2 Corinthians, Volume 40: Second Edition (Word Biblical Commentary)

Pastors and students will appreciate this new edition with its up-to-date bibliography and discussion of pertinent issues. 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