Keener’s commentary explores the Jewish and Greco-Roman settings of John more deeply than previous works, paying special attention to social-historical and rhetorical features of the Gospel. It cites about 4,000 different secondary sources and uses over 20,000 references from ancient literature.

“Keener’s commentary on the Gospel of John is a work of stunning erudition. Aimed primarily at situating the Gospel in its intellectual, theological, and historical context, this monumental commentary cites an unparalleled array of ancient sources. Scholars will be mining its references and citing its interpretations for decades to come.”

“Keener’s commentary is a mother lode of illuminating source material in this Gospel and the era in which it was written. The mine includes a bibliography of almost 200 pages, footnotes on every page, and indexes of modern authors, scripture, O.T. Apocrypha, and other ancient sources. Kenner’s writing style is clear, engaging, and readily understood.”

“The publication of a major new commentary on John’s Gospel is always a significant event in NT studies. While somewhat different in orientation, the scope of Keener’s two-volume work puts him in the league of the likes of Raymond Brown and Rudolph Schnackenburg, each of whom produced multi-volume commentaries on the Gospel. As the accolades on the dust jacket from a “Who’s Who” of Johannine scholars attest, Keener’s commentary is set to make a major contribution to the field for years to come.”

Craig S. Keener is Professor of New Testament at Eastern Seminary. He is also the author of many books, including commentaries on Matthew and Revelation.