This book is for all those who wonder how to hold together spiritual life and the study of the Bible. It asks: "How may we read Scripture for a word of life?" The answer: by reading carefully, critically, imaginatively, theologically . . . in short, spiritually. Richard Briggs offers a series of "spiritual readings" in John's Gospel, going in search of life, and life to the full. Along the way he discovers surprises, love, humor, tears, truth, and suffering, all wrapped up in a profound theology that is designed to be understood by everyone, from newcomers right through to those who have loved John's Gospel for a long time. He leads readers on a life-giving adventure, and models the best of careful reading of the biblical text. In a short concluding essay he helps readers understand what it means to read John's Gospel well; to read it in life-long pursuit of a word of life.
Richard S. Briggs is Lecturer in Old Testament and Director of Biblical Studies at Cranmer Hall, St. John’s College, Durham University in Durham, England. He is the author of Reading the Bible Wisely (2011) and several other books on biblical interpretation.
“In this deceptively simple—but actually sophisticated—reading of John’s gospel, Richard Briggs reminds us that John’s stories are about Jesus and about us. Like John’s Gospel itself, Jesus for Life is life-giving: full of practical wisdom, inspiration, and resurrection hope.”
—Michael J. Gorman, Professor of Biblical Studies and Theology, St. Mary’s Seminary and University, Baltimore
“There is so much compressed into this short book. Jesus for Life offers highly sophisticated theological interpretations of John’s Gospel that read like conversations at the kitchen table. And that conversation is not just between the reader and Briggs, a seasoned biblical scholar and church leader. His engaging style and pastoral wisdom bring us to the table of John the Evangelist and Jesus himself, the One who gives us life.”
—Andrew J. Byers, Director of the Free Church Track and Lecturer in New Testament at Cranmer Hall, St John's College, Durham University
“Spiritual interpretations of the Bible are often heavy-handed, ponderous, or ethereally irrelevant to how we actually live. Not Richard Briggs's. These meditations on the Fourth Gospel are down to earth, plain-spoken, tough-minded, even zany at times. If you've secretly believed that the discipline of ruminating on Scripture is necessarily boring, useless, or both, let this book convince you otherwise.”
—Wesley Hill, Associate Professor of New Testament, Trinity School for Ministry, Ambridge, Pennsylvania
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