In the English-speaking world Ernst Kaesemann's name is associated primarily with the renewed quest for the historical Jesus which he helped to initiate in the mid-1950s. In addition he is known for his passionate theological commitment, and for the polemical character and difficulty of his writing. There is relatively less appreciation of the breadth of Kaesemann's interests, the system of his thought, and the key role of his understanding of Pauline theology within the whole. This study seeks to redress this imbalance. The author traces Kaesemann's views from his doctoral dissertation to his magnum opus, "The Commentary on Romans". From its context in German Protestant theology, Kaesemann's Pauline interpretation is analyzed and emphasis is given to the major theological themes which identify the continuing significance of his interpretation to Biblical scholars and the church. Certain unpublished lectures and letters are referred to in tracing Kaesemann's views, and his influence on contemporary New Testament scholarship is assessed.