Interpreting the Gospel and Letters of John: An Introduction

by Sherri Brown; Francis J. Moloney

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2017

Overview

Accessible, comprehensive, and up-to-date, Interpreting the Gospel and Letters of John is an ideal text for students new to the discipline of biblical studies. Sherri Brown and Francis J. Moloney present a broad overview of the story of Christianity arising out of its Jewish foundations and proceed to guide readers expertly through the contents of the Gospel and Letters of John.

Maintaining that Johannine literature is best understood against the background of the Old Testament covenant metaphor, Brown and Moloney focus on the central role of covenant in the narrative of John’s Gospel and highlight the Evangelist’s use of fulfillment language. Helpful sidebars, maps, questions for review, and further-reading lists are placed throughout the text, making this volume well suited for classroom use.

Key Features

• Provides Old Testament context for understanding themes of John’s Gospel and Letters
• Guides readers through interpretive and theological issues
• Each chapter includes key terms and concepts, review questions, and suggestions for further reading

Contents

• Introduction: The Gospel and Letters of John
• The Origins and Development of the Bible
• Methodology for Biblical Interpretation
• The Old Testament Story: Israel and Covenant with God
• The New Testament Story: Jesus and the New Covenant
• John and His Writings
• John as Storyteller and Evangelist
• The Beginnings of the Word in John 1:1–18
• The Opening Days of Jesus’s Public Ministry in John 1:19–51
• The Beginnings of Jesus’s Ministry: Journeys of Faith in John 2–4
• The Heart of Jesus’s Public Ministry: People and Festivals in John 5–10
• Jesus and the Arrival of the Hour: Moving to Glory in John 11–12
• Jesus and His Own: Glory, Love, and Discipleship in John 13–17
• The Passion of Jesus: Crucifixion, Kingship, and Truth in John 18–19
• The Resurrection of Jesus: The Promise of John 20
• The Epilogue and Call to the Community in John 21
• The Letters of John
• Conclusion: The Good News of the Community of the Beloved Disciple

Praise for the Print Edition

Combining the skills of the teacher and the excellence of sound scholarship, Sherri Brown and Francis Moloney have produced a fine resource to guide students on their journey into the wisdom and world of John. Brown and Moloney’s big-picture approach embraces Israel’s story, Rome’s world, and the church’s beginnings as a framework for a careful reading of the biblical texts. This is an introduction filled with innovation and insight, a delight for learner and teacher alike.

—William Loader, Murdoch University, Western Australia

In this exceptional textbook Brown and Moloney accomplish a herculean task. They offer not only a full commentary and close reading of the Johannine Literature (Gospel and Letters!) but also combine this fine work with introductions to foundational methodologies for biblical interpretation, the history of Israel and early Christianity, and the Bible as Sacred Scripture. In this way, they masterfully open up the world in, behind, and in front of the text. Concluding each chapter with key terms, questions for review, and a bibliography for further reading, the authors have provided an outstanding tool for the classroom and beyond.

—Ruben Zimmermann, Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz, Germany

Product Details

• Title: Interpreting the Gospel and Letters of John: An Introduction
• Authors: Francis J. Moloney, Sherri Brown
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2017
• Pages: 371
• Resource Type: Introduction
• Topic: Johannine Studies

About the Authors

Francis J. Moloney, SDB, is senior professorial fellow at Australian Catholic University. His many other books include commentaries on the Gospel of John and the Gospel of Mark.

Sherri Brown is assistant professor of New Testament at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska, and the author of several works, including God’s Promise: Covenant Relationship in John.