Matthew

One of Wright's more challenging books, this one had me rethinking a lot of what Paul had to say. The basic premise revolves around the meaning of the term “justification” (which Wright holds to be a specific law-court technical term), but throughout the book other concepts get woven in as Wright attempts to explain how justification also fits into the larger picture of salvation. The book is divided into two parts, with part one being a bit easier as Wright gives an overall summary of the concepts, and part two becoming more technical as Wright digs into the specific exegesis of several of Paul's letters (which after reading, I find myself wanting Wright's commentary on Romans to fill in all the gaps he left because they did not pertain to the topic at hand).

If you're looking for something theologically challenging, I'd definitely recommend this book, but it isn't for the faint of heart (at least part two). Wright really digs into the weeds of Paul here, and if you follow him closely, he may cause you to rethink a lot of what Paul has to say about justification, the unification of Jew and Gentile, and God's “single-plan-through-Israel-to-save-the-world.”