From the patristic period until today, John’s Gospel has served as a major source for the church’s knowledge, doctrine, and worship of the triune God. Among all New Testament documents, the Fourth Gospel provides not only the most raw material for the doctrine of the Trinity, but also the most highly developed patterns of reflection on this material—particularly patterns that seek to account in some way for the distinct personhood and divinity of Father, Son, and Spirit without compromising the unity of God.
Köstenberger and Swain offer a fresh examination of John’s trinitarian vision. While there have been recent, fine studies on aspects of John’s doctrine of God, it is surprising that none summarizes and synthesizes what John has to say about God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In order to fill this gap, they bridge that divide. They situate John’s trinitarian teaching within the context of Second Temple Jewish monotheism. They examine the Gospel narrative in order to trace the characterization of God as Father, Son, and Spirit, followed by a brief synthesis. They deal more fully with major trinitarian themes in the Fourth Gospel, including its account of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and mission. They discuss the significance of John’s Gospel for the church’s doctrine of the Trinity. They conclude with a brief summary of some practical implications.
