"Ford is possibly the most strictly creative theologian of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Though steeped in the range of classic theology, his most immediate dialogue partner is the Irish poet Micheal O'Siadhail. More than anyone, Ford has a sense that we love God for nothing--and thereby he sidesteps the contractualism systemic in Western theology. Correspondingly, he offers a sense of God's sheer abundance toward us and all created things. Those basic instincts epitomize the Fourth Gospel. That is why this full-length engagement with that Gospel is itself such a feast. I truly commend it as the product of a lifetime of reflection, practice, and love."-- Iain Torrance , president emeritus, Princeton Theological Seminary"The Gospel is opened up.
Scripture overall is opened up. Last but not least, the reader is opened up. It's a bit like the gradual opening of a water lily as the sunlight plays on its petals and its depths are fathomed. Old profundities seem refreshed with new insights, old problems appear with new twists, as we are drawn into a learning community that is progressively led into the truth by the Holy Spirit, discovers anew the identity of Jesus Christ, and is drawn into the mutual love of Father and Son. This is no ordinary commentary."-- Frances Young , University of Birmingham (emeritus)"This commentary, the distillation of many years of study, is a way into the abundance of meaning in St. John's Gospel. Illuminated by contemporary poetry and by reference to the matrix of symbolism in the Old Testament, it is informed by the latest biblical scholarship but is never dense.
John is a Gospel for a learning community seeking to understand who Jesus Christ is now and always. Ford is a wise and respectful guide. He has composed what will become an indispensable resource for genuine seekers."-- Richard Chartres , Bishop of London, 1995-2017"Ford gives a wonderful exhibition of theological interpretation of Scripture. Thoroughly conversant with exegetical and critical issues, his commentary focuses on the Gospel of John's major core themes of meaning, life, and love within the horizon of God and all reality. Ford's clear, direct, and impassioned style conveys excitement about this Gospel's potential for transformation of lives, managing to sustain the sense that in engaging with the evangelist's testimony readers are engaging with the presence of Christ through the Spirit. It is that rare sort of commentary that invites one to just keep reading."-- Andrew T.
Lincoln , University of Gloucestershire (emeritus)"Whether you are a scholar, pastor, or lover of John's Gospel, you will learn something new from this book! Although John's story is familiar, Ford is a careful reader of Scripture and a profound theologian. The outcome is a book that brings John's message to life for modern readers. No matter how many times you have read the Gospel of John, Ford will draw you in to experience the Gospel anew."-- Susan Hylen , Candler School of Theology, Emory University.