Colin G. Kruse - John (TNTC)

Volume 4

General Editor: Leon Morris

An Introduction and Commentary

Colin G. Kruse

Additional notes

The original Tyndale Commentaries aimed at providing help for the general reader of the Bible. They concentrated on the meaning of the text without going into scholarly technicalities. They sought to avoid the extremes of being unduly technical or unhelpfully brief. Most who have used the books agree that there has been a fair measure of success in reaching that aim.

Times, however, change. A series that has served so well for so long is perhaps not quite as relevant as it was when it was first launched. New knowledge has come to light. The discussion of critical questions has moved on. Bible-reading habits have changed. When the original series was commenced it could be presumed that most readers used the Authorized Version and ones comments were made accordingly, but this situation no longer obtains.

The decision to revise and update the whole series was not reached lightly, but in the end it was thought that this is what is required in the present situation. There are new needs, and they will be better served by new books or by a thorough updating of the old books. The aims of the original series remain. The new commentaries are neither minuscule nor unduly long. They are exegetical rather than homiletic. They do not discuss all the critical questions, but none is written without an awareness of the problems that engage the attention of New Testament scholars. Where it is felt that formal consideration should be given to such questions, they are discussed in the Introduction and sometimes in Additional notes.

But the main thrust of these commentaries is not critical. These books are written to help the non-technical reader understand the Bible better. They do not presume a knowledge of Greek, and all Greek words discussed are transliterated; but the authors have the Greek text before them and their comments are made on the basis of what the originals say. The authors are free to choose their own modern translation, but are asked to bear in mind the variety of translations in current use.

The new series of Tyndale Commentaries goes forth, as the former series did, in the hope that God will graciously use these books to help the general reader to understand as fully and clearly as possible the meaning of the New Testament.

Leon Morris

Publishers note:

We regret that, because of poor health, Leon Morris was unable to fulfil his editorial role for this volume, and we are grateful to Andreas Kstenberger of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary for his willingness to read and comment on the manuscript.

In 1999 I completed work for a commentary on the Letters of John (Pillar New Testament Commentary series): work that involved me in reflection upon the parallels between those Letters and the Gospel of John. Thereafter, I was keen to do further work on the Gospel of John, and was therefore pleased when the invitation came from Inter-Varsity Press to contribute a commentary on this Gospel for the revised Tyndale New Testament Commentary series. My commentary will replace one written by the late Professor Tasker, and I hope it proves to be a worthy successor to his commentary.

Many different people have helped me in one way or another in the preparation of this commentary, and I want to express my thanks to them all. The Council of the Bible College of Victoria gave me study leave in the second half of 2001. Without that leave I could not have completed the commentary on time. The greater part of my study leave was spent at Tyndale House, Cambridge, where my wife and I enjoyed the support and encouragement of the Warden, Dr Bruce Winter, and Mrs Lyn Winter, as well as other scholars and PhD students working there at that time. My colleagues at the Bible College of Victoria, Dr Darrell Paproth, Dr Ted Woods, and especially Dr Greg Forbes, read and commented helpfully on parts of the manuscript. Dr Philip Duce, the Theological Books Editor of Inter-Varsity Press, and Dr Andreas Kstenberger provided helpful comments on the entire manuscript.

Few people write commentaries today without profiting from the work of others, and this has certainly been true in my case. I have learned much from many scholars from different traditions. It is not possible nor desirable in a commentary of this size and intended for general readership to acknowledge all those from whose work I have benefited nor to interact with the work of those from whom I differ. However, people who know the field will recognize my indebtedness to other scholars at many points in the commentary. There are many substantial commentaries on the Gospel of John, and in the preparation of this commentary I have made use of a good number of them. Again and again, however, I found the commentary written by Professor Don Carson treated most helpfully the issues raised by the text of the Gospel of John, and I want to express particular appreciation for his work.

This book is affectionately dedicated to my wife, Rosemary, in deep appreciation for her love and companionship over many years, which I hope will continue for many years to come.

The writing of this commentary has been a rich experience for me. I have seen afresh something of the glory of Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh and full of grace and truth, whom the evangelist so skilfully portrays. As the commentary goes out, it is my prayer that it will enable readers to understand the Gospel of John better, and by so doing to know better the only true God whose glory, grace and truth were revealed in the person and ministry of Jesus. To know this God and Jesus Christ whom he sent is to experience eternal life (John 17:3).

Colin G. Kruse