Erga nomou in Galatians and 4QMMT's maase hattorah as Language of Halachic Authority

The article revisits the parallel between the Pauline erga nomou and maase hattorah appearing in 4QMMT. It is argued that Paul’s use of the phrase in Galatians is a deliberate reference to the content of 4QMMT, in which maase hattorah pertains to extrabiblical halacha relating mostly to purity and functioning as a community-defining border. The discussion features an interpretation of the events mentioned in Gal 1–2 as halachic coercion. It is, therefore, argued that both texts should be read as halachic letters, whereby the phrases analyzed serve as manifestations of the discussed halachic views. Acceptance of certain halacha is equal to a submission to halachic authority of a given community. As a result, Pauline erga nomou is proposed to be best understood not as reference to Torah but as an extrabiblical rite of proselyte transformation aimed at removal of Gentile impurity.