Well, after an extraordinarily long period of time, I've finally finished reading through Don Carson's extensive and thorough commentary on John's Gospel. Over the past year or so, my practice has been to have lunch with Don Carson if home alone. Slowly but surely I've made it through, taking each section as it came.
As you would expect with a commentary by Carson, it is at times stretching, with much more detail than you would ever have imagined was contained in the text. The Old Testament allusions and quotations are helpfully highlighted and explained; the details of Jewish customs and festivals are included; the scholarly debate is fair but decisive; the exposition and application is heartwarming and challenging all at the same time; the humour and wit shines through; but most of all his faithfulness to the text.
Previously I had dipped in and out of the book, using it for the particular passages I was preaching on, but I'm glad that I've now been able to read through it and benefit from the big picture of John's Gospel, seeing how John displays that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, and that through believing in him, we may have life, from the life-giver himself.
The most important detail of the book I've left until last - that this book is dedicated and committed to highlighting and displaying and celebrating the glory of the Lord Jesus on every page. And that's what makes it so useful and helpful.
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