Life Abounding A Reading of John's Gospel

Once again, Byrne has produced a finely-written commentary on the Gospels-in this case the Gospel of John-which complements his previous commentaries on the Synoptic Gospels. This study makes the Gospel beautifully available to the preacher, the student, the Retreat leader, the man or woman in the pews, and the interesting inquirer, as well as to the academic theologian. Grounded in scholarly research, it opens up the Johannine text to the modern reader, clarifying its meaning and making connections to contemporary life. It is well worth reading for its lucidity, succinctness and depth.

Decades of research, teaching, reflection, and Christian ministry lie behind this fine commentary on the Gospel of John. Beautifully written, with due respect for the wide range of interpretations that have been brought to this much-loved, but complex, story of Jesus, Brendan Byrne has produced an outstanding book. The commentary steers a well-argued course between widely diverging interpretative possibilities. Scattered through the text are profound reflections on the challenge to Christian life and practice that emerge from the Johannine understanding of what God has done for us in and through Jesus. This book deserves to be in the hands of all who look to the Gospels for their Christian inspiration: preachers, teachers, and believing people.

Both elegantly and accessibly written, both conversant with key interpretative issues and pastorally reflective, Brendan Byrne's new commentary admirably achieves its purpose of opening up the theological and spiritual riches of the Gospel of John. Byrne is a sure-footed and illuminating guide on this enjoyable path through the Gospel. Along the journey he consistently helps readers appreciate more fully the individual stages while at the same time managing to keep the focus on the destination-the Gospel's pervasive claim that life is more than mere existence but, as experienced in Jesus, can be participation in God's abounding life.

Concise and insightful, Brendan Byrne's Life Abounding offers an accessible reading of the Gospel of John sensitive to its literary complexity and its theological depth. Fr. Byrne's treatment, informed not only by serious scholarship but also by his own pastoral experience, is sensitive both to the Gospel's historical setting and to its potential impact on faithful readers today. Readers studying John "the Theologian" for the first time will find this an extremely helpful introduction.

Brenden Byrne's fresh reading of John's Gospel, rich in theological insights, is to be warmly welcomed. It will serve wonderfully for courses on the Fourth Gospel and Johannine theology.

Life Abounding will prove a resource to teachers, preachers and any who want to use it to probe the life of Jesus as it's represented in the gospels. The author's purpose isn't just to offer a reading of the Fourth Gospel: it's to explore its puzzles and offer insights into its possible interpretations. The result is a recommended pick for any scholarly Christian collection.