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Biblical Imagination
John: The Gospel of Wisdom
"When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth." - John 16:13 "He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth." - John 19:35 With time and experience comes wisdom. John, the longest-surviving of the apostles, recorded in his Gospel a portrait of Jesus that displays the depth of years of reflection on who Jesus is and what he means to the world. Writing in light of the philosophies of his day, John describes Jesus as the incarnate Word, the divine Logos, the embodiment of all truth and wisdom. In this last volume of the Biblical Imagination Series, Michael Card completes his work on the four Gospels. He shows how John stands alongside the other Gospel writers to fill out the picture of Jesus' divine identity, with stories and sayings of Jesus not recorded by the others. This Jesus reorients our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, offering us nothing less than the way, the truth and the life. Like John before him, Card has written these words so that we may better believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing we have life in his name.
237 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2014
79 people are currently reading
169 people want to read
About the author
Michael Card
114 books97 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Michael Card (born April 11, 1957) is an American Christian singer-songwriter, musician, author, and radio host from Franklin, Tennessee. He is best known for his contributions in contemporary Christian music, which couple folk-style melodies and instrumentation with lyrics that stem from intensive study of the Bible. Since his debut in 1981, he has sold more than 4 million albums and has written 19 No. 1 singles.He has also authored several books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner A Sacred Sorrow.
http://www.michaelcard.com/#/about-mi...
Michael Card (born April 11, 1957) is an American Christian singer-songwriter, musician, author, and radio host from Franklin, Tennessee. He is best known for his contributions in contemporary Christian music, which couple folk-style melodies and instrumentation with lyrics that stem from intensive study of the Bible. Since his debut in 1981, he has sold more than 4 million albums and has written 19 No. 1 singles.He has also authored several books, including Gold Medallion Book Award winner A Sacred Sorrow.
http://www.michaelcard.com/#/about-mi...
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
June 4, 2021
An interesting book, which finds a middle way between commentary and reflection. Less dense and better-imagined than the former, yet not quite scholarly or thorough enough for academic study; more substantive, better researched, and more serious than the stereotypical latter. Something like a studious devotional. Recommended for people who want more serious illumination of John's Gospel for "home use" but aren't interested in heavy scholarship.
May 2, 2024
I enjoyed this a lot! Especially about how John differs from the Synoptics and how that makes sense. Many of Card's observations are "what if" rather than "this is how it was" but I enjoy that perspective. I really appreciated how it was not a devotional book with study questions and sections about "what does this mean to YOU", or "let's apply this to your life!". It was purely about the Gospel of John.
March 1, 2024
John presents Jesus as God incarnate who loves with total commitment.
John introduces Jesus as eternal, as Creator, as Enlightener, and as the One who loves us perfectly. In the end, John says in John 18:4 that Jesus "knows all that was to happen." In Chapter 21, John presents Jesus as the ultimate provider while asking Peter to love as completely including to sacrificial death in service to God. And, John was Jesus' beloved younger cousin. Read, study, and discuss and come away loving God, the apostles, and your Bible study mates, and develop sacrificial evangelistic fervor.
John introduces Jesus as eternal, as Creator, as Enlightener, and as the One who loves us perfectly. In the end, John says in John 18:4 that Jesus "knows all that was to happen." In Chapter 21, John presents Jesus as the ultimate provider while asking Peter to love as completely including to sacrificial death in service to God. And, John was Jesus' beloved younger cousin. Read, study, and discuss and come away loving God, the apostles, and your Bible study mates, and develop sacrificial evangelistic fervor.
September 11, 2014
The Gospel of John has long been a favorite of scholars and layman alike. Somewhat different in scope and focus than the other gospels, it begins with a reminder of who Jesus is, namely the Word who is God and who has always been, the logos Furthermore, the Gospel of John is often the first book of the Bible, except perhaps for the Psalms or Proverbs, that many new believers gravitate towards or are encouraged to read in their initial forays into Scripture. In the final installment of his Biblical Imagination Series, noted musician and author Michael Card engages this beloved Gospel in his book aptly titled John: The Gospel of Wisdom
Michael Card definitely has the gift of writing. This gift has long been demonstrated in the lyrics to his long and distinguished Christian music career. His ability to put pen to paper in a way that is scholarly yet accessible and that captures the true overarching message of the Gospel of John is also quite evident in this final volume of the Biblical Imagination Series. Card captures the attention of the reader, bringing them into the world of the biblical author while never failing to drive home the biblical concepts and principles found in John’s Gospel.
As with the other volumes in this outstanding series, Michael Card begins his discussion with the necessary background information regarding the Gospel of John. A unique element found in the Gospel of John is the underlying theme of wisdom, an approach not found to a large degree in the other gospel accounts. Card aptly notes, “In fact, the inadequacy of wisdom is the fundamental theme of John’s Gospel. Jesus is more than simply the Wisdom of God, he is the one who is constantly and consistently misunderstood…Jesus will posit himself as the answer only in John’s Gospel, via the “I am” sayings.” This repeated misunderstanding by those who came in contact with Jesus leads to the cross where as Card comments, “he is all alone” and where he suffers for the sins of humanity.
