John : From Biblical Text To Contemporary Life

The Gospel of John is an unceasing source of inspiration and fascination for both students and scholars alike. Not a year goes by that does not witness the publication of hundreds of journal articles and books interpreting this gospel. While at first reading John’s message seems simple and straightforward, its simplicity is deceptive. The number of Johannine interpretative riddles are many. And if we agree on the meaning of the text, still, we have yet to explain how this literature fits into the history of the early church. Who wrote it? What community nurtured and venerated it? And above all, how do we bear the meaning of John’s gospel into the church today?

The Fourth Gospel is the legacy of John’s ministry. And it is no less beloved today than it was in the earliest years among his disciples. Few books of the Bible have influenced the life and thought of Christendom as has John’s Gospel. Its profundity and literary energy continue to be noted. Here Christians have discovered a portrait of Christ that has been deeply satisfying. It is no accident that Clement of Alexandria in the 2nd Century AD labeled John “the spiritual gospel.” For instance, the lofty heights gained by the prologue to the gospel (1:1-18) were reason enough to symbolize this book in the early church with an eagle. In fact, medieval Christians so venerated these verses that they were read over baptized children and the seriously ill. Copies were even placed in amulets to be worn around the neck to ward off evil!

This commentary strives to unlock the original meaning of John’s Gospel as it was heard for the first time in the early church. In addition, it works to discern how this gospel can speak to an audience in our contemporary setting. Ancient symbols and nuances must not only be interpreted, but new concepts must be born which will effectively represent John’s voice in today’s world.