Craig Blomberg's commentary on 1 Corinthians emerged from his work as a New Testament scholar at Denver Seminary, addressing the need for a commentary that would bridge serious exegetical work with practical application for pastors and educated lay readers. Written for the NIV Application Commentary series, this work tackles Paul's most practically complex letter, written to a church struggling with divisions, moral failures, and theological confusion in the cosmopolitan Greek city of Corinth.
Blomberg demonstrates how Paul's responses to specific Corinthian problems reveal timeless principles for Christian living and church life. He traces Paul's arguments through the letter's major sections: the problem of factionalism around competing leaders, the shocking case of sexual immorality and the proper response to it, questions about marriage and singleness, the thorny issue of food sacrificed to idols, proper conduct in worship including the role of women and the Lord's Supper, the nature and purpose of spiritual gifts, and Paul's definitive teaching on bodily resurrection. Throughout, Blomberg shows how Paul consistently applies the gospel to concrete pastoral situations, neither compromising truth nor abandoning love. He pays particular attention to how Paul balances principle and pragmatism, showing when cultural accommodation is appropriate and when it betrays the gospel itself.
This commentary has remained valuable for its careful attention to the Greco-Roman cultural background that illuminates Paul's arguments, its balanced evangelical perspective that neither avoids difficult questions nor forces artificial harmonizations, and its consistent focus on contemporary application. Blomberg's work stands out for its accessibility without sacrificing scholarly rigor, making complex exegetical discussions understandable while never losing sight of the text's pastoral heart. Who should read this: pastors preparing to preach through 1 Corinthians, Bible study leaders grappling with Paul's practical theology, and thoughtful Christians seeking to understand how gospel principles apply to complex moral and ecclesial questions.
1 Corinthians
by Craig Blomberg
Craig Blomberg's commentary on 1 Corinthians emerged from his work as a New Testament scholar at Denver Seminary, addressing the need for a commentary that would bridge serious exegetical work with practical application for pastors and educated lay readers. Written for the NIV Application Commentary series, this work tackles Paul's most practically complex letter, written to a church struggling with divisions, moral failures, and theological confusion in the cosmopolitan Greek city of Corinth.
Blomberg demonstrates how Paul's responses to specific Corinthian problems reveal timeless principles for Christian living and church life. He traces Paul's arguments through the letter's major sections: the problem of factionalism around competing leaders, the shocking case of sexual immorality and the proper response to it, questions about marriage and singleness, the thorny issue of food sacrificed to idols, proper conduct in worship including the role of women and the Lord's Supper, the nature and purpose of spiritual gifts, and Paul's definitive teaching on bodily resurrection. Throughout, Blomberg shows how Paul consistently applies the gospel to concrete pastoral situations, neither compromising truth nor abandoning love. He pays particular attention to how Paul balances principle and pragmatism, showing when cultural accommodation is appropriate and when it betrays the gospel itself.
This commentary has remained valuable for its careful attention to the Greco-Roman cultural background that illuminates Paul's arguments, its balanced evangelical perspective that neither avoids difficult questions nor forces artificial harmonizations, and its consistent focus on contemporary application. Blomberg's work stands out for its accessibility without sacrificing scholarly rigor, making complex exegetical discussions understandable while never losing sight of the text's pastoral heart. Who should read this: pastors preparing to preach through 1 Corinthians, Bible study leaders grappling with Paul's practical theology, and thoughtful Christians seeking to understand how gospel principles apply to complex moral and ecclesial questions.