1 Corinthians (Preaching the Word) [eBook]

The Word of the Cross

The issues addressed in the the book of 1 Corinthians are strikingly similar to the issues faced by the church today: sin, pride, disunity, and confused identities. Paul warns the Corinthians with words of exhortation, but not without profound encouragement. In doing so, he points modern readers to the hope offered to Christians as they follow Jesus in a fallen world.

In this commentary, pastor Stephen Um uses powerful illustrations and practical applications to point readers and teachers of the Bible to the heart of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians: the gospel of Jesus Christ that has the power to save, change, and unite God’s people.

Stephen Um (PhD, University of St. Andrews) is senior minister of CityLife Church in Boston, Massachusetts, and president of the Center for Gospel Culture. He serves on the board of directors for the Gospel Coalition and as an adjunct faculty member at a number of theological seminaries, and is the author of several books and articles.

“Stephen Um’s dynamic ministry in downtown Boston is grounded in his faithful, weekly ministry of the Word of God. His experience there makes him an ideal expositor of 1 Corinthians, because today’s secular city is an ideal context for understanding and applying the same gospel message that Paul first preached to the Christians in cosmopolitan Corinth.”
—Philip Graham Ryken, President, Wheaton College

“1 Corinthians: The Word of the Cross is not only a journeyman’s exposition of 1 Corinthians; it’s also a demonstration of a culturally astute pastor at work. Stephen Um combines his pastor’s heart, his disciplined mind, and his communicator’s gifts to bring us a commentary that will remind the Church of the gospel Paul preached to us.”
—George W. Robertson, Senior Minister, First Presbyterian Church, Augusta, Georgia; author, Deuteronomy: More Grace, More Love

“Stephen Um demonstrates the intellect of a scholar, the heart of a pastor, and the experience of the city to relate the truths of the gospel for city dwellers of the apostles’ time that were no less cultured, urbane, or sophisticated than we imagine ourselves to be.”
—Bryan Chapell, President Emeritus, Covenant Theological Seminary; Senior Pastor, Grace Presbyterian Church, Peoria, Illinois

“Stephen Um’s pastoral and preaching ministry has been a bright spot in the evangelical world. I have benefited from his wisdom and insights for a long time, so I am glad to see the arrival of this volume. Pastors will benefit from Um’s ability to apply the Biblical text to the human heart and the idols of our culture. Stephen is a wise exegete and good pastor.”
—John Starke, Pastor of Preaching, Apostles Church, New York City, New York; coeditor, One God in Three Persons