In this commentary Kanagaraj examines how John projects the church as God's new covenant community, which, is characterized by two virtues: love and obedience. Impossible to exhibit under the old covenant based on Moses' Law, these qualities became possible by the initiative grace and faithfulness of God revealed in Jesus and demonstrated by the power of the Spirit.

God's new community is an inclusive and progressive community because its witness to Jesus in a world that hates and persecutes it has the power to bring in all people so that they may become one flock under one shepherd. Kanagaraj argues that the idea of founding and nurturing a new community was in God's heart even before the time of creation and not just at the time of incarnation.

Praise

"It is a precious gift when a key biblical scholar puts together a commentary that reflects the best current research and a concern to relate the text to today. Jey Kanagaraj's commentary does just that, providing the reader with reliable historical information and perspectives that fuse the horizons of then and now. A sound guide for the careful and the caring." --William Loader, Emeritus Professor, Murdoch University

Jey J. Kanagaraj is Professor of New Testament who served a number of years at the Union Biblical Seminary, Pune, India, and who was the Principal of Bethel Bible Institute near Salem, India. He is the author of 'Mysticism' in the Gospel of John: An Inquiry into its Background (1998), and of another commentary on John's Gospel written to the Indian context (2005). In addition, he has edited two books and published numerous articles.