The Gospel According To John I-XII

The gospel of John presents a particular challenge to the interpreter. It is very different from the "synoptic" gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke). It doesn't follow the same dramatic outline and Jesus' words in John often seen so different from the first three gospels. And yet John has remained one of the most beloved gospels for laypeople and pastors alike. It takes a sensitive scholar to weave through the complexities of this gospel without simply discarding everything as un-collaborated material (since it's not in the other gospels). Raymond Brown was such a scholar and this two-volume gem remains some of the best Johannine scholarship in our lifetime (I would include Bultmann in that small group as well). True to the Anchor Bible format, Brown gives an exceptional, extensive Introduction that covers may of the historical, literary and theological challenges that confront the interpreter. The commentary section itself presents both a detailed analysis of the given text and a more broad interpretation section. Knowledge of the original Greek language is not necessary.