Is Galatians an Ironic Letter?

Abstract

This article queries whether Paul wrote Galatians with reference to epistolary conventions for ironic letters. First, the author explores the use of the θαυµάζω + conjunction “epistolary formula” in the non-literary papyri to determine the relationship between this expression, irony, and Gal 1:6. Then, he weighs the evidence for an ironic reading of Gal 1:6 itself before turning to the extant ancient letter writing handbooks to assess the extent to which Gal 1:6 meaningfully parallels the ironic letters in the handbooks. The author argues that while an ironic reading of Gal 1:6 is plausible, there is no evidence that Paul has crafted Galatians with reference to epistolary conventions for ironic letters.