Dr. Jarvis J. Williams serves as Professor of New Testament Interpretation. He has taught at Southern Seminary since 2013. He is the author of numerous books on Paul’s letters, Pauline Theology, and a Biblical Theology of the People of God. His primary research interests focus on Pauline Theology, Pauline Soteriology, Romans, Galatians, and soteriology in Second Temple Judaism. A feature of his research is understanding Paul’s letters, his soteriology, and his theology in his Second Temple Jewish context.
Williams has multiple current writing projects, including a commentary on Paul’s use of the Old Testament in Galatians (Zondervan Academic), a commentary on Ephesians (B&H Academic), a 40 Days in Romans study (Baker Academic), and a Pauline Theology (Baker Academic). Williams serves on the editorial board of the Institute for Biblical Research’s Bulletin for Biblical Research and on the New Testament editorial board for the Christian Standard Commentary Series.
For those interested in Ph.D. supervision, Williams is primarily interested in supervising Ph.D. dissertations in the areas of Pauline Theology and Paul’s letters, but he’s willing to supervise students working in areas outside of Paul’s Theology and letters. Williams is active in professional academic societies.
Williams is married to Ana, and they have one son. He and his family are very involved in their local church. He preaches regularly at his church, and he and his family serve together in areas of hospitality and community outreach. Williams also regularly preaches, teaches, and lectures throughout the country. Williams has served as interim pastor of churches in Kentucky, and he has provided preaching supply for numerous churches.
Select Publications
Paul’s Gospel in Romans: Vertical, Horizontal, and Cosmic Dimensions (Baker Academic, 2026)
Colossians & Philemon, New Word Biblical Themes (Zondervan Academic, 2026)
The Spirit, Ethics, and Eternal Life: Paul’s Vision for the Christian Life in Galatians (IVP Academic, 2023)
Redemptive Kingdom Diversity: A Biblical Theology of the People of God (Baker Academic, 2021)
Galatians, New Covenant Commentary Series (Cascade Books, 2020)
Christ Redeemed ‘Us’ from the Curse of the Law: A Jewish Martyrological Reading of Galatians 3:13 (T&T Clark, 2019)