

File Size: 2092 KB
Print Length: 241 pages
Publisher: IVP Books (August 14, 2014)
Publication Date: August 14, 2014
Sold by: Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00HUCPPEW
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Not Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #162,479 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #25 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Meditations > New Testament #54 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > Meditations > New Testament #83 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Religion & Spirituality > Christian Books & Bibles > Bible Study & Reference > New Testament Study > Jesus, the Gospels & Acts

The Gospel of John has long been a favorite of scholars and layman alike. Somewhat different in scope and focus than the other gospels, it begins with a reminder of who Jesus is, namely the Word who is God and who has always been, the logos Furthermore, the Gospel of John is often the first book of the Bible, except perhaps for the Psalms or Proverbs, that many new believers gravitate towards or are encouraged to read in their initial forays into Scripture. In the final installment of his Biblical Imagination Series, noted musician and author Michael Card engages this beloved Gospel in his book aptly titled John: The Gospel of Wisdom.Michael Card definitely has the gift of writing. This gift has long been demonstrated in the lyrics to his long and distinguished Christian music career. His ability to put pen to paper in a way that is scholarly yet accessible and that captures the true overarching message of the Gospel of John is also quite evident in this final volume of the Biblical Imagination Series. Card captures the attention of the reader, bringing them into the world of the biblical author while never failing to drive home the biblical concepts and principles found in John’s Gospel.As with the other volumes in this outstanding series, Michael Card begins his discussion with the necessary background information regarding the Gospel of John. A unique element found in the Gospel of John is the underlying theme of wisdom, an approach not found to a large degree in the other gospel accounts. Card aptly notes, “In fact, the inadequacy of wisdom is the fundamental theme of John’s Gospel.
Perhaps the highest praise I could give for John: the Gospel of Wisdom by Michael Card is that it creates a desire to become a better student of the Scriptures. This sentiment applies to any of the four commentaries, one for each gospel, which Card has authored over the last four years.I greatly esteem his work as a musician, songwriter and recording artist, for which he is probably best known. He gave us “El Shaddai,” the song made popular by Amy Grant. And yet, for all his accomplishments in music and as an author of many books, I think this four volume commentary set is his most significant work.His exposition of the Scriptures over the years in song and book have brought him to the place where he can make the gospel accounts of Christ come to life in the imagination of his readers. One of the beauties of this effort is that these commentaries are made to be read instead of just being a work you consult. They are scholarly but accessible, detailed but brief. Card has achieved a wonderful balance.His intent goes beyond providing information. Card sets an example of gathering facts in the service of a sanctified use of imagination. It’s like gathering wood so that you can enjoy a fire. It’s seeing the Scriptures come alive through gaining a clearer picture.Card writes, “It is always the informed imagination. We must become committed to doing the work, to finding the best sources, beginning with the primary sources, the earliest writings: Mishnah, Talmud, Josephus, Pliny, Suetonius and Tacitus. These ancient sources do not exist only for the scholars. They are all readily available, now more than ever with electronic books. (Many of them are free!) (13)”So the greatest benefit may not be reading Card’s exposition.
John: The Gospel of Wisdom (The Biblical Imagination Series) John: The Gospel of Wisdom (Biblical Imagination) Mark: The Gospel of Passion (Biblical Imagination) Encountering John: The Gospel in Historical, Literary, and Theological Perspective (Encountering Biblical Studies) John: The Gospel of Light and Life (John series) John Leader Guide: The Gospel of Light and Life (John series) Sculpting from the Imagination: ZBrush (Sketching from the Imagination) Imagination Station Books 3-Pack: The Redcoats Are Coming! / Captured on the High Seas / Surprise at Yorktown (AIO Imagination Station Books) Imagination Station Special Pack: Books 1-6 (AIO Imagination Station Books) An Introduction to the Old Testament, Second Edition: The Canon and Christian Imagination (Canon & Christian Imagination) Matthew: The Penultimate Question (Biblical Imagination) John Deere: Plow, Plant, Grow (John Deere (Parachute Press)) (John Deere (DK Hardcover)) Renegade Gospel: The Rebel Jesus (Rengade Gospel series) Renegade Gospel Leader Guide: The Rebel Jesus (Renegade Gospel series) A Homework Manual for Biblical Living: Personal and Interpersonal Problems (Homework Manual for Biblical Living, Volume 1) The Mission of God's People: A Biblical Theology of the Church's Mission (Biblical Theology for Life) With the Clouds of Heaven: The Book of Daniel in Biblical Theology (New Studies in Biblical Theology) The Wisdom Literature: Interpreting Biblical Texts Series Biblical Literalism: A Gentile Heresy: A Journey into a New Christianity Through the Doorway of Matthew's Gospel Conversations with Scripture - The Gospel of Mark (Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars Study)