Customer Reviews

Insights on John (Swindoll's New Testament Insights)

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This commentary on the Gospel of John is part of the "Insights" series of New Testament commentaries by Charles Swindoll.

It is divided into five sections and an Epilog, each covering part of the Gospel of John:

The Prologue John 1:1-18

Presentation of the Word John 1:19-4:54

Authentication of the Word John 5:1-12:50

Confirmation of the Word John 13:1-17:26

Vindication of the Word John 18:1-20:31

Epilog John 21:1-25

The book begins with an "Author's Preface" followed by an "Introduction." The introduction provides an overview of the book and the Gospel of John. It includes a two page graphic overview of the book which shows the divisions noted above along with the theme, key terms, emphasis, audience, and the time frame in the ministry of the Lord for each section.

The sections include the specific verses in the section and various study aids which include maps, side notes on items of special interest, photographs or drawings that might be helpful, and many points where applications are made based on the material just covered.

Each section has a page that contains "Key Terms." This part provides an extended definition of the key Greek word in Greek, followed by a transliterated English version, followed by Strong's number for the word. Even if one does not have any facility with Greek, the extended English definition can provide valuable insights into the original meaning of important words in the text.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the New American Standard Bible.

I found this commentary to be well thought out and user friendly; it is doctrinally conservative and honors the Lord Jesus Christ. The inclusion of many pages of applications will aid both the reader and the Bible study teacher.

Chuck Swindoll is an author I've come to respect and trust as one who write worthwhile material. Swindoll's New Testament Insights: Insights on John is no exception. This is the perfect commentary to read alongside the Book of John. The book combines brilliant scholarship with an easy-to-understand storytelling style. The book covers themes, key terms, maps, photographs, timelines, and applications in addition to the verse by verse exposition. I am understanding the Book of John as never before. This book is excellent for the average person- most commentaries I've found are geared more to the seminary student.

One other aspect I really like about the book: it is hardcover. It's a personal preference but I like books I will use for a long time to be sturdy.

This book is highly recommended!

I have always enjoyed listening (and reading) Swindoll's sermons and books. His style is warm, insightful, and highly practical. And his commentary series is no exception. While not a scholarly commentary, he refers to scholarly commentaries for the discussion. A Sunday school teacher or a Bible Study leader would benefit much from his series. And this particular volume, Insights on John is excellent and engaging.

(NOTE: Swindoll's theological framework is Dispensationalism. But in his commentaries, he is not overtly dispensational. Even though I am not a dispensationalist, I found his commentary useful if you are mindful of his theological background).

1. The commentary is organized in sections. This is not a verse by verse commentary, but a passage by passage commentary. Swindoll paints the big picture of the passage and then he follows through the pertinent details in the passage. It has enough details to capture the sense of the passage.

2. The commentary has helpful charts, diagrams, maps, time-line, photos and word study notes. The visual aid is indeed helpful and makes you understand the passage better. The word study (called "Key Terms") is also helpful, especially by using a Strong's number to identify the original Hebrew or Greek word.

3. The commentary also includes Swindoll's personal journal notes (called, "From My Journal") includes stories and experiences of his encounters and conversations of his life. These journals illustrate & discusses the point of the passage well.

4. The commentary is practical. Swindoll being a pastor, always has his congregation in mind. In each section, his commentary of the passage ends with "Application" section to help believers to practice the passage at hand.

All in all, I like this commentary. Not dry, but interesting and insightful. Highly recommended for all believers.

Having taken some time studying, translating, and interpreting John using some of the classic scholarly works on John for an exegetical seminary class, I was interested in taking a look at a more practical commentary on the fourth gospel. Not having much familiarity with Swindoll beyond his name recognition, I was not sure what to expect when I received this book. The publishers have done a great job making this a user-friendly commentary that is extremely readable; the binding is solid and sits open well on a desk (small things like that make me happy) and the text is large and clear (the third text color - brown/sepia - is really helpful for distinguishing section headings, charts, etc.). Like most commentaries, Swindoll moves through John's Gospel section by section, offering insights into the culture, history, theology, etc. presented in the text. Included throughout the book are sidebars, charts, personal reflections, and pictures that help give life to the commentary.

Commentaries are not generally books you want to sit down and read straight through, but I found myself reading large chunks of this commentary in single sittings. It is readable, clear, and frequently drew me back to the text of John. Although it does not shy away from discussing the Greek text, systematic theology, history of interpretation, etc. where pertinent, this commentary is extremely accessible and does not require special training or education to understand. Like every commentary, it is impossible to "just be about the text" without a particular personal, theological or ministerial bias and this is true of Swindoll's work on John. Thankfully, most readers should recognize the particular lens through which this work emerges, as Swindolll is well-known and well published. While I found myself disagreeing with certain aspects of Swindoll's assertions and theological illustrations, I believe that this work will be helpful for a broad spectrum of the church.

As in the rest of the Insights series, Charles has produced a fine book. Lots of maps, photos, diagrams, charts, lists of Greek dictionary definitions, and a really good commentary. The best commentary for the average reader. Good writing style, he pays attention to what the verse actually says, and while full of scholarly detail, never gets so scholastic that it bores or confuses those without theology degrees.

