Skip to main content
Cover of The Figure of Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15

The Figure of Adam in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15

The New Creation and Its Ethical and Social Reconfiguration

  • Biblical Studies & Commentaries
  • Publisher: Fortress Press (Augsburg Fortress)
  • Published: 2014

FritzSearch.com earns a commission on purchases made through Bookshop.org links.

Publisher's Description

It is widely recognized that in some of his letters, Paul develops a Christology based on a comparison between Adam and Christ, and that this Christology has antecedents in Jewish interpretation of Genesis 1–4. But Paul was not concerned simply to develop themes found in scripture. Felipe Legarreta gives careful attention to patterns of exegesis in Second-Temple Judaism and identifies, for the first time, a number of motifs by which Jews drew ethical implications from the story of Adam and his expulsion from Eden. He then demonstrates that throughout the "Christological" passages in Romans and 1 Corinthians, Paul is taking part in a wider Jewish exegetical and ethical discussion regarding life in the new creation.


Endorsements (2)

“After a comprehensive review of previous interpretations, both ancient and modern, Legarreta-Castillo offers fresh insights from a literary approach to Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15. He shows important ethical and social implications from Paul’s use of the figure of Adam. Legarreta-Castillo is an emerging voice with much to offer.”

Barbara E. Reid

“This book is a significant contribution to understanding how Paul brings together theological and ethical concerns. Legarreta-Castillo sets Paul’s use of the image of Adam in the larger context of Jewish interpretations of Adam. He shows how Paul used the figure of Adam and contrasted it with the figure to Christ both for theological purposes and to draw social and ethical consequences. For Paul, the antithesis between Adam and Christ illustrates the contrast between the old and the new creation and how believers must undergo an ethical assimilation to Christ, the last and heavenly Adam, in order to participate in the eschatological resurrection." —Thomas H. Tobin Loyola University Chicago "In this groundbreaking work that offers a panoramic view of the debate on the origins of the Adam motif in Paul, Legarreta-Castillo draws compelling conclusions from his careful reading of Second Temple sources, and forces us to take a fresh look at 1 Corinthians 15 and Romans 5. This book is the fruit of thorough research, a careful reading of a plethora of primary sources, and balanced reflection—a must-read for anyone interested in understanding how Paul came up with his views on Adam.”

P. Richard Choi

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem