The Gospel of John (Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture):

Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture

by Francis Martin, William M. Wright IV

"This extraordinary book is a result of the rich renewal in biblical studies that has taken place in the last twenty-five years. Increasingly scholars see the importance of putting historical analysis of the scriptural texts in dialogue with theology, spirituality, and the dogmatic tradition. Francis Martin and William Wright have produced just such a reading of the Gospel of John. Their commentary is textured, smart, accessible, and spiritually alert. I would recommend it to novices and scholars alike."
--Robert Barron, rector/president, Mundelein Seminary

"Commentaries on John are beyond counting. But amid the many books devoted to this great Gospel, this volume stands out for its easy accessibility, academic thoroughness, and enthusiastic support of the Roman Catholic tradition, its liturgical calendar, and its teachings. Abundant fascinating sidebars draw the reader back in time to both the biblical world and the great voices of the Catholic Church. An ideal commentary for lay leaders, teachers, and priests in the Catholic tradition."
--Gary M. Burge, professor of New Testament, Wheaton College and Graduate School

Praise for the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture

"The Word of God is the source of Christian life, and the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture is an ideal tool for living our faith more deeply. This extraordinary resource feeds both the mind and the heart and should be on the shelf of every committed Catholic believer. I highly recommend it."
--Charles J. Chaput, OFM Cap, Archbishop of Philadelphia

"When the Scripture is read in the liturgy, it is heard as a living voice. But when expounded in a commentary, it is too often read as a document from the past. This fine series unites the ancient and the contemporary by offering insight into the biblical text--verse by verse--as well as spiritual application to the lives of Christians today."
--Robert Louis Wilken, University of Virginia

For more information on the series, visit www.CatholicScriptureCommentary.com

Genres: Catholic, Theology, Scripture, Faith, Nonfiction, Religion, Spirituality

370 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 2015

About the author

Francis Martin (SSD, Pontifical Biblical Institute) is founder and president of Father Francis Martin Ministries (FFMM) and has appeared on EWTN. He is professor emeritus of New Testament at the Dominican House of Studies, a priest of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC, and chaplain of the Mother of God Community in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Reviews

[Friar Stebin John Capuchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is really helpful for me for my homily preparation. It gives a good way of teaching with regards to our Catholic teaching. I recommend any one needs a Catholic interpretation of the scripture.

[Robert Hearnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice commentary. I like how it goes section by section, having the text at the beginning and then in bold throughout the section when speaking of it.

[Roland Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes when you’ve read a book enough times it’s hard to notice anything new in it; or even anything at all. That’s what’s so nice about Martin and Wright’s new commentary on The Gospel of John. By reading John’s gospel slowly they manage to bring a old book to life. In addition to a straightforward commentary that restates the gospel account in other words, Martin and Wright include side-bars explaining how concepts such as “The Word” or “The Son of Man” are used elsewhere in the Bible, discussions of what John means when he says “The Jews,” and excerpts by great Christian writers from Origen to Theresa of Avila to Pope Francis who have commented on these same passages in other contexts.

See my full review here: http://wordsbecamebooks.com/2015/08/2...

[Doris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the commentary I found rather trivial.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not exactly light reading. Although the writing is clear, there is a lot to digest. I would read a few pages at a time every few days, so it took me over a year to finish it. This book is part of a series that goes through each Gospel paragraph by paragraph--kind of like a study Bible, but much more thorough. The book provides background history, ties to the Old Testament, meanings of passages, sidebars on various topics, and descriptions of symbolism (there is a surprising amount). It would be a good book for someone looking to deepen their understanding of the New Testament, but it would also be appropriate for people who have never read the Gospels or have little understanding of Christianity. Any reader would learn a lot. I will be moving on to The Gospel of Luke in this series. One small complaint: I wish the publisher had chosen a different cover for each book in the series--thematically the same but still distinct. As it is, each book in the series looks exactly the same (even uses the same picture), with only the title and authors varying.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this commentary on the Gospel of John. The sidebars and background information and links to the CCC are what makes this set wonderful in understanding the Word of God & the application to our faith life.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent introduction to the Gospel of John, but there is so much more to learn from this Gospel. Two or three volumes on the Gospel would have been even better. A great place to start, from an outstanding series of commentaries on the New Testament.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid commentary

With helpful reference to the Church Fathers and the Catechism of the Catholic Church this commentary provides insightful illumination into the Gospel of John.

[David Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight

I've been reading and studying protestant commentaries and they struggle more to make scents out of Johns writings. So excellent job.

[Jay Merrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty profound.

[Diana Kullman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has some interesting footnotes. One of my Biblical teachers did remind us that while the scriptures are divinely inspired, footnotes are not.

[Jack Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well written book on John's Gospel from a more traditional perspective.

[Terry Hickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Gospel of John, in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series by Francis Martin and William M. Wright IV, offers a refreshing and insightful perspective on this beloved Gospel. As a practicing Catholic and Benedictine Oblate, I found this commentary to be both scholarly and spiritually enriching.

The authors skillfully weave together historical context, literary analysis, and theological reflection, providing a deeper understanding of the Gospel's rich symbolism and profound message. Their insightful commentary on the Holy Spirit's role in John's Gospel was particularly illuminating, shedding new light on the Spirit's presence and action in the life of the believer.

[John Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ever since I have been assigned to serve in a diocese in Northern Indiana, I have been pleasantly surprised to receive a book from the bishop each Christmas. When preparing homilies, meditations, reflections, and the like, useful insights are ever helpful, so I am quite grateful to the bishop for his kindness. 2023’s gift was the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture’s “The Gospel of John” written by Francis Martin and William Wright IV. First off, if I were to praise the original Gospel of John itself, I doubt that there would be adjectives sufficient in the whole world or in any language to describe how amazingly profound it is. In any case, I am not qualified to critique the Holy Spirit… Secondly, this gospel commentary, besides including the full canonical and inspired text of John, provided insightful, accessible, faithful, and prayerful reflections that I found quite helpful for the purposes that I alluded to above. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in learning more about John’s gospel and the One it gives witness to so as to grow in your faith in Jesus.

[Jon Diller · Rating 5 out of 5]

See their ‘Acts’ volume for my thoughts about the series; they’re very well done, readable and well organized, a great support for a chapter-by-chapter bible study.

Anything that grants me deeper access to the book of the disciple that Jesus loved is important to me; for me my faith turns on John and it forms the center of the entire scriptural canon. This guide is a great ‘all the basics’ work — it will show you most of the fundamental thoughts that have developed about the work over the history of its study, and if it doesn’t have many surprises it feels like a completely adequate survey.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This study of the Gospel of John combined solid textual commentary with side notes containing excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, writings from church luminaries and conciliar statements. I enjoyed the way this work brought together exegetical scholarship, doctrinal points and spiritual reflection.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It took me a long time to go through it as I often would read one Gospel passage a day and contemplate it. I found the commentary to be rather long sometimes. (Especially if using for prayer). But I did find the commentary to be excellent and helpful to understanding the context. I learned a lot. Highly recommend.

[Ted Leon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an amazing book! Takes little bite-sized chunks of John's Gospel and expands and a plains the message. Lots of historical background, comparison with OT allusions and the teaching of the Church.
You will appreciate John like never before!!!

[Dim Bulb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good place to begin for those who have never studied the Gospel of John/

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This totally changed the way I read the Gospel of St. John. So good.