Synopses & Reviews
In The First and Second Letters to the Thessalonians Gordon Fees first aim is a fresh exposition of the biblical text. He shows the reader what is in the text, then what was meant by the text and what it means. Fee reveals the logic of each argument or narrative before moving on to the details of each verse. He concludes each section with a theological or applicational reflection on the meaning of the text today. / In order to make his work not only useful, but also understandable, Fee uses diagrams of sentence structure, italics for emphasis, and a listing of points. He explores authorship, the city of Thessalonica, and the occasion for writing for each epistle, restoring 2 Thessalonians to the place it deserves as a full companion to the first letter, rather than merely a tagalong to 1 Thessalonians. / Like Fees previous volumes in this series, this insightful, thoroughly readable commentary on Pauls two letters of thanksgiving, information, encouragement, and exhortation to the separated, suffering community of Gentile converts in Thessalonica is destined to become the premier work on these books. / Fee could not be boring even if he tried. The zest of his prose makes him exciting to read, and his scholarship is always rigorous. D. A. Carson
Synopsis
In this commentary Gordon Fee aims first and foremost to offer a fresh exposition of the text of 1 and 2 Thessalonians. He shows the reader what is in the biblical text, what the text meant in the first century, and what it means now. Fee reveals the logic of each argument or narrative before moving on to the details of each verse, and he concludes each section with a theological-practical reflection on the meaning of the text for today. Among other things, Fee explores the occasion for Pauls writing of each epistle, restoring 2 Thessalonians to its rightful place as a full companion to the first letter, not merely a tagalong to 1 Thessalonians. / A labor of love on Fees part, this commentary will serve to help rescue 1 and 2 Thessalonians from their Cinderella status among Paul's letters. Fees primary target is the proverbial busy pastor who wants help in understanding the biblical text as he or she prepares to preach or teach. However, as with all his commentaries, he also provides solid exposition for students in the process of learning how to preach or teach and enough technical material (mostly in the footnotes) so that even the scholar can benefit.
Synopsis
"... undertaken to provide earnest students of the New Testament with an exposition that is thorough and abreast of modern scholarship and at the same time loyal to the Scriptures as the infallible Word of God."
Table of Contents
Authorship and date -- The city and its Christian community -- The occasion and place of writing -- Thanksgiving, narrative, and prayer -- Supplying what is lacking -- Concluding matters -- Authorship and date -- Occasion for writing -- Thanksgiving and prayer -- The second issue: the "when" of the day of the Lord -- The third issue: about the disruptive-idle -- Concluding matters.