Christianity Today, Number 10 on the Top 25 Books of the Year list (1905)
Revue Biblique
"A synthesis of great power and beauty. Every page betrays the excitement of dialoguing with Paul. . . In the creativity of its approach, the elegance of its prose, and the passion of its conviction that Paul has much to say to the modern church, it sets a new standard against which all competitors will be judged."
Theology Today
"Dunn does what few since Bultmann have dared to attempt, that is, to provide a full-scale, in-depth exposition of the apostle's theology. While others have been intimidated, he boldly moves forward, with appropriate modesty and grace. . . It is clear that he has made a significant contribution to Pauline studies."
Journal for the Study of the New Testament
"The work is thorough, readable, and well-informed. Among its virtues are its impressive breadth of coverage, its wealth of citation of primary literature, and its judicious interaction with secondary literature."
Religious Studies Review
"Will no doubt function as the definitive book on Paul's theology for some time to come."
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society
"No scholar since Ridderbos has tackled the apostle's theology as a whole. James Dunn has now risen to the challenge, producing a theology of Paul that will serve as a benchmark for the next generation of students and scholars."
Catholic Biblical Quarterly
"Dunn is ever provocative. . . It is hard to imagine a scholar in the English-speaking world better equipped to compose a theology of Paul. . . He brings to the task not only comprehensive knowledge of Paul, but also an encyclopedic grasp of the secondary literature and the flow of Pauline studies."
Theological Studies
"This book is the culmination of years of thought and study on Paul, and the results are worthy of those years."
Graham N. Stanton
— King's College, London
"Surely this is James Dunn's best book so far. His magisterial, lucid exposition of Paul's thought will be welcomed warmly by scholars, teachers, and students alike. This is a work of outstanding scholarship: there is no comparable book in English."
Paul J. Achtemeier
— Union Theological Seminary in Virginia
"This book is a serious attempt by a widely informed and careful scholar to point the way to finding in Paul's theology an integrated whole, using Romans as the road map for the journey. Using the 'new perspective' on Paul to look in a fresh way at the dichotomy between faith and works of the law, and finding in the apocalyptic notion of 'already/not yet' a key concept, Dunn proposes a way of approaching Paul's theological thought that enables him to find not only theological coherence but also ethical integration. Any such attempt is bound to provoke discussion both pro and con, but it is an attempt that all who are interested in Paul's theological thought will have to take seriously. Truly 'must-reading.'' "
C. F. D. Moule
"An exceptionally fine presentation of Pauline theology — detailed yet clear, lavishly documented yet readable: a major contribution to clarification and order in this confused and controversial field of study."
D. Eduard Lohse
— University of Göttingen
"This careful exposition of the theology of Paul is a brilliant piece of biblical scholarship. In due respect to the broad international discussion, James D. G. Dunn opens new insights into Paul's way of interpreting the early Christian message. In demonstrating that the center of Paul's theology is to be found in his proclamation of the death and resurrection of Christ, Dunn explains how the Apostle at the same time remained always aware of his Jewish heritage. This book will be welcomed by all theologians for a deeper interpretation of what Paul has to say in his time as well as today.' "