An important element of the Gospel of John which Michael Card saliently exegetes for the reader is the concept found in the Greek word logos. John 1:1 declares “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Logos is the term translated as “word” and it is a term that hearkens back to the message of the Old Testament, in particular the opening chapters of Genesis. In John’s day, an early form of Gnosticism known as Docetism was starting to take hold within the early church. This heresy promoted ideas about logos that were rooted in the teachings of Heraclitus. As Michael Card avers, the logos John noted in his gospel had nothing to do with the Greek pagan philosophical view of the term. Conversely, “When John says “word”, it is not the Greek logos but the Old Testament Hebrew dabar he has in mind. Dabar means both “word” and “deed.” When God says something, it happens.” With that in mind, it is perfectly clear why John notes that when Jesus made a declaration, what he declared happened for he is God, the logos.
Another outstanding discussion point focused on by Card in this book is the “I am” saying of Jesus where he declares “I am the bread of life.” As with the other “I am” sayings, this was no small or minor statement by Jesus. This self description is rooted in the Hebrew word manna, a word Card correctly notes was a “reflection on how puzzled the Israelites were when they first say the mysterious honey-flavored wafers God provided in the wilderness.” When the people of Israel asked for the bread Jesus claimed he would be able to provide, they were quite clueless that it was not physical bread he was describing. Rather than the manna provided to their forefathers to stave off physical hunger, Card notes Jesus was declaring “He will satisfy their hunger forever.” After the people murmured and grumbled due to their spiritual blindness, Jesus once again reiterated the “I am the bread of life” self-description. To this Card comments that as Jesus continued to drive home this point, it became a rather scandalous event as the people continued to misunderstand what Jesus was trying to get across. In fact, Card rightly avers “It is not the flesh that counts but the spirit. He has been speaking life-giving words. John whispers from the beginning Jesus knew who would believe and who would not, who would stay despite his scandalous words and who would go. No one can come unless the Father makes it possible.” Many walked away but those who remained were those who were called by the Logos, the Bread of Life.
I truly enjoyed every aspect of this commentary on the Gospel of John. Michael Card has a very engaging writing style, he expertly weaves scholarly insights with practical discussion that brings the Gospel of John to life for the reader. I highly recommend this volume for all believers and I also highly recommend the entire Biblical Imagination Series. These commentaries will help pastors, theologians, and layman alike grow in love and appreciation for the message of the Gospels.
I received this book for free from InterVarsity for this review. 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Michael Card definitely has the gift of writing. This gift has long been demonstrated in the lyrics to his long and distinguished Christian music career. His ability to put pen to paper in a way that is scholarly yet accessible and that captures the true overarching message of the Gospel of John is also quite evident in this final volume of the Biblical Imagination Series. Card captures the attention of the reader, bringing them into the world of the biblical author while never failing to drive home the biblical concepts and principles found in John’s Gospel.
As with the other volumes in this outstanding series, Michael Card begins his discussion with the necessary background information regarding the Gospel of John. A unique element found in the Gospel of John is the underlying theme of wisdom, an approach not found to a large degree in the other gospel accounts. Card aptly notes, “In fact, the inadequacy of wisdom is the fundamental theme of John’s Gospel. Jesus is more than simply the Wisdom of God, he is the one who is constantly and consistently misunderstood…Jesus will posit himself as the answer only in John’s Gospel, via the “I am” sayings.” This repeated misunderstanding by those who came in contact with Jesus leads to the cross where as Card comments, “he is all alone” and where he suffers for the sins of humanity.
An important element of the Gospel of John which Michael Card saliently exegetes for the reader is the concept found in the Greek word logos. John 1:1 declares “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Logos is the term translated as “word” and it is a term that hearkens back to the message of the Old Testament, in particular the opening chapters of Genesis. In John’s day, an early form of Gnosticism known as Docetism was starting to take hold within the early church. This heresy promoted ideas about logos that were rooted in the teachings of Heraclitus. As Michael Card avers, the logos John noted in his gospel had nothing to do with the Greek pagan philosophical view of the term. Conversely, “When John says “word”, it is not the Greek logos but the Old Testament Hebrew dabar he has in mind. Dabar means both “word” and “deed.” When God says something, it happens.” With that in mind, it is perfectly clear why John notes that when Jesus made a declaration, what he declared happened for he is God, the logos.
Another outstanding discussion point focused on by Card in this book is the “I am” saying of Jesus where he declares “I am the bread of life.” As with the other “I am” sayings, this was no small or minor statement by Jesus. This self description is rooted in the Hebrew word manna, a word Card correctly notes was a “reflection on how puzzled the Israelites were when they first say the mysterious honey-flavored wafers God provided in the wilderness.” When the people of Israel asked for the bread Jesus claimed he would be able to provide, they were quite clueless that it was not physical bread he was describing. Rather than the manna provided to their forefathers to stave off physical hunger, Card notes Jesus was declaring “He will satisfy their hunger forever.” After the people murmured and grumbled due to their spiritual blindness, Jesus once again reiterated the “I am the bread of life” self-description. To this Card comments that as Jesus continued to drive home this point, it became a rather scandalous event as the people continued to misunderstand what Jesus was trying to get across. In fact, Card rightly avers “It is not the flesh that counts but the spirit. He has been speaking life-giving words. John whispers from the beginning Jesus knew who would believe and who would not, who would stay despite his scandalous words and who would go. No one can come unless the Father makes it possible.” Many walked away but those who remained were those who were called by the Logos, the Bread of Life.
I truly enjoyed every aspect of this commentary on the Gospel of John. Michael Card has a very engaging writing style, he expertly weaves scholarly insights with practical discussion that brings the Gospel of John to life for the reader. I highly recommend this volume for all believers and I also highly recommend the entire Biblical Imagination Series. These commentaries will help pastors, theologians, and layman alike grow in love and appreciation for the message of the Gospels.
I received this book for free from InterVarsity for this review. 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
August 29, 2024
This was an odd entry for me.
This book doesn't really "read" like a traditional commentary, and as a result, gets dinged a star because of format. However, I really enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it. It is in-depth, thoughtful, and really teases out things I have never seen before in John. If you have read the gospel for a while, you are in for a treat for such a great guide.
This book doesn't really "read" like a traditional commentary, and as a result, gets dinged a star because of format. However, I really enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it. It is in-depth, thoughtful, and really teases out things I have never seen before in John. If you have read the gospel for a while, you are in for a treat for such a great guide.
May 6, 2025
I bought this book to help me understand the book of John as it was our ladies Bible study this year at church. Michael Card does not disappoint in his writing. Having this book beside me as I studied with the ladies of the church truly helped me to understand Christ better.
Thank you, Michael Card for all the hard work you put into this manuscript
Thank you, Michael Card for all the hard work you put into this manuscript
August 21, 2021
A terrific companion for a slow, contemplative walk with Jesus through John’s gospel. It invites exercising our sacred imagination, while offering solid research and Scripture exegesis. Very accessible and insightful.
April 29, 2022
Wonderful books to read for devotionals.
I recommend reading these books about the gospels as a devotional reading. Long stretches of passages followed by commentary and historical information. I loved them.
I recommend reading these books about the gospels as a devotional reading. Long stretches of passages followed by commentary and historical information. I loved them.
March 3, 2019
Interesting commentary. The vivid portrayal of the second half of John was quite appreciated.
June 15, 2019
Enjoyable look at the gospel of John that helps readers see Jesus in a fresh light.
April 7, 2020
These books Michael writes about the gospels are always brilliant. I really appreciate the fact that he devotes so much time to studying God's Word and sharing his discoveries.
July 23, 2020
A good view of what sections of text may mean and the cultural and human context in which Jesus lived and John wrote. Illuminating and enhancing of Scripture. Well worth the read.
January 16, 2021
Michael Card provides a unique commentary on the Gospel of John.
Read
August 8, 2021it was a book for school.
August 21, 2023
This was the commentary my heart and mind needed as I read through John this year. What a wonderful, imaginative, intelligent supplement. I intend to read his books on Matthew, Mark & Luke, too.
September 16, 2023
Amazing!!! Highly recommend to anyone looking to get deep and personal with the Bible. Super relational, down to earth, and insightful
December 17, 2023
Great insights from the book of John. Mr. Card is primarily known as a singer/songwriter but his bible students are very, very interesting. He has a fresh perspective that is refreshing.
May 18, 2015
This is one of the most refreshing reads that I have picked up in the past few years. Card's style is an eloquent balance between scholarly research and vibrant spirituality. Each of the 21 chapters contains the biblical text followed by his commentary written in a narrative format.
I used this in my devotionals and they added great depth. It is an excellent example of how effective hermeneutics brings a text alive. The wording is very accessible for a wide audience. I highly recommend it.
I used this in my devotionals and they added great depth. It is an excellent example of how effective hermeneutics brings a text alive. The wording is very accessible for a wide audience. I highly recommend it.
March 29, 2015
It was well worth the read. I learned a lot about Jesus and John that I never knew before. The Gospel of John is one of my favorite books of the Bible; now after reading Michael Card's commentary, I have a deeper love for the book.
May 20, 2015
Again, read this in tandem with William Barclay's Daily Study Bible (the latter devotes two books to John). Each author was helpful; together they were powerful.
As a series, Card's Biblical Imagination books set quite a high standard.
As a series, Card's Biblical Imagination books set quite a high standard.
November 28, 2021
Loved it
August 31, 2020
took my time working through this commentary - and I highly recommend it - for preaching research or for reading along with daily devotions.
December 2, 2022
Michael Card does such a great job explaining the gospels and giving readers a deeper and greater understanding of them.
Read
October 28, 2018Putting it back on the shelf for now.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews