The Letters of John, Second Edition (Pillar New Testament Commentary | PNTC)
Digital Logos Edition
Overview
Based on the latest text of the NIV, this updated commentary reflects the most current scholarship.
This updated and revised Pillar commentary seeks to clearly explain the meaning of John’s letters to teachers, pastors, and general readers looking for a reliable and trusted resource for personal study. Colin Kruse introduces the important issues involved in interpreting the Johannine letters, gives verse-by-verse comments, and provides extensive discussion of John’s major theological themes, including the real humanity of Christ, atonement, the role of the Spirit, Christian assurance, the meaning of koinonia, Christian love, and eternal life.
Designed both for serious students and for general readers of the Bible, the Pillar New Testament Commentary volumes seek to make clear the meaning of the text of Scripture as we have it. The scholars writing these volumes interact with the most important, informed contemporary debate yet avoid undue technical detail. Their ideal is a blend of rigorous exegesis and exposition, scholarship and pastoral sensitivity, with an eye alert both to biblical theology and to the contemporary relevance of the Bible.
- Provides an introduction to the authorship, date, purpose, structure, and theology of the letters of John
- Contains extensive discussion of John’s major theological themes
- Introduces the important issues involved in interpreting the Johannine letters
Top Highlights
“The context of the introduction of the term koinōnia into 1 John, then, suggests that it was not a characteristic term employed by the author but rather one used by his opponents and one that he took up and used in his effort to deny what they claimed—namely, that they have fellowship with God without having fellowship with other believers (those belonging to the author’s group).14 Fellowship with God, he insists, also means fellowship ‘with us.’” (Page 64)
“By his use of the present tense for the verbs ‘to walk’ and ‘to purify,’ the author represents both the walking and the cleansing as continuous activities. One lesson that may be learned from this second consequence is that walking in the light does not mean that those who do so never sin, but that they do not seek to hide that fact from God.” (Pages 69–70)
“The primary concern of the author in writing 1 John was to bolster the assurance of such people by providing them with a clear presentation of the gospel message they had received from the beginning. He also provided them with criteria they could use to evaluate the false claims being made by the secessionists and with which they could also reassure themselves that they were in the truth (1 John 1:5–2:2; 2:3–11; 3:7–10, 14–15; 4:4–6, 7–8, 13–15; 5:13, 18–20).” (Page 2)
“It is worth noting that to claim to have fellowship with God while walking in darkness makes a person a liar (1:6); to claim to be without sin involves lying to oneself (1:8) and makes God out to be a liar as well (1:10).” (Pages 71–72)
“That the concomitant of walking in the light is being purified from every sin suggests that walking in the darkness might best be interpreted here, not simply as walking in ignorance, but as walking in sin.” (Page 70)
Colin G. Kruse is senior lecturer in New Testament at Melbourne School of Theology, Australia. His other books include the Pillar New Testament Commentary on Romans and Tyndale New Testament Commentary volumes on John and 2 Corinthians.