The Navarre Bible: Saint John’s Gospel

by Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre

Publishers:

Four Courts; Scepter

, 2005

Overview

In the early 1970s the theology faculty of the University of Navarre embarked on the project of making a new Spanish translation of the Bible—a volume accompanied by commentary designed for the general reader. This project was entrusted to the faculty by St. Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei and the university’s first chancellor. The first volume, St. Matthew, appeared in 1976; the project was completed February 2005. The Navarre Bible series is considered by many the best Catholic commentary on the Bible available today.

More comprehensive than the The Navarre Bible: New Testament, this volume features notes and introductions—rarely very technical—designed to illuminate the spiritual and theological message of the Bible. The Standard Edition is replete with quotations from commentaries by the Fathers, as well as excerpts from other spiritual writers—not least among them, St. Josemaría Escrivá—provided to show how they read Scripture and made it meaningful in their lives.

The Gospel of John differs from the rest of the Gospels in several ways. This Gospel does not mention the transfiguration, the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, or many of Jesus’ miracles. But since the author, St. John, was a disciple of Christ, this Gospel lends detail to various events as he witnessed Jesus’ works and teaching (John 21:24).

The subject of faith is emphasized throughout the Gospel, which, through Jesus' signs, words, and actions, urges readers to believe—it affirms that he is indeed the author of salvation, the bread of life, the light of the world, the life of the world, and most of all, the messianic king prophesied in the Scriptures.

The Navarre Bible New Testament, Standard Edition is both scholarly and readable, presenting an intellectual, historical, and applicable survey of the riches of the New Testament. In the Logos edition of St. John’s Gospel, each Scripture passage links to your favorite translation, and is easy to study side-by-side with your other commentaries. You can search by topic or Scripture with split-second results!

Key Features

• Provides an introduction to the Gospel of St. John
• Draws on numerous Catholic resources
• Contains a table of sources cited, maps, and informative notes

Contents

• Map
• Preface and Preliminary Notes
• Abbreviations
• Introduction to the Gospel According to John
  • The Author
  • The Relationship between the Gospel of St. John and the Synoptic Gospels
  • John the Apostle
  • Structure and Content
  • Doctrinal Content
    • The Blessed Trinity
    • Faith
    • Charity
    • The Sacraments
    • The Blessed Virgin Mary
• The Gospel According to John: English Version, with Notes
• New Vulgate Text
• Explanatory Notes
• Headings Added to the Biblical Text
• Sources Quoted in the Commentary

Top Highlights

“So, one can say that in order to produce fruit pleasing to God, it is not enough to have received Baptism and to profess the faith externally: a person has to share in Christ’s life through grace and has to cooperate with him in his work of redemption.” (Pages 157–158)

“Jesus Christ requires his disciples to accept his words because it is he who has spoken them. That is what the supernatural act of faith involves—that act ‘whereby, inspired and assisted by the grace of God, we believe that the things which he has revealed are true; not because of the intrinsic truth of the things, viewed by the natural light of reason, but because of the authority of God himself who reveals them, and who can neither be deceived nor deceive’ (Vatican I, Dei Filius, chap. 3).” (Page 92)

“This is a lesson and an encouragement to the Christian, who should see every type of suffering and contradiction as a sharing in Christ’s cross, which redeems us and exalts us. To be supernaturally effective, a person has to die to himself, forgetting his comfort and shedding his selfishness.” (Page 136)

“Jesus’ reply seems to indicate that although in principle it was not part of God’s plan for him to use his power to solve the problem the wedding feast had run into, our Lady’s request moves him to do precisely that. Also, one could surmise that God’s plan envisaged that Jesus should work the miracle at his Mother’s request. In any event, God willed that the Revelation of the New Testament should include this important teaching: so influential is our Lady’s intercession that God will listen to all petitions made through her; which is why Christian piety, with theological accuracy, has called our Lady ‘supplicant omnipotence’” (Page 55)

Praise for the Series

[The Bible is] presented unambiguously as the inspired Word of God and, with the help of the commentaries, we are introduced to 2,000 years of contemplative Christian reading and living of the sacred Word.

—Osservatore Romano

. . . Superb volume for adult Bible Study . . . most helpful, enlightening, and fascinating.

—Catholic Transcript

Product Details

• Title: The Navarre Bible: Saint John’s Gospel
• Translator: Michael Adams
• Edition: Revised
• Publisher: Four Courts Press
• Publication Date: 2005
• Pages: 232

About Faculty of Theology of the University of Navarre