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The Gospel & Epistles of John

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This has been reprinted recently for CBD.com and is a hard cover binding. This review is based on the reprint.

This writing is two separate works bound into one volume. Bruce's purpose as stated in his preface is the general student, not the scholar or specialist. He intends to give a detailed study for serious lay students. This purpose is skillfully accomplished by the author.

The first 425 pages deal with the Johannine gospel and the last 160 pages with his epistles. The indices for each only deal with each individual book within the volume. Bruce's source for his translation is the 1979 Nestle Aland Greek.

The first section on John's gospel begins with a general introduction. Bruce covers this vastly complex topic in relatively short order and discusses some of the controversy or critical study, which can fill volumes. But, he does give a decent brief discussion of the major topics that were present in the early 80s, and discusses the historical evidence regarding authorship. For a more indepth treatment, see Keener's 2-volume commentary. Then Bruce gives an outline of the gospel before proceeding to his verse-by-verse exposition. Each chapter of the book is divided by chapters found in John. He uses a smattering of textual and linguistic information that should be enough to help the pastor or lay student in preparation for teaching. He also deftly utilizes his extensive knowledge of the Old Testament to decipher controversial and often misunderstood passages found in John. An appendix is dedicated to the discussion of John 7:53- 8:11. Here he recognizes the textual difficulties, but concludes that traditional placement of this passage is likely to be correct.

Bruce's second work in this volume takes on a similar structure to the first with each epistle being introduced and then exposited. Bruce takes the traditional view of Johannine authorship, while recognizing the arguments against such a stance. He pays special attention to 1 John 5:7's use of the "three heavenly witnesses" found in the KJ. He discusses the history of exegesis of the verse and correctly states that the theology of the Trinity rests throughout Scripture and does not hang on this one verse.

Overall, Bruce has provided Christian students with a superb pastoral commentary that will prove very useful in the teaching and preaching environment. His use of the Old Testament makes this volume supersede his expectations that this book is not useful to scholars, as he discusses topics missed by the most recent scholarly commentators on John's writings. This is a superb commentary to add to the library of any student of Scripture.

F.F.BRUCE IS THE MOST THOROUGH AND WELL ROUNDED AUTHOR I HAVE EVER READ. HE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE TO BE A MEMBER OF BOTH NT AND OT SOCIETIES IN ENGLAND.

It is sad that I have been teaching the scriptures for many years but have never yet read Bruce until recently. This book was one of the more enlightening reads that I have encountered in a journey through John's Gospel.

Anyone who studies the writings of John will likely be overwhelmed by the cascade of literature that is available on this gospel. So the question that one might ask is why should I buy this book rather than another of the many available commentaries on the same subject. Let me give you a few reasons why this book stands out:

1. Bruce's knowledge of New Testament culture and history is excellent. There were stories that he was able to fill in that many of the other commentaries I have read were silent about. For one thing he knows a fair amount of information about the scrolls themselves and is able to comment authoritatively on the original text. He knows the history of the period well enough to connect things to the culture. For example: In John 9 Jesus heals a blind man on the sabbath which causes a rift among the Pharisees over whether Jesus is a sinner or whether he is of God. Bruce fills this in with material about the followers of Shammai and Hillel and this gives a new dimension to the story.

2. Bruce is easy to read. His book is well adapted for both scholars and layman. It is not weighed down by so many technical terms that is difficult to follow. It is written in clear language minus the unnecessary jargon. He does consult the Greek and provide varying viewpoints on occasions but it does not weigh down the book and distract from the main points of thought.

3. This book is written from a very conservative viewpoint. This is not to say that he is not critical of the text but he is less likely to make big leaps in deciphering symbols or phrases. He was of the reformed tradition theologically but is always hesitant and respectful when he discusses parts of John that tend to be divisive.

Overall, this is a great book and he covers thing about John that are not usually brought up in other commentaries. It comes highly recommended.

'These are completely beyond ordinary human experience; to know them we are dependent on One who has come from God to disclose them - the Son of Man. Here He is the unfolder of heavenly truth.' pp. 87-88

'The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.' John 6:63

These words allow for no other interpretation than that Jesus is the consummate revealer, yet even more...

Nicodemus was equally wanton in his understanding of receiving spiritual life. Although Christ did not do an exposition on the 'born of water' metaphor, He did with 'and Spirit' (John 3:5), revealing the necessity of the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration to the 'teacher of Israel', Nicodemus. Church theologians have differed on the metaphor 'born of water'. Chrysostom was sure it referred to water baptism. John Calvin thought he was overreaching the text, and contradicts this likely Roman Catholic interpretation, warning: 'Hence arose the belief of the absolute necessity of baptism, in order to the hope of eternal life. But though we were to admit that Christ here speaks of baptism, yet we ought not to press His words so closely as to imagine that He confines salvation to the outward sign...it is absurd to speak of the hope of salvation as confined to the sign.' Although Bruce insisted against Calvin that there be some admission of allusion to baptism, Don Carson made the most discerning comment at this stage: '...Jesus berates Nicodemus for not understanding these things in his role as Israel's teacher (3:10), a senior 'professor' of the Scriptures, and this in turn suggests that we must turn to what Christians call the OT to begin to discern what Jesus had in mind.' The Gospel According to John p 194

'The Pharisees exercised an influence on the general public out of all proportion to their numbers. They formed a minority group in the Sanhedrin.' p 81

Arminian theology naively contends a works-salvation from John 6:29, but Calvin pointed out their error:
'It is a frivolous exercise of ingenuity to infer, as some do, from the word 'labor' or 'work', that we merit eternal life by our works; and Christ Himself removes every doubt, when He declares that it is He who giveth the food; for what we obtain by His gift no man procures by His own industry. There is undoubtedly some appearance of contradiction in these words; but we may easily reconcile these two statements, that the spiritual food of the soul is the free gift of Christ, and that we must strive with all the affections of our heart to become partakers of so great a blessing.' Additionally, Christ spoke to the Pharisees in the OT category of 'the law', which they understood, and not the NT category of 'grace and truth' (John 1:17). Calvin understood that to limit the extent of their understanding: '...so highly was Moses esteemed by the Jews that they could hardly receive anything that differed from him.'

'While He was saying this, many put their faith in Him.' John 8:30 As the Pharisees slipped in unnoticed, they again attempted to disrupt proceedings by engaging in an animated dialogical debate with Him. Bruce put in plain words that this time the polemical lesson was meant to be taught in public, the perfect counter, to the benefit of the attending disciples and believing Jews, in what could be seen as the major soteriological showdown in the gospel. 'If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.' John 8:36 Bruce set the work of Christ in accomplishing redemption as the answer to the Pharisees' unregenerate hearts: the 'liberator is the Son - the Son in the sense in which this designation is used throughout the gospel of John.' pp. 197-198

'When we bear in mind the meaning of truth in this gospel, where the concept finds its embodiment in Jesus Himself, it follows that for His disciples to know the truth they must not only hear His words: they must in some sort be united with Him who is the truth.' pp. 196-197 Bruce emphasized the substance of our faith-union with the Son by way of incontrovertible clarity: 'In them His teaching found no room, no acceptance; to those who believed in Him, on the other hand, He spoke encouragingly about 'remaining' in His word.' p 198 Incarnational witness-bearing like this is not just truth in propositional form, but an encounter with Christ Himself that we seek to communicate.