Preaching Second Corinthians

by James W. Thompson

While the commentaries and articles on 2 Corinthians focus on the world behind the text, giving attention to the identity of Paul's opposition and questions about the letter's composition, few scholars have bridged the gap between the exegesis of 2 Corinthians and the sermon. The issue of what constitutes legitimate ministry, the focus of 2 Corinthians, is a pressing issue today for churches as they face an identity crisis. Paul confronts opponents who judge him by secular standards of ministry, offering an alternative that is based on the cross. Second Corinthians offers an insight into both the nature of pastoral ministry and the mission of the church. This book draws parallels between Corinth and the contemporary situation of the church. The exegetical insights demonstrate the primary focus of the passage as the basis for the preaching text. This book demonstrates a full awareness of current scholarship on 2 Corinthians and offers hermeneutical and homiletical guidance for addressing these issues today.

109 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 24, 2021

About the author

Dr. James Thompson is the Associate Dean of the Graduate School of Theology at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas. In addition, he is also a Professor of New Testament and an Editor for the Restoration Quarterly. After earning his B.A. and M.A. at ACU, he went on to earn his Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University. He has also earned a B.D. from the Union Theological Seminary in New York. Dr. Thompson has been at ACU since 1992 and has served as chair of the Graduate Department of Bible and Ministry since 1997. Prior to his coming to ACU, he served as professor and President of the Austin Graduate School of Theology in Austin, Texas. He is the author of several books, including Our Life Together, The Mark of a Christian, Strategy for Survival, The Church in Exile, Equipped for Change and commentaries on 2 Corinthians and Hebrews. He was a translator of the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. His research interests include the relationship between biblical interpretation and preaching.