383 GAL 3,28 AND ITS ALLEGED RELATIONSHIP TO RABBINIC WRITINGS seen that there are many irreconcilable differences that call for independent sources and background. Due to the absence of the three blessings of gratitude in the scripture and in pre-rabbinic writings, the special question to be considered is whether the three expressions can be otherwise explained as rabbinic’s articulation of the religious, social and cultural situation of their time. But how well these expressions could be simply windows into the social cultural and religious practices of Judaism in the Second Temple period and how well the expressions mark out and define the identity of those mentioned are of course difficult questions. 2. A comparative assessment of Gal 3,28 and the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic texts As far as the question of the relationship between Gal 3,28 and the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic writings is concerned, the debate has thus far been limited to only one approach. Comparing the literary features of Gal 3,28 and the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic writings, scholars opine that there is a certain degree of influence of the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic texts on Gal 3,28. A recurring argument in the debate is that both Gal 3,28 and the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic writings use similar terms and that Gal 3,28 is possibly a response to what the content of the latter implies. Although the above presupposition has been endorsed by several scholars without question, there is a need to return to the argument with new insights and questions. We will first address the difficulties associated with the proposal that there is a possible link between Gal 3,28 and the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic writings. From the result of our assessment, a modified view will be proposed, namely that Gal 3,28 is related to the three blessings of gratitude found in rabbinic sources only on the basis of shared assumptions. Given that earlier in this work we have compared the literary structures of the three blessings of gratitude as represented in rabbinic writings, we will not provide a further detailed comparative analysis of these rabbinic sources with Gal 3,28. Our primary purpose here is to briefly compare the theological and literary features of Gal 3,28 with these rabbinic texts in question.