New Testament Commentaries: 2 Corinthians

Nothing speaks more highly for a commentary than how valuable it is to pastors and scholars, students, and interested readers. By all accounts, Victor Paul Furnish's commentary on II Corinthians has become the standard by which others are judged. It is praised as ?a quite superb commentary . . . everything that a good commentary should be? (Expository Times), ?by any standard . . . an excellent volume? (Interpretation), and ?perhaps the definitive commentary on the letter in English? (Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society). In addition, Furnish has ?accomplished a difficult task with remarkable skill and apparent ease? (Biblical Theology Bulletin), and has given us ?one of [the Anchor Bible's] finest studies? (Catholic Biblical Quarterly). In the internationally renowned tradition of the Anchor Bible series, this commentary is an excellent and indispensable tool for biblical study. Scholars rarely posses both the gift of academic excellence and the ability to communicate their expertise in an extremely readable fashion; but Furnish succeeds admirably with the right balance of scholarship and practical application, offered in the most accessible prose. With a mastery of primary languages and sources, and a lucid discussion of the first-century context of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians, the reader enters the worldview of the original recipients of this hard-hitting letter. In the end, Furnish successfully navigates the maze of difficulties faced by the commentator and, thankfully, helps the general audience understand what II Corinthians says and means.

"George Guthrie leads readers through the intricacies of literary structure, word meanings, cultural backdrop, and theological proclamation, offering insights applicable to modern ministry contexts. As with all BECNT volumes, this commentary features the author's detailed interaction with the Greek text; extensive research; thoughtful, chapter-by-chapter exegesis; and an acclaimed, user-friendly design. It admirably achieves the dual aims of the series--academic sophistication with pastoral sensitivity and accessibility--making it a useful tool for pastors, church leaders, students, and teachers." - Baker

"The Cornerstone Biblical Commentary series (18 volumes) provides students, pastors, and laypeople with up-to-date, accessible evangelical scholarship on the Old and New Testaments. Presenting the message for each passage, as well as an overview of other issues relevant to the text, each volume equips pastors and Christian leaders with exegetical and theological knowledge so they can better understand and apply God's Word. This volume includes the entire NLT text of 1st and 2nd Corinthians. Ideal for the NLT reader who wants to do more in-depth study." - Tyndale Press

The Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (EGGNT) closes the gap between the Greek text and the available lexical and grammatical tools, providing all the necessary information for greater understanding of the text. The series makes interpreting any given New Testament book easier, especially for those who are hard pressed for time but want to preach or teach with accuracy and authority.  Each volume begins with a brief introduction to the particular New Testament book, a basic outline, and a list of recommended commentaries. The body is devoted to paragraph-by-paragraph exegesis of the Greek text and includes homiletical helps and suggestions for further study. A comprehensive exegetical outline of the New Testament book completes each EGGNT volume. 

This is volume 1 of a 2 volume set. Volume 2 can be found HERE
"Whether the Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians is a single document or a compilation of two or more, and the question of Paul's relations with the Corinthian church between the despatch of the First and the composition of the Second letter (or letters), have been matters of debate since the eighteenth century. Margaret Thrall's commentary engages with these and all the other issues associated with 2 Corinthians. There follows a detailed verse-by-verse exegesis of chapters 1-7, which attempts to understand the viewpoint of the original readers of the text as well as Paul's own. This volume covers many of Paul's writings which have evoked considerable scholarly interest in recent years." - T&T Clark

"This accessible Bible study will help to explain some of the more challenging aspects of Second Corinthians, especially by focusing on what is delightful and inspiring about the biblical book. In Second Corinthians, we find promises of a glorious life after death, interesting and thought-provoking figures of speech describing followers of Christ, powerful stewardship messages, an amazing example of humility and proper respect, and much more. By the end of this study it will be easy to see why the folk at Corinth so loved and revered Paul that they collected this letter and others to save for future generations. Interpretation Bible Studies (IBS) offers solid biblical content in a creative study format. Forged in the tradition of the celebrated Interpretation commentary series, IBS makes the same depth of biblical insight available in a dynamic, flexible, and user-friendly resource. Designed for adults and older youth, IBS can be used in small groups, in church school classes, in large group presentations, or in personal study." - WJK Press

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." - Cambridge University Press

