Commentary
2 Corinthians: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition
2009 · Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City (New Beacon Bible Commentary)
Written in his eighties, Carver's second commentary on 2 Corinthians distills a lifetime with Paul's most personal letter — ministry out of weakness, the treasure in clay jars, strength made perfect. He also served as section editor for the New Beacon volumes on 1 & 2 Peter, Jude, the letters of John, and James.
Citation
Carver, Frank G. 2 Corinthians: A Commentary in the Wesleyan Tradition. New Beacon Bible Commentary. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2009.
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Where to find it
In print — The Foundry Publishing (formerly Beacon Hill Press) and major booksellers.
This published work remains © its publisher; the archive points you to it.
In the archive
The archive holds Carver’s working papers on these same themes — free to read.
a Wesley Sermon 138 grieving the Holy Spirit
A transcript of John Wesley's Sermon 138, 'On Grieving The Holy Spirit,' originally written in 1733. This version is an abridged and revised edition of the 1872 Thomas Jackson edition, edited by George Lyons with minor corrections by Ryan Danker for the Wesley Center for Applied Theology at Northwest Nazarene University. The sermon provides an exegetical commentary on Ephesians 4:30, exploring the nature of God's 'grief' as a disposition of His will arising from love and abhorrence of sin. Wesley outlines how sins offend the Holy Spirit through His immediate presence in the believer, as acts of contempt toward divine love, and as a failure to achieve the sanctification intended by the Spirit's work.
Ephesians 4:30 · 1 Corinthians 6:19 · 2 Corinthians 1:22
A Wesleyan Hermeneutic
A lecture transcript or personal reflection exploring the principles of a Wesleyan approach to biblical interpretation. The author addresses the challenges of interpreting Scripture within a postmodern culture that rejects the objectivity of knowledge, and contrasts the Wesleyan tradition with the Calvinistic influences found in much evangelical media. The document outlines three foundational principles for a Wesleyan hermenseutic: that the Scriptures are 'Incarnational' (requiring historical and literary study), 'Christological' (centered on the witness to Jesus Christ), and 'God-breathed' (functioning through the Holy Spirit). The author identifies as both a convinced evangelical and a critical scholar. The text also includes reflections on John Wesley's approach to Scripture, specifically referencing his 'Preface to Sermons,' and includes various biblical citations (Psalms, Luke, 2 Timothy, 2 Peter, Galatians) used to support the nature and function of the Word.
Psalm 119:9, 11, 105 · Luke 24:32 · 2 Timothy 2:8-9
A Wesleyan Understanding of the Fullness of the Spirit
A theological reflection on the Wesleyan concept of being 'filled with the Holy Spirit.' The document traces the biblical development of the Spirit, from the 'ruach' in Genesis to the Pentecost event in Acts. It explores a twofold meaning of the Spirit's fullness: first, as the fulfillment of prophetic promise marking the birth of the Church; and second, as a necessity for the daily renewal of disciples facing challenges. The text incorporates quotations from John Wesley regarding the Spirit as the fountain of holiness and the life of God in the soul, and concludes with a focus on the transformative power of the Spirit as described in the Pauline epistles.
Genesis 1:2 · Psalm 51:11 · Luke 11:13
Biblical Foundations for the 'Secondness' of Entire Sanctification
A seminar paper, originally delivered as President of the Wesleyan Theological Society in April 1987 and subsequently published in the Wesleyan Theological Journal, exploring the hermeneutical challenges of preaching the Wesleyan message of holiness. Carver discusses his personal transition from a Methodist/Holiness background to academic New Testament studies, expressing concern over 'holiness hermeneutics' that may manipulate biblical texts. He proposes a foundational presupposition that 'holiness' can be understood as 'integrity,' arguing that biblical holiness involves both a relation of exclusive allegiance to God and a response in life to His revealed moral character. The text also touches upon the necessity of biblical primacy in Wesleyan identity and begins to address the use of the language of the holy in the Old and New Testaments.
Galatians 2:20 · 1 John
Chapter 2 True Knowledge 1:3-21 2 Peter
A scholarly commentary on 2 Peter 1:3-21, focusing on the nature of 'true knowledge' in the Christian faith. The document provides a linguistic and exegetical analysis of the Greek text, specifically examining the particle 'hōs' in verse 3 and the implications for paragraph structure. It explores the source of true knowledge as divine power (theia dynamis) for godliness (eusebeia), the virtuous nature of such knowledge, and its foundation in the testimony of eyewitnesses and Scripture. The text includes discussions on the grammatical antecedents of 'his divine power,' the distinction between conversion-based knowledge (epignōsis) and subsequent moral development, and the relationship between biblical truth and personal experience.
2 Peter 1:3-21 · 2 Peter 1:3 · 2 Peter 1:4
Chapter 3 False Teachers 2:1-22 2 Peter
This document contains scholarly commentary and structural analysis regarding 2 Peter 2:1-22, focusing on the emergence and characteristics of false teachers. The text examines the historical occasion of the epistle, noting the threat false teachers posed to the faith of believers. It explores the literary relationship between 2 Peter and Jude, discussing parallels in their descriptions of immoral, greedy, and blasphemous teachers, as well as the scholarly debate regarding literary dependence. The author provides a structural analysis of 2 Peter 1:16–2:3, citing Bauckham's chiastic structure, and compares the false teachers of the second epistle to the false prophets of the Old Testament. Additionally, the text includes a sidebar from Green (1987) discussing the practical application of Peter's warnings to contemporary readers regarding various moral temptations.
2 Peter 2:1-22 · 2 Peter 1:16-2:3 · 2 Peter 2:1