John: One, Two, Three

This little commentary is actually well written, balanced, and helpful for a student or bible teacher who needs some assistance and doesn't have a lot of time. Vaughan seems to capture the correct analysis of each passage I have looked at, without a lot of time spent on the minutia. Let me give you an example. In 1 John 2:1 & 2 Vaughan handles the debate between various scholars on what the word 'ilasmos' (propitiation or expiation) means. In a few paragraphs he gives a better overview of this topic (at least it is easier to follow) than I have read in any other commentary. He points to the champions of the various views and explains the weaknesses and strengths of their views in a convincing way. His conclusion is convincing. All in a half page. If you are a person who has to take the commentators thoughts and try to boil them down in a way that is easy for others to understand, then this little book is a great one! If you can find a copy, pick it up. I'm using it along-side of the great ones like Smalley and Strecker. I was very disappointed with this generally well written study guide commentary, to find a popular myth about biblical Greek and the definition of love parroted in his section on 1 John 4:7-10. This glorious section on agape deserves a more accurate description. Here's a little of what I mean. Is there anything more important than love? Isn't loving one another the primary focus of real Christianity? Why have I heard misinformation about love from books and pulpits all my life? What's the deal? I've heard for years that there are three kinds of love in Greek, philia, eros and agape. Once again I read this in my study of 1 John for my sermon prep this week in an otherwise well written commentary. The common idea is that agape is God's love, outside of human beings ability or containment. It is a selfless love. Philia is brotherly or family love. The love of friendship. Eros is not a biblical term, and includes baser human desires perhaps better classified as lust. So I was quite stunned when I found out in my pastors study years ago that is NOT accurate. Let me first just list the Greek nouns I've found in the Semantic Domain that includes 'Love, affection, Compassion'. Philia (love for someone or something based on association with them) Philadelphia/os (brotherly love) Philanthropia (love of mankind) Philandros (a wife's love for her husband) Philoteknos (a parents love for their children) Philautos (love for yourself) Philotheos (love for God) Philostorgos (love for close relatives) Agape (love for someone or something-showing a high regard for them or it) Zelos (to have a deep concern or compassion for someone or something) Epipotheo (to experience a yearning affection for someone - 'to have a great affection for, to have a yearning love for) Splankna (deep affection or compassion) 'Platuno Ten Kardian' (idiom meaning to broaden the heart) Embrimaomai (to have an intense, strong fee