The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition, Notes [Paperback]

F.F. Bruce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 1994

Bruce was widely known and respected as a Bible scholar, and many would say he was the foremost evangelical NT scholar of the 20th century. By the time he died, he had memorized the entire Bible in its original languages. Bruces speciality was writing commentaries. This commentary on John is very easy to read--it is not technical because it was designed to be used by the general Bible-reading public. Even so, there is much here that will be useful to more advanced readers as well.

Product Details

• Paperback: 437 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. (October 18, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802808832
• ISBN-13: 978-0802808837
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #272,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

F. F. Bruce (1910-1990) was Rylands Professor of Biblical Criticism and Exegesis at the University of Manchester in England. During his distinguished career, he wrote more than forty bestselling commentaries and books, including several titles published by InterVarsity Press, A Mind for What Matters and Paul, Apostle of the Heart Set Free. He also served as general editor of The New International Commentary on the New Testament.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good introduction to John, October 18, 2004

By 

Matthew Gunia (Justice, Illinois) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition, Notes (Paperback)

The late F.F. Bruce, a professor at the University of Manchester and author of many excellent New Testament commentaries, has produced an excellent work in his commentary on the Gospel of John. This book is intended to be read by lay members of the church, so there isn't an awful lot of Greek, nor is there jargon. In fact, he does such a good job avoiding such issues, that he "makes it look easy," the mark of one whose scholarly and writing skills have been finely honed.

The format is simple: Bruce translates a few verses of John, then offers an explanation (sometimes only a paragraph, sometimes a page or two). He comments on the historical/cultural context, Messianic expectations, the other three Gospel accounts, and other interesting literary or theological issues. One walks away knowing he has a better handle on John.

This reader appreciates F.F. Bruce's conservative theology. He argues that the disciple John wrote this Gospel (and effectively supports this argument), he does not speculate get into "development of the text" issues, and he places a heavy focus on Jesus, his work, and his teachings. Many excellent scholars are so focused on text-criticism issues, that they blind themselves to Christ himself.

Also of note is Bruce's treatment of the (controversial) passage concerning the woman caught in adultery. Added to the end as an appendix, he argues that while Johnnine authorship is in doubt, the passage is authentic Gospel and treats it quite fairly. In all, a very good commenary that I would recommend to laity and those who want a good introduction to John.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Overall Commentary on the Gospel of John, December 15, 2003

By 

Chad Davies "Downhill" (Barnesville, GA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition, and Notes (Paperback)

This commentary on the Gospel penned by the "disciple whom Jesus loved" strikes a balance between scholarship and accessability and in doing so provides the student of the New Testament a valuable resource that may either be used as a starting place for further study or a stand alone explanation of the issues in what is both the simplest and subtlest of the four accounts of Jesus' life. Based on Bruce's own translation of the Greek, the commentary untangles the more obscure puzzles found in the gospel and guides the reader to a deeper understanding of the possible motives of the writer. If the commentary has any weaknesses it might be in that it is not written with the intent of being devotional in nature. Readers looking for a work with this function would likely be better served using Barclay's Daily Bible Study series.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Accessible, February 6, 2009

By 

avidreader (No. Alabama) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition, Notes (Paperback)

This is a very good commentary on John. The author demonstrates his mastery of the original language as well as other translations. Very understandable format maybe not as finely detailed as other commentaries not a strict verse by verse, every word explained type but very useful to a lay person like myself.