Mark this down as another outstanding entry in an exceptional series. Jobes has provided a thoughtful, scholarly, and easy to read volume here in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary (ZECNT) series. My appreciation for the layout of this series grows with every volume I peruse.

Jobes begins her Introduction to all three Epistles of John by describing their significance. She throws down the gauntlet of a strong Christology in our pluralistic world. She concludes that the writer of these letters matches the Gospel that also carries John’s name. She reasons that the author had to be John or a close associate. As with most commentaries addressing John, she writes about the gnostic issue that has obsessed scholars. She seems to feel that scholars have overthought the issue. John has written against “some serious misunderstanding and distortion of the gospel”. In discussing the similarities of John’s Gospel with his Epistles, she provides a chart that allows you to see for yourself. She surmises a conservative dating of these epistles.

Next, she provides an Introduction to 1 John. She well explains its genre and purpose. She admits its complex, or almost spiraling structure and ends with an outline. Next, she jumps into helpful commentary on the text of 1 John. She seems quite comfortable in the ZECNT format and uses it to advantage. A brief Introduction precedes the commentary of 2 & 3 John respectively as well.

This is my favorite modern exegetical commentary of John’s Epistles. If there is any better, I’ve not seen it. You will want this commentary!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.