The First Epistle To The Corinthians (Revised)

AdvancedAdvanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-trainingTop choice
Last updated: December 18, 2025
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Evaluation

Overall Score: 9.3/10

A first-class evangelical commentary on 1 Corinthians, combining scholarship and pastoral wisdom for faithful teaching and preaching

Publication Date(s): 2014
Pages: 1044
ISBN: 9780802871367
Faithfulness to the Text: 9.5/10
Fee engages carefully with the Greek text and with textual and interpretive difficulties, giving due weight to variants and contextual challenges.
Christ Centredness: 9/10
The gospel and the believer’s standing in Christ remain central, as Fee shows how Paul’s arguments in Corinthians point to the believer’s union with Christ and life in the Spirit.
Depth of Insight: 9.5/10
Fee interacts with modern scholarship, deals with thorny ethical and ecclesiological issues, and draws rich theological and practical conclusions relevant for today’s church.
Clarity of Writing: 9/10
The exposition is lucid and direct. Even with its scholarly weight, the volume remains accessible and pastorally oriented.
Pastoral Usefulness: 9.5/10
Excellent resource for sermon preparation, teaching, pastoral counselling, and church leadership. Its blend of exegesis, theology and application serves ministers and lay leaders alike.
Readability: 9/10
While substantial in size, the structure and prose invite thoughtful reading; manageable for serious readers without undue density.

Summary

At a Glance

Length
1044 pages
Type
Exegetical (Technical), Expository (Mid-Level)
Theo. Perspective
Broadly Evangelical
Overall score
9.3 / 10
Strength
Rigorous exegesis, theological depth, pastoral applicability, clarity of communication
Limitation
The size and depth may make it heavy reading for casual or initial readers

In The First Epistle To The Corinthians (revised edition) Gordon D. Fee presents a thorough, carefully argued exposition of Paul’s first letter to the church at Corinth. The volume brings together text-critical expertise, historical awareness, and theological reflection to uncover what Paul meant in 1 Corinthians and why it matters for the church. In the 2014 edition Fee integrates decades of scholarship and offers improved clarity and updated discussion of problems that challenge modern readers of Paul’s letter.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

First, Fee’s work stands out for its fidelity to the text and to Paul’s original context. He does not shrink from difficult textual questions or from awkward cultural and social issues in the Corinthian church. Instead he deals with them directly in ways that respect the inspired text and honour the teaching office of Scripture. For a preacher or teacher, that makes this commentary a sound foundation for faithful exegesis and theological application.

Second, the commentary combines rigorous scholarship with pastoral sensitivity. Fee does not turn 1 Corinthians into a dry academic project. He draws out the doctrinal, moral and ecclesial implications of Paul’s letter in a way that speaks to the life of the church. That makes this volume especially useful when preparing sermons, leading small-group studies, or teaching in a congregational context.

Closing Recommendation

We believe The First Epistle To The Corinthians by Gordon D. Fee (revised edition) deserves a place on the shelf of every serious pastor, Bible teacher, or seminary student. Its depth and clarity, its combination of scholarly rigour and pastoral concern, make it a primary commentary on 1 Corinthians for faithful ministry and careful teaching.

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Classification

  • Level: Advanced
  • Best For: Advanced students / scholars, Busy pastors, Pastors-in-training
  • Priority: Top choice

Reviewed by

An Expositor