John (Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament)

by Jo-Ann A. Brant

Publisher:

Baker Academic

, 2011

Overview

The Gospel of John, full of striking language and symbolism, is familiar to many as a sourcebook of favorite quotations. It is far more difficult to read this complex and subtle Gospel as a coherent whole on its own terms. In this volume, Jo-Ann A. Bryant, an expert on John’s dramatic rhetoric, helps students and pastors do just that. Students, pastors, and other readers will also appreciate the historical, literary, and theological insight offered in this practical commentary. This commentary, like each in the Paideia series, approaches each text in its final, canonical form, proceeding by sense units rather than word-by-word or verse-by-verse. Each sense unit is explored in three sections: (1) introductory matters, (2) tracing the train of thought, (3) key hermeneutical and theological questions.

Key Features

• Examines cultural context and theological meaning
• Discusses theological issues raised by the text
• Provides notes, outlines, images, and tables

Contents

• Part 1. John 1:1-2:12 In the Beginning
• John 1:1-18 The Prologue and More
• John 1:19-2:12 Jesus Enters the Narrative
• Part 2. John 2:13-12:11 Jesus' Itinerant Ministry
• John 2:13-4:54 Transforming Sacred Space
• John 5:1-47 God Works on the Sabbath
• John 6:1-71 Bread and Circuses
• John 7:1-8:59 Verbal Sparring at the Festival of Sukkoth
• John 9:1-10:42 A Second Sabbath Violation at a Second Pool
• John 11:1-12:11 The Sweet Scent of Death
• Part 3. John 12:13-19:37 Jesus' Triumphant Hour
• John 12:13-50 Jesus the Triumphator
• John 13:1-38 After the Last Supper
• John 13:31-17:25 The Farewell Address
• John 18:1-19:37 Behold the Man
• Part 4. John 20:1-21:25 Jesus' Resurrection: Endings and Epilogues
• John 20:1-31 Recognition and Reversal
• John 20:1-31 Recognition and Reversal

Top Highlights

“Mary Coloe points out that this is temple imagery. Jesus dies at the same time as the blood from the Passover lamb flows from the temple. The water signifies that Jesus is the eschatological temple, from which the water of the spirit of life flows (Coloe 2001, 208; for a treatment of various symbolic values, see Keener 2003, 1152–54).” (Page 254)

“The purpose of the Gospel is, therefore, not to bring its audience to faith but to stir up or express that faith. Consequently, this commentary treats the Gospel’s overall rhetorical strategy as epideictic.” (Page 12)

“and appropriates imagery associated with the water ritual that took place on the first day of Sukkoth” (Page 140)

“There is a growing consensus that the prologue must be read within the context of a Jewish speculative theology and that the language of the prologue would have invited its audience to affirm the activity of God within history through agents of his wisdom. The word logos then prepares the audience to understand Jesus as an authoritative agent who reveals God’s activity and glory through his speech and actions.” (Page 26)

“In John’s Gospel, this is the first of a series of such challenges that Jesus will face, each of which raises the bar higher since Jesus must demonstrate his superiority to Moses (6:30–31) and Abraham (8:53) and his equality with God (9:29; 10:33).” (Page 84)

Endorsements

This marvelous commentary is packed with substantive information and fresh insights. Brant draws on current literary approaches and an array of useful sources from antiquity to illumine John’s Gospel. She likewise makes the complexities of the Greek text intelligible for English readers. . . . As with other volumes in the Paideia series, this one is masterfully designed to provide optimum access for readers.

—Craig S. Keener, professor of New Testament, Palmer Seminary

Brant skillfully mines the Greco-Roman literary, rhetorical, and social world of the Fourth Gospel and writes with brevity that moves the reader briskly along from one fresh insight to the next. The result is paideia—a wonderfully formative experience!

—R. Alan Culpepper, dean, McAfee School of Theology, Mercer University

Among the spate of commentaries published on John's Gospel, Brant's is distinctive and distinguished. Informed by Greco-Roman rhetoric and sources, archaeology, maps, and arresting sidebars, the commentary excels for the classroom. It may well become the text of choice for the university classroom and will enhance appreciation of the Bible as literature. The author and publisher merit commendation, especially for the layout and the inclusion of many illustrative figures that catch the eye and tables that facilitate grasp of content.

—Willard Swartley, professor emeritus of New Testament, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary

Product Details

• Title: John
• Author: Jo-Ann A. Brant
• Series: Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament
• Publisher: Baker Academic
• Print Publication Date: 2011
• Logos Release Date: 2012
• Pages: 416
• Era: era:contemporary
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subject: Bible. N.T. John › Commentaries
• ISBNs: 9781441251299, 9780801034541, 1441251294, 080103454, 080103454X
• Resource ID: LLS:PAIDEIA64JN
• Resource Type: Bible Commentary
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-08-30T23:41:05Z

About Jo-Ann A. Brant

Jo-Ann A. Brant (PhD, McMaster University) is a professor of Bible, religion, and philosophy at Goshen College in Goshen, Indiana. She is the author of Dialogue and Drama: Elements of Greek Tragedy in the Fourth Gospel and has contributed to several books.

About the Series

Paideia: Commentaries on the New Testament approaches each text in its final, canonical form, proceeding by sense units (pericopes) rather than word-by-word or verse-by-verse. Thus, each commentary follows the original train of thought as indicated by the author instead of modern artificial distinctions. Using this approach, one is able to grasp not only the exegetical-historical information of a passage, but also follow a coherent theological expression throughout. Additionally, this series is enormously helpful and practical through its usage of small visual presentations of historical, exegetical, and theological information. Highly user friendly, this is a great resource for college students, pastors, or those who want to take their Bible study to another level.

The Paideia series explores how New Testament texts inform Christian readers by:

• Attending to the ancient narrative and rhetorical strategies the text employs
• Showing how the text shapes theological convictions and moral habits
• Commenting on the final, canonical form of each New Testament book
• Focusing on the cultural, literary, and theological settings of the text
• Making judicious use of maps, photos, and sidebars in a reader-friendly format