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2 Corinthians: The Christian Standard Commentary
2 Corinthians is part of The Christian Standard Commentary (CSC) series. This commentary series focuses on the theological and exegetical concerns of each biblical book, while paying careful attention to balancing rigorous scholarship with practical application.
This series helps the reader understand each biblical book's theology, its place in the broader narrative of Scripture, and its importance for the church today. Drawing on the wisdom and skills of dozens of evangelical authors, the CSC is a tool for enhancing and supporting the life of the church.
This series helps the reader understand each biblical book's theology, its place in the broader narrative of Scripture, and its importance for the church today. Drawing on the wisdom and skills of dozens of evangelical authors, the CSC is a tool for enhancing and supporting the life of the church.
1003 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 15, 2021
About the author
David E. Garland
77 books13 followersDavid Ellsworth Garland (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is associate dean for academic affairs and William M. Hinson Professor of Christian Scriptures at George W. Truett Theological Seminary, Baylor University. He is the author of numerous books, including award-winning commentaries on 1 Corinthians and Mark.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
April 17, 2022
David Garland is a busy scholar. In addition to this revision of his older NAC volume on 2 Corinthians for the emerging Christian Standard Commentary (CSC) series, he has just released a new commentary on Romans for the TNTC series. In resent years he’s written well received volumes on the Gospels as well. If you think about it, it’s an elite group of scholars who write multiple commentaries. I guess that is for good reason as it’s likely success in earlier commentaries that catch the eye of series editors and make for further opportunities. Then, of course, there’s the work itself. Ever notice how many announcements for commentaries in all the major series never actually appear? Back to Garland. He’s good and he’ll keep getting these opportunities as long as he wants to do them.
I’ve used the first volume of this work to advantage, but as I read the introduction of this revision I kept thinking that Garland is really good, even sneaky good. There’s quality and clarity in his straightforward, yet incisive writing. It’s the accumulation of good things for the reader every few pages that makes it so substantial. For example, in a few pages Garland took me to Corinth. While that might not be a place you’d actually want to go, it’s a place you much go to understand the epistle. Later he will take you through a discussion of the unity of the letter. You know that yawn-inducing trek so many scholars take you that goes at best in circles. I loved it this time! He was gracious yet I envisioned a bomb going off and wacky scholarly arguments flying through the air as I read. It only took a few pages to prove how disingenuous such arguments are at best and how delusional they really are.
The commentary itself is similarly golden. I offer his discussion of 4:16-18 as proof. Read it. Now that’s commentary writing. There’s plenty more too.
If pastors, teachers, or dedicated Bible students could only have one volume on 2 Corinthians, here’s the perfect choice.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I’ve used the first volume of this work to advantage, but as I read the introduction of this revision I kept thinking that Garland is really good, even sneaky good. There’s quality and clarity in his straightforward, yet incisive writing. It’s the accumulation of good things for the reader every few pages that makes it so substantial. For example, in a few pages Garland took me to Corinth. While that might not be a place you’d actually want to go, it’s a place you much go to understand the epistle. Later he will take you through a discussion of the unity of the letter. You know that yawn-inducing trek so many scholars take you that goes at best in circles. I loved it this time! He was gracious yet I envisioned a bomb going off and wacky scholarly arguments flying through the air as I read. It only took a few pages to prove how disingenuous such arguments are at best and how delusional they really are.
The commentary itself is similarly golden. I offer his discussion of 4:16-18 as proof. Read it. Now that’s commentary writing. There’s plenty more too.
If pastors, teachers, or dedicated Bible students could only have one volume on 2 Corinthians, here’s the perfect choice.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
May 15, 2023
See my longer review on SpoiledMilks (3/29/23).
Prolific commentator David Garland has revised his commentary on 2 Corinthians, though to what extent I am unsure. He has updated his bibliography, footnotes, and comments within the the body of the commentary. I don’t know if he has made any major changes.
Garland believes 2 Corinthians is a single, unified letter. He provides a tentative chronology of events, reconstructed from what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians. It is difficult to know exactly what happened in between 1 and 2 Corinthians, but Garland makes a good case. The purpose of Paul’s letter is mulit-faceted. Paul is defending his ministry to those who want to turn away from the apostle of Jesus Christ. Garland writes, “Paul tries to show them that God’s power exhibits itself in his ministry ‘in the same way in which it was expressed in Jesus: in cross-shaped humility'” (17).
Garland not only believes that 6:14-7:1 is a unified, integral part of 2 Corinthians, but he pokes fun (if I can say so) at scholars who disagree. He notes how theories put forth to explain how these verses were not written by Paul end up making more problems than they solve, and skip the important task of explaining how such an interpolation could have been slipped into this letter and accepted as canonical. Garland ably shows how these verses fit into the letter as a whole.
Recommended?
Garland is a clear writer who ties in the theology of 2 Corinthians with other parts of the Bible. He follows Paul’s train of thought, shows where he uses rhetoric that would have been understood by the Corinthians, and when Paul uses chiastic arguments, a sort of “surround sound, 3-D” effect to his arguments. Hepulls on the threads from the web of Scripture, showing you Paul’s theology. This is a pastoral, academic commentary with little Greek used in the commentary. There are no application sections used consistently in the commentary, but Garland sprinkles it throughout his volume. Any pastor would benefit greatly from using this commentary.
Disclosure: I received this book free from B&H Academic. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Prolific commentator David Garland has revised his commentary on 2 Corinthians, though to what extent I am unsure. He has updated his bibliography, footnotes, and comments within the the body of the commentary. I don’t know if he has made any major changes.
Garland believes 2 Corinthians is a single, unified letter. He provides a tentative chronology of events, reconstructed from what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians. It is difficult to know exactly what happened in between 1 and 2 Corinthians, but Garland makes a good case. The purpose of Paul’s letter is mulit-faceted. Paul is defending his ministry to those who want to turn away from the apostle of Jesus Christ. Garland writes, “Paul tries to show them that God’s power exhibits itself in his ministry ‘in the same way in which it was expressed in Jesus: in cross-shaped humility'” (17).
Garland not only believes that 6:14-7:1 is a unified, integral part of 2 Corinthians, but he pokes fun (if I can say so) at scholars who disagree. He notes how theories put forth to explain how these verses were not written by Paul end up making more problems than they solve, and skip the important task of explaining how such an interpolation could have been slipped into this letter and accepted as canonical. Garland ably shows how these verses fit into the letter as a whole.
Recommended?
Garland is a clear writer who ties in the theology of 2 Corinthians with other parts of the Bible. He follows Paul’s train of thought, shows where he uses rhetoric that would have been understood by the Corinthians, and when Paul uses chiastic arguments, a sort of “surround sound, 3-D” effect to his arguments. Hepulls on the threads from the web of Scripture, showing you Paul’s theology. This is a pastoral, academic commentary with little Greek used in the commentary. There are no application sections used consistently in the commentary, but Garland sprinkles it throughout his volume. Any pastor would benefit greatly from using this commentary.
Disclosure: I received this book free from B&H Academic. The opinions I have expressed are my own, and I was not required to write a positive review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews