John (Expository Thoughts on the Gospels): Vol. 1

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels #3

by J.C. Ryle

Bishop Ryle's Expository Thoughts on the Gospels were first issued in 1856 and immediately met with a warm welcome from evangelical Christians of all denominations. In the 20th century the growing popularity of Ryle's spiritual approach has led to three reprints of the series in ten years. The author did not prepare the work for scholars, but instead that the volumes were for family and private use. Like all his writings, they were intended to help the ordinary man and woman. "I have a strong conviction," he wrote, "that we want more reverent deep-searching study of the scriptures in the present day. Most Christians see nothing beyond the surface of the Bible when they read it. We want more clear knowledge of Christ, as a living person, a living priest, a living physician, a living friend, a living Saviour soon about to come again. Most Christians know little of Christianity but the skeleton of doctrines - I desire never to forget those two if I can do anything to make Christ and the Bible more honourable in these latter days, I shall be truly thankful and content."This volume covers the Gospel of St John.

Genres: Theology, Biblical Studies, Christian, Nonfiction, Reference, Devotional

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1869

About the author

(John Charles Ryle) Ryle started his ministry as curate at the Chapel of Ease in Exbury, Hampshire, moving on to become rector of St Thomas's, Winchester in 1843 and then rector of Helmingham, Suffolk the following year. While at Helmingham he married and was widowed twice. He began publishing popular tracts, and Matthew, Mark and Luke of his series of Expository Thoughts on the Gospels were published in successive years (1856-1858). His final parish was Stradbroke, also in Suffolk, where he moved in 1861, and it was as vicar of All Saints that he became known nationally for his straightforward preaching and firm defence of evangelical principles. He wrote several well-known and still-in-print books, often addressing issues of contemporary relevance for the Church from a biblical standpoint. He completed his Expository Thoughts on the Gospels while at Stradbroke, with his work on the Gospel of John (1869). His third marriage, to Henrietta Amelia Clowes in 1861, lasted until her death in 1889.

Reviews

[Marty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Manna for the soul! Extremely readable commentary that is both exegetical and devotional in nature. Perfect for preaching or personal use.

[Elliot H · Rating 5 out of 5]

JC Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels has been an excellent read! I’ve just finished with the first volume on the Gospel of John (Jn 1-6). I appreciate Ryle’s plain language, generosity, and transparency. Ryle doesn’t shy away from explaining his interpretations of different passages as well as his views on different doctrines pertaining to the text. But Ryle’s approach is mainly pastoral, he isn’t berating others or even really trying to engage in scholarly argument. He merely sees it as his pastoral duty to shepherd the flock and present to them sound doctrine. He is generous in that he provides fair explanations of views other than his own, and without a belittling tone.
I particularly like Ryle because of his focus on the Gospel. Now this may seem obvious as the books I’m reading are commentaries on the Gospels, but hear me out. In his commentary, he focused on the truths presented in the Scripture. His theology is solid, but he warns against reading doctrine into Scripture rather than constructing doctrine out of Scripture. For instance, he makes it clear that he believes in God’s sovereignty and His choosing of the Elect. He clearly states that Christians are still called to proclaim salvation and mercy to the whole world (because we don’t who in the crowd is or isn’t the elect). He was combating ideas at the time that Christians didn’t need to evangelize because God would call the elect. Ryle exposes this as false teaching by using Scripture. Ryle is an excellent example of not compromising what Scripture says to defend a specific doctrine.
I’m very excited to continue to reading Expository Thoughts on the Gospel.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful! Can be read as a devotional and/or reference the more in-depth notes for further study.

[Ben Chapman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faithful, clear, simple, and yet, profound.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many excellent devotional thoughts combined with critical commentary on the text in the small print. J. C. Ryle also quotes or summarises the views of various other commentators from the Patristic era to the 19th century. The only downside is the author's Hypothetical Universalism (as per John Davenant et al.), which comes out in his discussion of various important passages. Apart from that downside, it is a very edifying read.

[Benjamin Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a daily devotional, much more tedious than the Synoptics due to the lengthy notes after each “expository thought.”

[Sean McGowan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful devotional commentary. Recommended.

[Tim Sandell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. Very helpful.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

A problem with some books on theology is that they mix positive (this is what exists) and normative (this is what should exist) ideas - this problem was more common in earlier books - like, say, oh ONE FROM THE 19TH CENTURY - but one can still find it abundantly. Ryle was probably twice as intelligent as I'll ever be, so take my opinions with a grain of salt - this feels old-timey, in a way the world has thankfully moved beyond. Contemporary theology books tend to put the sayings of Jesus in the time and tide of context - and the reader is more informed for this happening. This just doesn't happen in Ryle's book, probably likely because the idea of Jesus was supposed to have a timeless feel. Which may be true, but a 21st century reader is 2 centuries removed from Ryle and 2 millennia removed from the life of Christ.

Ryle's take on John has a cognitively objectivist slant to it - this made sense for his time of writing, but not so much today, where it is very possible to have two opposite but strangely both correct interpretations of a parable. Jesus *could* have come out and said what he meant. He, by and large, did not. I can't help but believe Ryle's conclusion was that educated people needed to give the correct interpretation for believers; I think while there's wisdom in this, there's also room for interpretation *by design*.

A classic example: Ryle speaks of John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth and the life", etc. (I forgot in which volume he does this) about how this is clearly saying that salvation must come through belief in Christ. Jesus could have been talking just about, you know, death and dying. An obvious flaw in Ryle's line of reasoning is that it's hard to conceive of a just God dooming a Mongolian herder born in 50 BCE to never be able to achieve salvation because of an accident of birth.

Ryle takes a stance on the historicity of the Gospels in a way that feels anachronistic. His claim that Jesus performed miracles, and this is certain because no one in the Gospels argues against Jesus performing miracles, feels like circular reasoning to me.

Ryle spends a lot of time explaining the need for suffering. I don't know - feels hollow. The problem of pain and the injustice of pain has been one that has plagued all religions since the very beginning, and while I think Ryle believed he found the answer it didn't help me much. Sometimes suffering yields a better human being. Sometimes - as in a child with cancer, a PTSD sufferer who medicates through drugs and alcohol, or someone with brain damage - it doesn't, at all.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been going through this series starting from Matthew. His books on the gospel of John are quite different. While the writing in the devotional part is pretty much the same, and the part I enjoy most, his notes became much more extensive. For me it was too extensive when using this as a devotional. I did end up reading all the notes but it was a struggle to work through when the writing part is 5 pages roughly and the notes are 9-20 pages depending on the passage. There are interesting things found in the notes but I like them to just supplement the reading rather than overwhelm them. Because I love Ryle's writing so much and I am biased from Matthew, Mark and Luke I have given 4 stars though technically I probably should have gone with 3 stars.

[Ian Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Notes and Depth for those interested. Basic readings, though, exactly in character and perspicuity what one experiences in preceding studies. See comments on "Expository Thoughts on Matthew's Gospel" for more.

[Hannah Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I‘be used this as a companion in my personal reading of John. I love the way Ryle divides verses, his style is very simple, devotional and thought-provoking. This has helped me to pull out concise truths from the text to meditate on throughout the day.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid commentary with both a devotional component and a detailed, verse-by-verse commentary. The detailed commentary is a wrath of cross references, exposition, and comparison of other theologians’ works. I wish there was a bibliography to match!

[Leopold Odah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Exposition one can find

[Grace Brannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great color to a study of the book of John!
I lean more Calvinist in my beliefs than Ryle does, but so much to be gleaned from this exposition.

[Jon Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

(For the record, I cannot find Vols. 2 & 3, but they are excellent as well. I have not yet read his volumes on the Synoptics.)

This is an extraordinary compilation of Ryle's thoughts on the Gospels. He does a brilliant job of compiling the various views of difficult passages. He then picks a view, and defends it with pastoral sensitivity.

It's one of the better books I've read (in the realm of exposition), and made me really fall in love with Ryle as an author.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can one say about the writings of J.C.Ryle? They never disappoint and a feast for the soul.