The Apostle John wrote at a time when the disciples of Jesus were fearful. The newest believers only knew about his life as told by those alive during the period chronicled in Acts and later from believers as recorded in the gospels. John's letters answered the worries of the Church elders when Jesus and the apostles were no longer around in person to consult. Jesus also wanted to reassure those living centuries later that he was still caring for his Church during the end times he had prophesied.
As a New Testament scholar, Reverend Malone shows an obvious gift for leading Bible students to see the purpose behind studying the earliest existing Greek translations and their significance. In Malone's view, the variation of early texts purportedly written by St. John the Apostle was meant to point out perceived fallacies in doctrine entering the churches. In the case of John's gospel, the apostle's text added information about Jesus' early interaction with John the Baptist and his disciples not found in the other three gospels. Meanwhile, John's Book of Revelation became the final words of Jesus to his Church.
Why did Malone bother to create such a masterful and meticulous work explaining the Greek text? He did so because the approach of many modern-day critics is to use apparent discrepancies in early writings to undermine belief in a Holy-Spirit-inspired Bible. In addition to his valuable book, Malone provides helpful links to text online, making comparisons, rebuttal, and research easier. Using color codes, symbols, and superscripts, Malone makes the nuances of Greek translations clear to students and laypeople who do not have a classical background or training. This book is a useful tool that any pastor would be grateful to have in their library for personal or group Bible study.
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