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Rating: 
Summary: Buy Martin instead
Review: Passable, but not meaty enough; the section on the integrity of 2 Cor. is especially weak. Buy Martin's (Word) commentary instead.
Rating: 
Summary: A true labor of love
Review: Paul Barnett has soaked himself in 2 Corinthians for more than 30 years. The commentary is not only the result of his keen mind and scholarly ability, it comes from his love for this great epistle.2 Corinthians is a NT book that has many purple (oft-quoted) passages but is rarely studied as a whole. A lengthy defence of Paul's apostleship (marked not so much by success as by suffering, which Paul considers the true mark of apostleship), the letter and commentary make for essential reading for pastors, who often find their pastorships often under attack for the same reasons Paul had his apostleship under attack. Barnett is a true and wise guide into this must debated letter.
Rating:
Summary: An Exegetical Feast!
Review: Paul Barnett is a gifted exegete and this commentary is an excellent addition to the NICNT series. This is the most thorough and edifying treatment of 2 Corinthians that I have read. Barnett has spent many years in this epistle and it shows in his knowledge of background details and in the exegesis. His regular interaction with Victor Furnish was very helpful, since Furnish's expertise is Greco-Roman background. I found Barnett's defense of the unity of the epistle to be very convincing. However, I found the need to look to other commentators at a couple of points in the text of 2 Corinthians for a fuller explanation. The most notable is 5:18-21, where I think Barnett falls short on a thorough explanation of that marvelous passage. I also thought that Barnett could have dealt with the differences in the Arminian and Calvinist interpretation of 5:14-21. Having said that, I should say that this work is by no means short on theology. It is a masterpiece of Biblical Theology. There is a pastoral warmth to this commentary that is missing in others. I think that this is especially helpful in dealing with a large part of 2 Corinthians, since Paul is struggling with issues related to his beloved congregation in Corinth and with the hardships he faced as one called by God to the work of ministry. Barnett really helped me to better understand the full-orbed meaning of the epistle and its relation to 1 Corinthians. Overall, this is a great work. Dr. Barnett's work should be appreciated by all who love God's Word.
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