Encountering John : The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective (Annotated ed)

The uniqueness of the Gospel of John is readily apparent.

In contrast to the overlapping material in the Synoptic Gospels, John shares only about ten percent of its content with Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

John's distinct focus on Jesus' life as the culmination of salvation history makes it "the theological pinnacle of the gospel tradition" and establishes its author, along with the apostle Paul, as one of the early church's foremost theologians. Not a traditional commentary on the book, this volume, like others in the Encountering Biblical Studies series, is designed especially for classroom use.

A lucid writing style and a number of pedagogical enhancements make this a perfect tool for helping students master the content and key interpretive issues of the Gospel of John. Kostenberger begins his survey with an orientation to the three facets of his investigation: history, literature, and theology.

The student will discover how John's Gospel came to be, as well as the Gospel's literary components and theological themes: God, the Christ, salvation, the Spirit, the new covenant community, and last things. The author then considers the Gospel in four sections. The focus in each shifts as the story of Jesus unfolds--from the Incarnate Word to the earthly Jesus to the exalted Jesus to the one who calls his disciples to follow him.

Throughout, Kostenberger notes the unique aspects of John's story in comparison to the other Gospel writers, particularly his reliance upon the Old Testament. In two extended appendixes, the author provides a thorough survey of the history of interpretation of the Gospel of John and a consideration of its role in the renewed study of the historical Jesus. In a final section entitled "Tools for Study," Kostenberger provides lists of proper names, place names, and key theological terms in the Gospel of John.

This resource will facilitate further in-depth study by the student. Like the other volumes in this series, the pedagogical usefulness of this work is enhanced by a number of features: * copious illustrative tables, maps, and photos * sidebars and excursuses that address difficult passages and important issues * an outline and objectives at the beginning of each chapter * study questions and key terms at the conclusion of each chapter * a comprehensive glossary and annotated bibliography * instructor's manual available on diskette