, Copenhagen), a scholar of Paul and the Greek New Testament, about how reading Galatians in Greek uncovers structure, connections, and meaning that are often obscured in English translations. Together we explore how Paul uses phrases like “works of the law” and “Gentile sinners,” why verse 18 is a turning point in the argument, and how the grammar and discourse build toward Paul’s famous statement: 'I have been crucified with Christ.' This episode will be helpful for anyone studying biblical exegesis, justification by faith, Pauline theology, the New Perspective on Paul, or for those simply wanting to understand how Paul’s reasoning works in context — rather than as isolated theological slogans. Finally, we consider how Paul’s understanding of justification shapes daily Christian life and why his argument in Galatians remains so important for the Church today. Don't Miss the Next episode: A conversation with Ed Glenny on how the Septuagint (LXX) is used in 1 Peter, why Peter sometimes quotes Scripture differently than the Hebrew text, and what that means for our understanding of inspiration, meaning, and early Christian interpretation. Free Guide — Why Struggle with Greek? Avoid the biggest mistakes beginners make and start making real progress with biblical languages: 👉 https://ntgreektutoring.com/why-struggle-with-greek Chapters 00:00 Coming Up... 01:09 Meet Nicolai Techow — Scholar of Paul and the Greek Text 05:06 How Learning Greek Became an Unexpected Joy 08:44 Three Levels of Understanding Scripture Through Greek 15:12 What Greek Reveals That English Can’t Capture 19:58 How Greek Changes How We Read Salvation in Galatians 22:56 Why Paul Writes Galatians the Way He Does 28:43 How Galatians 2 Fits Into Paul’s Larger Argument 36:08 Why Galatians 2 Is One of Paul's Most Debated Texts 41:30 Key Puzzles in Galatians 2 — What Does Paul Mean? 51:46 What Is Paul Tearing Down and Rebuilding? 01:06:17 How Justification Shapes Everyday Christian Life Music Credits: Music from #Uppbeat 🔗 https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/aspire Please, let us know what you thoughts on the episode. If you enjoyed this episode of Exploring the Language of Scripture, please consider becoming an Explorer! Your support helps keep the podcast ad-free, allows us to bring in more guests, and enhances the content we create. By joining our Explorer community, you’ll receive exclusive benefits, including Q&As, priority for Greek tutoring applications, and discounts on tutoring. Explore more and join the Explorer programme here: Become an Explorer. Podcast Keywords: biblical languages, New Testament, Old Testament, Christ, bible study, Relationship with God, learn biblical languages, Biblical Theology, Christianity, Covenants, New covenant, old covenant, language acquisition, Biblical Greek, Biblical Hebrew.
