Because commentaries are increasingly complex, preachers face the challenge of mastering the results of critical scholarship and merging the horizons between exegesis and a living word for the congregation. In this volume, Thompson offers a guide for preachers, using the results of current scholarship on Hebrews and 1 Peter to enrich the preaching task. He demonstrates that these ancient letters, which speak to believers whose faith has made them aliens and exiles in their own land, offer insights that speak to believers who are aliens and exiles in a post-Christian culture. While the standard commentaries analyze the historical and grammatical issues in detail, this book demonstrates the focus and rhetorical effect of each section, making it accessible for preaching. He focuses on the argument of each letter and its pastoral dimension for the ancient and contemporary audience. Thompson also demonstrates the path from exegetical insight to the focus and function of each pericope for the sermon. Brief sermon sketches demonstrate the relationship between the focus of the text and the focus of the sermon.
Industry Reviews
“Thompson has devoted his life to making his academic work accessible to the church. In this volume, Thompson merges the best of exegetical studies with the best of contemporary homiletics. He provides provocative sermon suggestions that will generate further thoughts. The result is a resource preachers can rely on for crafting relevant sermons for Christians facing discouragement. For preachers and weary-worn churches, this book provides a refreshing word of encouragement.”
—Dave Bland, Harding School of Theology, emeritus
“This volume introduces a distinctive and insightful commentary series to support preaching. . . . The comments are exegetically well informed, theologically rigorous, and homiletically suggestive. I especially like the discussion of Hebrews. Although that book is dense, Thompson’s commentary allows the preacher to bring it into the pulpit as through clear glass.”
—Ronald J. Allen, Christian Theological Seminary, emeritus
“Thompson states, ‘1 Peter and Hebrews are combined in this volume because they both speak to marginalized believers who have discovered the cost of their Christian commitment.’ Thompson connects these ancient words with concrete circumstances Christians in a post-Christian context experience. Delightfully, Preaching Hebrews and 1 Peter provides preachers with preachable exhortations and a trustworthy rhetorical guide when preaching lectio continua.”
—Tim Sensing, Graduate School of Theology, Abilene Christian University