Commentaries - 1 Corinthians - Aug 19

1 Corinthians is a very underrated book. It covers a series of key issues for the church. Chapters 1-4 treat the gospel as focused on the cross and all it entials with evaluation of the Jewish and Greco-Roman response in terms of signs (Jews) and wisdom (Greeks). Issues of morality dominate chapter 5-6, including issues tied to discipline in the church as well as sexual discipline in life. Then Paul answers various key questions in chapters 7-14, including issues of singleness versus marriage, Christian freedom as regards meat offered to idols both in the market and as a meal in someone's home, worship and women, the Lord's table, and then a discussion of spiritual gifts, especially the relationship of tongues and prophecy in a service that is to be understandable to all who attend. Then comes a key chapter on bodily resurrection as a core doctrine of the earliest church, followed by notes about how to raise support in the church. Excellent commentaries also exist for this book. They include Gordon Fee's (NICNT) treatment, as well as work by Anthony Thistleton (NIGNTC) and David Garland (BECNT). These three commentaries cover the ground well. An older classic is Robinson and Plumkmer (ICC).