Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians

I have used this commentary in my studies for 1 Corinthians only and it is fantastic (I have not looked at 2 Corinthians as yet so my review is purely based upon 1 Cor.). BWIII's work is complemented by this book as 1 Corinthians is riddled with rhetoric as most readers will know. His understanding of 1:10-17 is excellent (pp94-105) and his cross overs with other Greco-Roman works is great (throughout). There will be some sections you may not agree with. I personally found his thoughts on head coverings interesting but not convincing (pp232-240), but he may well be correct. I was glad I read his perspective all the same! I found this tome complemented Fee's work fantastically.As with Keener, BWIII is at his best when developing a picture of social life in the 1st Century Roman Empire. He does engage with the Greek often but if you are someone whom is a Greek 'nut' then you may be better off picking up Thistleton. I have to say though that if you are seriously studying 1 Corinthians be sure to purchase Fee, BWIII, Thistleton, and Garland. Those are my top four on this book in no particular order.I also find that you will often get a different opinion on many passages throughout the NT in BWIII's numerous titles under the banner of 'Socio-Rhetorical'. This is welcomed as too many scholars today are not adding anything of value to discussions.

This is a text book for a class of mine. It has been an excellent commentary for the Corinthian letters. I recommend it for anyone pursuing more information and insight into the letters.

I used this text for a class in seminary. Witherington has helped me wrestle with the difficulties of Paul's often controversial Corinthian correspondence. Witherington helps the Corinthian exegete to understand the culture bound context from which Paul was writing from and writing to (he offers 75+ pages of helpful guidance to navigate the Corinthian correspondence). Placing the letters in their social and rhetorical contexts, Paul's words spring to new life. I would highly recommend this text paired with Fee's commentary on 1 Corinthians as conversation partners.

I purchased this work to complete my last project in graduate school which I thought was going to be burdensome. To my delight, the set up of the book and how the massive amount of material was presented turned my project into a joyful and enlightening experience. I gained so much more knowledge than expected and aced the course!!!

This book opened my eyes and gave me a different point view of the two books. I would like to see if this autor has other books.

An interesting perspective on St. Paul's writing to Corinth. I learned a lot about the style of Paul in communicating with a difficult church. The author uses understanding of the skill of Rhetoric as practiced in the first century to bring new insights.

Mr. Witherington's commentary does an excellent job of providing contextual details that enhance your understanding of this crucial Pauline letter. His introductory section establishing the social context of the Corinthian church is extremely useful. I highly recommend it to anyone.

This was not like most commentaries but it helped me understand the context of time!

Excellent service during problematic times.