1, 2, 3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Sep 2002 by Shidemantle, C Scott

1, 2, 3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. By Daniel L. Akin. NAC. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2001, 296 pp., $29.99.

Editors of a new commentary series argue for its existence in a variety of ways. For instance, the editors of the New American Commentary (NAC), in which Akin's commentary on the Johannine Epistles appears, see this series as a "continuation of a heritage rich in biblical and theological exposition" begun in the American Commentary series edited by Alvah Hovey. This preceding series was published at the end of the nineteenth century. According to the editors, "All NAC authors affirm the divine inspiration, inerrancy, complete truthfulness, and full authority of the Bible."

Evidence that the author fits within the evangelical tradition is seen in the introductory chapter. Akin concludes that the apostle John, the son of Zebedee, wrote all three of the Johannine epistles found in the canon. This view sets Akin's commentary apart from other widely used commentaries. For example, Smalley's work in the Word Biblical Commentary series and Grayston's in the New Century Bible Commentary series dispute the traditional view that the apostle John wrote all three epistles. Especially helpful in arguing his point is the author's discussion of the phrases related to soteriology that are found both in the Fourth Gospel and in the Johannine epistles.

An overview of the recent approaches to studying the Johannine epistles also appears in the introduction, including a brief survey of recent rhetorical and discourse analysis. The relative brevity of this important discussion might be viewed as a weakness in Akin's commentary.

Structurally, the commentary is organized in a way that makes it remarkably readable. Each section begins with a general outline. Subsequently, the author works through each subsection verse by verse. Akin interacts with the transliterated Greek text in the body of the commentary. The footnotes, however, give a more extensive discussion of the Greek in non-transliterated form. The result is that the author makes this commentary accessible to both pastor and scholar. Akin's approach is unlike the more detailed Greek analyses found in commentary series like the New International Greek Testament Commentary series that presuppose a more sophisticated understanding of Greek. Nonetheless, the Greek discussion, even in the body of this commentary, is sufficiently sophisticated that a pastor with an elementary background in Greek may feel challenged.

Throughout Akin's commentary there are helpful excursuses that explicate key Johannine concepts. For example, the author's excursuses on "Light" in the Gospel of John and "Light" in 1 John are especially helpful.

Akin's commentary is a beneficial contribution to biblical study because of its inclusion of recent scholarly works on the Johannine epistles. While the footnotes indicate awareness of the older recognized works, they also indicate a knowledge of recent scholarly contributions that the reader may appreciate.

The commentary concludes with an excursus that surveys the literature on the expiation and propitiation debate coming out of 1 John 4:10. Akin concludes that "propitiation" is the correct translation of hilaskomai.

1, 2, 3 John: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture includes three appendices. The homiletical outlines for all three Johannine epistles may be of special interest to pastors. A bibliography of selected works and three indices are also helpful.

Evangelicals will appreciate the contribution the Akin commentary provides for biblical study. Many pastors will find this work to be an especially welcomed complement to some of the more moderate commentaries on the Johannine epistles.

C. Scott Shidemantle

Geneva College, Beaver Falls, PA