Evaluation

Overall Score: 8.3/10

A strong mid level guide that helps us preach 1 Corinthians with textual care and church shaping application.

Publication Date(s): 1995

Pages: 352

ISBN: 9780310484905

Faithfulness to the Text: 8.5/10

We are served by steady attention to Paul’s argument and to the local issues driving each section.

Christ Centredness: 8/10

Christ’s cross and lordship remain central, and the commentary encourages proclamation that keeps the gospel at the heart of correction.

Depth of Insight: 8.2/10

We gain helpful clarity on themes like unity, holiness, gifts, worship, and resurrection, without losing the pastoral thread.

Clarity of Writing: 8.3/10

Clear and well organised for sermon preparation, with a structure that makes sections easy to navigate.

Pastoral Usefulness: 8.6/10

The application bridges are consistently church facing, pressing toward repentance, love, and ordered worship.

Readability: 8.2/10

Substantial but accessible, and workable for steady weekly use.

Summary

At a Glance

Length: 352 pages
Type: Application
Theo. Perspective: Broadly Evangelical
Overall score: 8.3 / 10
Strength: Text driven movement from meaning to concrete congregational use.
Limitation: Less detailed on technical debates than a fully exegetical series.

We find Craig L. Blomberg’s 1 Corinthians in the NIV Application Commentary series a clear guide through a complex church letter. He keeps the argument moving, pays attention to the pastoral mess in Corinth, and helps us see how Paul applies the gospel to a divided congregation.

The series structure serves us well here. It anchors us in the passage’s original setting, then presses us to ask how the same truth confronts our own church habits, our pride, and our confusion about freedom and holiness.

Why Should I Own This Commentary?

We should own this commentary when we need help preaching 1 Corinthians with both courage and care. Blomberg helps us keep Paul’s priorities in view, so we do not major on side issues while missing the rebuke of loveless knowledge and self-seeking spirituality.

We also benefit from the steady bridge building. The application work is not gimmicky or thin. It is shaped by the text, and it repeatedly pushes us toward congregational repentance, clearer worship, and more serious discipleship.

For weekly preparation, it is a reliable mid level companion that supports exposition which both corrects and builds up.

Closing Recommendation

We recommend this as a strong mid level commentary for preaching and teaching 1 Corinthians, especially when we want help moving from careful explanation to church shaping application. Pair it with a more technical volume if you need deeper detail on particular debates.

As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.

Where to buy

Amazon Logos