The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Greek Testament Commentary) [Hardcover]

Anthony C. Thiselton (Author), I. Howard Marshall (Foreword), Donald Alfred Hagner (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2000 | Series: New International Greek Testament Com (Eerdmans)

Thiseltons work has no rival in regards to depth and detail. He provides fresh discussion of the language of 1 Corinthians, based on his own translation, and traces the main issues of interpretation from the church fathers to the present. Thiselton also highlights topics of theological, ethical, and socio-historical interest today. Substantial bibliographies are keyed to the text.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1424 pages
• Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802824498
• ISBN-13: 978-0802824493
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.1 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Anthony C. Thiselton is professor of Christian theology at the University of Nottingham and Canon Theologian of Leicester Cathedral. His substantial volume on hermeneutics, The Two Horizons, received international acclaim as a standard resource for this growing subject area.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 64 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, but Bloated, January 25, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Greek Testament Commentary) (Hardcover)

For this review, it may help to know that I am a pastor and a Ph.D. candidate. On the one hand, this is an amazing scholarly achievement. Having read several key passages, I am thoroughly impressed by Thiselton's abilities: his mastery of secondary material, his sophisticated understanding of language and interpretation, his exegetical nuance and synthetic skill. This is simply the best commentary on 1 Corinthians in English for the scholar or seminary student. On the other hand, if you are a pastor trying to preach/teach through 1 Corinthians, I recommend you look elsewhere. There is just too much extraneous information in this book which does not directly bear on our tasks. Also, while I commend Thiselton for listing nearly every possible position on a subject, it is frustrating to read so many pages and not be sure what Thiselton's opinion is or why he holds it. There is an astonishing amount of erudite information in this book, but often too much! I wish the publishers of the ever more girthsome commentaries would realize that often, less is more! Thus, I rate the book 4 stars (5 for scholars, but only 3 for preachers). For the pastor, I still recommend Fee as the best commentary, with Barrett and Kistemaker as great complements.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A brilliant scholarly commentary, December 20, 2002

By 

Shawn W. Gillogly "DenSem Grad" (Denver, CO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Greek Testament Commentary) (Hardcover)

First of all, the NIGTC series has never claimed to be anything but a scholar's series. So it needs to be judged on those terms. Judging it on value to the pastor who may or may not have the advanced Greek knowledge this commentary demands (2 years minimum, probably exegesis experience as well), is like judging the NIV Application series' value for scholars. This is not to say Thistleton does not deal with issues of application, he does. But the primary purpose is to survey the critical literature in view of the text.

Thistleton is one of the leading British scholars of hermeneutics today, and it shows in the work. This is thorough and careful exegesis, often much more careful than Fee's work, which I also admire. This, plus Thistleton's immense vocabulary, can daunt even the most sophisticated reader. But his style is lucid, and, for a commentary, enjoyable. His scholarship is impeccable, and even when one disagrees with him in the end, one understands why one can come to such a view rationally even if you don't accept his presuppositions, which is not always possible in Fee's work.

In short, this commentary is the new standard in Greek scholarship, and is set to be it for a long time. If you don't have the background for this commentary, it is very difficult going. But it rewards careful study.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the best written on 1 Cor, July 19, 2006

By 

Anthony J. Smith "Bible Student" (FL, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The First Epistle to the Corinthians (New International Greek Testament Commentary) (Hardcover)

It is virtually unanimous among those involved in biblical studies that Gordon Fee's NICNT volume is the best commentary written on 1 Corinthians or, for that matter, perhaps on any book. I will whole heartedly agree with that statement. This commentary by Thiselton is not a competitor but a complement to Fee's work. The NICNT volume is based on the NIV, with corrections made by Fee where appropriate. Comments on the Greek text are minimal and usually only found in the footnotes. Fee's comments are clear and concise, even if a bit underdeveloped for the needs of scholars and Greek students. Perhaps the best feature of Fee's volume is his wonderful introductions and summaries found at the opening and closing of each section of the book. This is especially important when discussing an epistle and conveys Fee's understanding that, despite the proliferation of word studies and word-by-word commentaries, words can only be understood in light of their entire context. Fee does all of these things wonderfully, and even includes helpful insights into modern application and contextualization.
I have included all of this about Fee, so that the work of Thiselton can be seen for the gem that it is. This volume is massive (almost one-hundred pages devoted to each chapter). For some, this is a problem. However, as one who as actually read the commentary (many reviewers have only read a few pages of the book they review), the bulk is absolutely necessary. In the preface Thiselton says that it was his intention to answer every question a responsible scholar might bring to the text. As he says, "I am keenly aware of the sense of disappointment so often experienced when readers take up a substantial, scholarly commentary only to find that in the end it has failed to address precisely the questions to which they are seeking some kind of answer" (xvi). If you have every experienced this frustration, you won't find it here.
Thiselton is a Greek scholar, an accomplished linguist, philosopher and theologian. This background makes this the most thorough commentaries I have ever read. Having been through the entire commentary, I can say, there is no question that he does not address. This is not to say that I agree with all of his solutions, but at least he attempts an answer. He pays close attention to the Greek text, addressing text critical issues where appropriate as well as syntactical issues.. He gives sociological and rhetorical criticism sufficient weight, without allowing these more subjective disciplines to run away with the clear sense of the text. He carefully traces the flow of argument in the epistle, and like Fee, introduces and summarizes every major section of the letter so as to keep the entire argument in focus as the commentary progresses. He offers many special studies into particular sticking points of the letter--the point of rhetoric in 1:10-4:21, the possible source of the divisions, the meaning of sophhia and teleios, divorce, Paul's use of the OT and MUCH more. As I said, every responsible question is addressed. As a counterpart to Fee's not to present day application, Thiselton includes a substantial section on the history of interpretation and wirkungsgeschichte after each chapter.
So, is this commentary worth the money? First ask, what are your needs? This commentary, despite the claims of the NIGTC editors, is not altogether suited for those just beginning Greek student, and certainly not for those unfamiliar with the language. These two groups could still utilize certain sections, but would miss many of Thiselton's careful points. If, though, you are skilled in Greek and fed up with commentaries that go on and on about simple points and never address the challenges of the text, this is for you.