Life Abounding: A Reading of John's Gospel

by Brendan Byrne SJ

Overview

The fourth gospel addresses the thirst for life that lies at the depth of every human heart. The life in question is not just physical life but the “more abundant life‘” (John 10:10) that is nothing less than a share in the “eternal life” of the divine communion of love. In Life Abounding, Brendan Byrne, SJ, facilitates a reading of John for readers today so that it may move them from mere existence to a conscious sense of sharing the divine eternal life—and the joy that goes with it.The reading of the Fourth Gospel offered here remains conscious of the difficulties John presents on several fronts for contemporary readers. Byrne explains the text in a way that is critical yet sensitive to the gospel’s distinctive character and the untapped treasures it may yet contain for theology and spirituality today. This volume represents the completion of Byrne’s highly successful series of books on the four gospels, which have proven to be rich resources for preachers, teachers, and all who desire a more profound understanding of the life of Jesus as it is presented in the gospels. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780814635995
Publisher:	Liturgical Press
Publication date:	08/06/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	384
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Brendan Byrne, SJ, is a professor of New Testament at Jesuit Theological College, within the United Faculty of Theology, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia. He is the author of Romans (1996) in the Sacra Pagina series, Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew's Gospel in the Church Today (2004), A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark's Gospel (2008), Life Abounding: A Reading of John’s Gospel (2014), and The Hospitality of God: A Reading of Luke's Gospel (2015), published by Liturgical Press.

Editorial Reviews

Brenden Byrne's fresh reading of John's Gospel, rich in theological insights, is to be warmly welcomed. It will serve wonderfully for courses on the Fourth Gospel and Johannine theology.” 
Mark A. Seifrid, Ernest and Mildred Hogan Professor of New Testament, the  Southern Baptist Theological Seminary


“Concise and insightful, Brendan Byrne's Life Abounding offers an accessible reading of the Gospel of John sensitive to its literary complexity and its theological depth. Fr. Byrne's treatment, informed not only by serious scholarship but also by his own pastoral experience, is sensitive both to the Gospel's historical setting and to its potential impact on faithful readers today. Readers studying John ‘the Theologian’ for the first time will find this an extremely helpful introduction.”
Harold W. Attridge
Sterling Professor of Divinity
Yale University Divinity School


“Both elegantly and accessibly written, both conversant with key interpretative issues and pastorally reflective, Brendan Byrne’s new commentary admirably achieves its purpose of opening up the theological and spiritual riches of the Gospel of John. Byrne is a sure-footed and illuminating guide on this enjoyable path through the Gospel. Along the journey he consistently helps readers appreciate more fully the individual stages while at the same time managing to keep the focus on the destination—the Gospel’s pervasive claim that life is more than mere existence but, as experienced in Jesus, can be participation in God’s abounding life.”
Andrew T. Lincoln
Professor of New Testament, University of Gloucestershire


“Decades of research, teaching, reflection, and Christian ministry lie behind this fine commentary on the Gospel of John. Beautifully written, with due respect for the wide range of interpretations that have been brought to this much-loved, but complex, story of Jesus, Brendan Byrne has produced an outstanding book. The commentary steers a well-argued course between widely diverging interpretative possibilities. Scattered through the text are profound reflections on the challenge to Christian life and practice that emerge from the Johannine understanding of what God has done for us in and through Jesus. This book deserves to be in the hands of all who look to the Gospels for their Christian inspiration: preachers, teachers, and believing people.”
Francis J. Moloney, SDB
Professor at the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic  University


“Once again, Byrne has produced a finely-written commentary on the Gospels—in this case the Gospel of John—which complements his previous commentaries on the Synoptic Gospels. This study makes the Gospel beautifully available to the preacher, the student, the Retreat leader, the man or woman in the pews, and the interesting inquirer, as well as to the academic theologian. Grounded in scholarly research, it opens up the Johannine text to the modern reader, clarifying its meaning and making connections to contemporary life. It is well worth reading for its lucidity, succinctness and depth.”
The Reverend Dorothy A. Lee
Professor at Trinity College
University of Divinity
Melbourne, Australia


Life Abounding will prove a resource to teachers, preachers and any who want to use it to probe the life of Jesus as it's represented in the gospels. The author's purpose isn't just to offer a reading of the Fourth Gospel: it's to explore its puzzles and offer insights into its possible interpretations. The result is a recommended pick for any scholarly Christian collection.
The Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher