1-2 Corinthians (New Cambridge Bible Commentary) [Paperback]

Craig S. Keener (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 13, 2005 | ISBN-10: 052154243X | ISBN-13: 978-0521542432

Despite his special pastoral relationship with the church in Corinth, Paul confronted numerous local and cultural problems needing to be addressed. Utilizing a range of ancient sources, Craig Keener explains these problems and how Paul's arguments would have been communicated to a first-century audience. This commentary analyzes 1 and 2 Corinthians passage by passage, in accordance with Paul's argument, and draws from ancient letter-writing, speaking and social conventions to demonstrate how meaningful to first-century readers it would have been. The commentary will interest pastors, teachers, and scholars because of its exploration of ancient sources, often not previously cited in commentaries.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I welcome this admirably concise and clear commentary. A wide range of readers will value Dr. Keener's ability to focus on the key theological and ethical points Paul makes in his letters to the Corinthians. Dr. Keener is well-acquainted with recent scholarly discussion of these fascinating and complex letters. He includes helpful summaries and quides to further reading, and from time to time he draws out judiciously ways in which Paul's comments relate to today's world."
-Graham Stanton, Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge

Book Description

Despite Paul's special pastoral relationship with the church in Corinth, he confronted numerous local and cultural problems in this church inviting correction. Drawing from a range of ancient sources, Keener explains the problems Paul addressed and how his arguments would have communicated to a first-century audience. At strategic points he also explores how Paul's interaction with the Corinthian Christians providing relevant pastoral models today.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (June 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 052154243X
• ISBN-13: 978-0521542432
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #601,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Craig Keener is professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Kentucky. Three of his many books have won national awards, and his background commentary has sold over half a million copies (including electronic copies and translations). Craig is married to Dr. Medine Moussounga Keener, who holds a Ph.D. from University of Paris 7. She was a refugee for 18 months in her nation of Congo, and together Craig and Médine work for ethnic reconciliation in the U.S. and Africa.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Sturdy, "Work-horse" Commentary, October 6, 2005

By 

S. Stanley (Liberty, SC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1-2 Corinthians (New Cambridge Bible Commentary) (Paperback)

Face it, every pastor and scholar has a certain number of volumes that occupy shelf space merely because of the popularity of the author or...oft times...the simple physical beauty of the book.

Keener's work on 1 & 2 Corinthians could easily clear that first hurdle on the basis of the author's popularity but, as it appears in what is merely a paperback edition, it is doubtful that it will be purchased as simple library adornment.

What Keener *does* offer here, however, is of immeasureable worth to the student of the Bible. Written by one who is an acknowledged expert in Biblical and extra-Biblical documents of the New Testament period, the reader is continuously afforded insights into the world and sensibility of the Apostle Paul, the Corinthian believers, and the larger culture into which these two letters were first released.

Unimpeachable in his high view of Scripture and its trustworthiness, (yet fully aware of the works of others who hold the Bible in less esteem), Dr. Keener patiently leads the reader in examining the text to hear its voice with something amazingly approaching the comprehension of its original first century audience.

No scholar will regret the purchase of this tidy, vibrant study of these two important Pauline epistles; no student will be overwhelmed by needlessly technical language. Keener is a "past master" at conveying complex concepts in remarkably accessible terms. This book plays well in both an academic setting and the serious Bible student's favorite reading spot.

Keener's contribution to our understanding of the ethical, moral, and theological issues addressed in Paul's two letters to the Corinthians is an excellent acquisition for any honest learner and lover of the Biblical text. This is a book you'll find yourself revisiting everytime you want a fresh look at the Corinthian letters.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Way too thin on exegesis and exposition, April 16, 2010

By 

Marc Axelrod (Potter, Wi USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 1-2 Corinthians (New Cambridge Bible Commentary) (Paperback)

Craig Keener is a prolific evangelical writer, and his commentaries are sometimes considered classics. But one of his weaknesses is that he sometimes focus too much on the cultural and social setting of the text and he forgets to expound what the text is actually saying.

In a commentary that is this short, I was hoping for an exposition that quickly gets to the heart of what the text is saying, especially because Keener is preparing a much larger work on these epistles, and so I figured he could whittle that down into a compelling, digestible format.

But such is not the case. Again, Craig falls into the habit of giving us circumstantial information and not enough exposition of the actual text. It is telling when the most brilliant exposition in the book (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) comes in the form of a "closer look" section rather than in the body of the book where it belongs.

Actually, the 2 Corinthians portion of this book has more compelling exposition than 1 Corinthians, in my opinion. I like this New Cambridge commentary series because some of the volumes do a great job of exposing the text's meaning without a lot of verbiage (Witherington on Revelation and Arnold on Genesis, for example).

But this one will leave you hungering for more.