However there was one jarring note that departed from his usual cheerful style that really stuck out to me. In 15:18-16:4 he really applied Jesus' warnings about persecution to modern America. Noting that we are no longer in a post Christian era, but have begun an anti Christian era. So we should prepare for increasing persecution in America. This is one message that is really vital for our time. Especially with the highly popular pre-trib rapture crowd. Who tend to forget that even if there is a pre-tribulation rapture, nothing prevents persecution before the Great Tribulation starts. Hmm. Can't wait for his `Revelation' volume.

If you have ever had the privilege of hearing Chuck Swindoll speak, you quickly discovered how personable, down-to-earth and engaging he is. He writes EXACTLY as he speaks. As I read his works, I can hear him verbally telling them in my head. Swindoll's gift is bringing stories to life and helping the reader (or hearer) establish a rapport with the story, and this characteristic shines in his New Testament Insights series.

This commentary on John is written so that anyone truly interested in being a student of the book of John can follow and grow. It is not overly academic -- but it is not fluff and you will learn by going through it. The reader should be prepared for a study of the book of John, not just a read through the book of John.

The author divides the Biblical text by theological units of thought, not necessarily verse-by-verse. He provides an historical background and contextual setting, then delves into the author's intent of the passage, which in many cases does turn out to be verse-by-verse. After understanding what the author was intending to communicate, he then pulls the timeless truth from each passage and discusses how we can apply these truths to our lives today. And finally, there is my favorite part, the part that makes this commentary uniquely Swindoll's. He infuses his wisdom gained through his own life experiences to leave a truly lasting impression of the passage with the reader.

Swindoll is a wordsmith, and it makes for vivid and enjoyable reading. Excellent choice in Biblical commentaries.

I used to listen to Chuck on "Insight for Living" on the radio. I always liked his passionate and reasoned teaching. In this book, he brings the same insight to the book of John.

The gospel is broken up into reasonable chunks of verses and he then gives an overall commentary on the chunk, as well as a more detailed explanation of the verses within it. I really like how he tries to place us back in biblical times and what the culture was like then. You can understand why some things happened the way they did. He also includes definitions of some of the Greek words used (called "Key Terms"), which helps understand some of the terminology that is difficult to translate into modern English. And included are several "From My Journal" clips that give some of Chuck's personal experience with a biblical concept. And then there are some side-notes on controversial passages which help to understand some difficult concepts, like what it means when it says that the Lord "hardened" someone's heart, or does sin 'cause' disabilities or abnormalities?

And Chuck does not apologize for his own evangelistic faith - there are many opportunities and invitations throughout the book to examine your own beliefs and faith. So for those who are searching or those who need reinforcement or those who seek confirmation, I think this book is a great place to start. John is the gospel to read to find, build or re-establish your faith in Christ - and Chuck makes this gospel easy and interesting to read.

Charles Swindoll has always had a very approachable, conversational approach to Biblical teaching. This volume continues that tradition, while still presenting a wealth of information. It does this by taking a textbook style format, with sidebars and visually navigable pages. I haven't read many Biblical commentaries which take this approach, and appreciate how much information is presented. Given these characteristics, it almost goes without saying that this is a terrific asset to the new testament scholar.

I admit to being a huge Chuck Swindoll fan! He is insightful, knowledgable, and completely readable.

This is an excellent reference book for the Gospel of John. You will find themes, key terms, maps, photographs and much more!

One problem I've had is that most commentaries are designed to be used by seminary students, not the average Christian reading to learn more about the Gospel. This reference book is easy to read and easy to understand. Swindoll's writing style remains unchanged. He has the ability to take difficult to understand verses apart and suddenly make them clear. I really feel like a friend is sitting with me, coaching me and encouraging me to seek the truth in God's Word for myself.

You will be able to use this well done, hardback book to gain a well balanced knowledge of John's gospel and will renew it again and again. A definite must have for any library!

Swindoll's Inisights on John is an extremely readable commentary on the Gospel of John. The author definitely takes a deep and careful look at the text, and does not shy away from trying to explain nuances of language and history. Yet at the same time, the writing style is quite clear, never pedantic or condescending, and very understandable. At 368 pages it's not a book you're going to read cover to cover quickly. It's best application is probably as a companion to an in-depth personal or small group study on John. As such, the name "Insights on..." describes the approach of the book very well -- it definitely doesn't come across as a standard commentary. He doesn't strain to come up with something to say about every verse; instead you get the sense he really is sharing a number of insights that have been meaningful to him in his own study and devotions. Finally, the quality of the book and its hardcover format are very nice.

Insights on John contains a number of helpful features:

- The Bible text itself, as a whole passage, in the NASB version

- Insightful comments, taking things a few verses at a time

- Personal notes in "From My Journal" sections

- Application sections that aim to help the Word transform the life of the reader

- Many useful pictures, charts, tables, to better explain the text

I would recommend this one to anyone who wants to understand the Gospel of John better and apply its teaching to their life.