Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Second Corinthians
Overview
Second Corinthians is packed with challenges and treasures. Perhaps no other letter attributed to Paul demands more study and effort. In this letter Paul opens to us a unique window into the way he understands his apostolic life and ministry as patterned after the example of Jesus. We see the Apostle’s love and care for a church he has founded. We sense his joys and frustrations. We discover a fledgling community that struggles with many of the same issues that Christians face today, nearly twenty centuries later. And in the midst of all this, we catch glimpses of Paul’s inspired—and inspiring—insight into who God is and how he has reached out in love to the world through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. Such insights into God’s faithfulness and love demand an appropriate response, and Paul challenges the Corinthians—as well as us—to offer one.
This fourth volume of the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture (CCSS), like each in the series, relates Scripture to life, is faithfully Catholic, and is supplemented by features designed to help readers understand the Bible more deeply and use it more effectively in teaching, preaching, evangelization, and other forms of ministry. It is intended to facilitate the reader’s fruitful engagement with Paul’s letter. In addition to commentary and exposition of the text, Thomas Stegman discusses authorship, literary unity, historical context, theological themes, and relevance for today.
- Detailed exposition and commentary on the text
- Accessible for English-only study
- Introduction to authorship, literary unity, historical context, theological themes, and contemporary relevance
- Outline of the book
- Suggestions for further reading
- Index of pastoral topics in Second Corinthians
Top Highlights
“Paul shows that his lived experience and actions proclaim the gospel. The paradox is that glory is revealed through suffering.” (Page 104)
“Nevertheless, he insists, divine life is being sacramentally mediated through him, as God’s †grace comes to the community through ‘the life of Jesus’ within him.” (Page 110)
“Because he aligns his suffering with Jesus’ redemptive suffering, his suffering has redemptive value for the Corinthians” (Page 110)
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“The law was given in order that grace might be sought; grace was given in order that the law might be fulfilled.’” (Page 81) |
“Notice that he does not say that the law itself brings death. In fact, elsewhere he claims that the law is ‘holy’ and ‘spiritual’ (Rom 7:12, 14), for it still remains God’s revelation. What the law lacks, however, is the power on its own to give life (see Gal 3:21). That is, the law merely reveals sin for what it is. The law is something external and does nothing to remove our deeply ingrained selfishness and pride. Thus by ‘the letter’ that ‘brings death’ Paul means ‘the law without the power of God’s life-giving Spirit.’10 The Spirit alone gives life (Rom 8:11) and enables his recipients to fulfill the just requirement of the law (Rom 8:4).” (Pages 81–82)
A blessing offered to the whole Church, Tom Stegman's commentary presents the heart of St. Paul's message: the fullness of God's love for us that has opened up a new way of life, empowered by the intimate presence of the Holy Spirit, who shapes us more and more in the likeness of Christ. This inspiring book will encourage numerous Catholics and other Christians in understanding better and accepting more generously a truly Christ-centered existence.
—Gerald O'Collins, SJ, emeritus professor of theology, Pontifical Gregorian University
Thomas Stegman's commentary on 2 Corinthians is elegant, clear, and deeply insightful. He takes one of Paul's hardest letters and makes it intelligible. With a masterful grasp of Paul's rhetoric, he shows readers how the apostle challenges his ancient readers--and readers today--to live out the character of Jesus Christ.
—Luke Timothy Johnson, Robert W. Woodruff Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Candler School of Theology, Emory University
- Title: Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture: Second Corinthians
- Author: Thomas D. Stegman
- Publisher: Baker Academic
- Publication Date: 2009
- Pages: 320