Summary
We find this volume helps us read 1, 2, and 3 John as letters that hold truth and love together, guarding the gospel while nurturing assurance and obedience.
Kruse keeps the argument clear and shows how tests of faith are meant to steady believers, not crush tender consciences.
Why Should I Own This Commentary?
We should own this commentary when we want help preaching assurance with precision and warmth. It is careful on key terms, and it clarifies how the letters expose false teaching while strengthening the church’s confidence in Christ.
It also serves us well in 2 and 3 John, where hospitality, truth, and church relationships are treated with simple, searching clarity.
Closing Recommendation
We recommend this as a strong advanced commentary for preaching and teaching the Johannine letters, particularly for pastors who want clear guidance on assurance, holiness, and truth shaped love.
As pastoral next steps, we can visit the Bible Book Overview, browse Top Recommendations, and use the Reformed Commentary Index to build a wiser working library.
Colin G. Kruse
Colin G. Kruse is an Australian New Testament scholar of the contemporary era, writing from an evangelical tradition with careful attention to the text and its first readers.
He is best known for substantial work on John’s Gospel and Letters, and on Paul’s letters, where he traces argument closely and explains theological turns without needless complexity. Kruse helps preachers handle contested passages with patience, and he keeps Christ’s person and saving work central as the text itself does.
He remains valued because he is consistently measured, readable, and alert to the pastoral stakes of interpretation. Recommended titles include his commentaries on John, 2 Corinthians, and the Letters of John.
Theological Perspective: Broadly Evangelical