"Begun in the late 1940s by an international team of New Testament scholars, the NICNT series has become recognized by pastors, students, and scholars alike as a critical yet orthodox commentary marked by solid biblical scholarship within the evangelical Protestant tradition. While based on a thorough study of the Greek text, the commentary introductions and expositions contain a minimum of Greek references. The NICNT authors evaluate significant textual problems and take into account the most important exegetical literature. More technical aspects — such as grammatical, textual, and historical problems — are dealt with in footnotes, special notes, and appendixes." - Eerdmans

"This commentary on II Corinthians in the New Testament Library continues the exemplary quality of the series. Frank Matera provides a commentary that is a close study of the backgrounds and language of the text while also providing important theological insights into the message of Paul for his time and for the contemporary church." - WJK Press

"Lambrecht offers a literal translation of the epistle which seeks to preserve the Pauline reasoning and flow of thought. The introduction, though brief, covers a range of significant issues. Many will be interested to know that Lambrecht defends the literary unity of the letter arguing that none of the features such as vocabulary, narrative structure, tone or sequence of argument show enough variance to warrant a theory of multiple letters or re-assembled fragments. Perhaps more important are the comments on the theological significance of the letter. Noting the difficulty in precisely identifying Paul’s opponents, Lambrecht states that ‘the letter is mainly apologetic. Paul defends himself before the Christians of Corinth and Achaia. Turning to the exegetical sections, Lambrecht follows the broad outline of the Sacra Pagina series by presenting translation and notes, but he exhibits greater flexibility in the interpretation section." - Expository Times

"Mitzi L. Minor's commentary on 2 Corinthians takes the reader deep into the thought world of Paul and his congregation at Corinth, exploring the social and theological tensions that shape Paul's relationship with the Corinthian Christians. His letter expresses his joy that prior “severe” correspondence had been positively received and addresses the issues that were tearing the church apart; for one, false teachers who were sowing discord and maligning Paul's character. Paul finds as well that many Corinthian Christians have repented of their rebellion, and he encourages them even as he seeks to vindicate his apostleship to those who challenged him." - Smyth & Helwys

"Paul's long, complicated history with the Corinthian church culminates in this ardent defense of Christian ministry in general and of his own ministry in particular. In this revised edition, Colin Kruse updates and expands his insightful analysis that illuminates Paul's contrast of the old and new covenants and his eloquent exposition of the ministry of reconciliation. He also charts a clear, plausible course through the maze of the literary history of Paul's correspondence with the Corinthian Christians. The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries have long been a trusted resource for Bible study. Written by some of the world's most distinguished evangelical scholars, these twenty volumes offer clear, reliable and relevant explanations of every book in the New Testament. These Tyndale volumes are designed to help readers understand what the Bible actually says and what it means. The introduction to each volume gives a concise but thorough description of the authorship, date and historical background of the biblical book under consideration. The commentary itself examines the text section by section, drawing out its main themes. It also comments on individual verses and deals with problems of interpretation. The aim throughout is to get at the true meaning of the Bible and to make its message plain to readers today." - IVP

"In this full revision and update of the book of Second Corinthians, Dr. Ralph P. Martin addresses the scholarly questions about the text of the epistle and the significance of Paul's thought for Christian living and ministry.In a penetrating analysis of Paul's responses to the various crises within the Corinthian congregation, Dr. Martin gives insight into the particular problems of Christianity as expressed in the hedonistic, cosmopolitan setting of Corinth. He shows how Paul's attempt to clearly distinguish the gospel from Hellenistic Judaism and Hellenistic Jewish Christian ideology results in a moving statement of the Christian message. Rather than the “theology of glory” prevalent in Corinth, Paul articulates his theology of the Cross as a “theology of weakness,” of servanthood and ministry. What was at stake at Corinth, says Dr. Martin, was “nothing less than the essence of the kerygma as in expressed in the way of the cross... for proclamation and daily living.” New sections on the Collection and Rhetoric have been added, and the issues of Composition and Social Setting of the letter have been included, along with topics such as the Spirit, the Opponents, Paul's Theology, and the Resurrection in this epistle." - Zondervan

"[This] commentary [is] based on relevant papyri, inscriptions, archaeological discoveries, and studies of Judaism, Roman culture, Hellenism, and other features of the world of the New Testament, hundreds of photographs, illustrations, and line drawings, copious maps, charts, and timelines, sidebar articles and insights, and “reflections” on the Bible’s relevance for 21st-century living." - Zondervan