The Function of Narrative Comments in the Gospel of John

Reviews / Votes

David Lamb brings his considerable literary and linguistic skills to this thorough re-examination of the narrative "asides" or comments in John's Gospel. Asking fresh questions and challenging previous assumptions about their number, nature and functions, Lamb's up to date, clear, careful and comprehensive study makes a convincing case that they are integral to the narrative rather than some secondary feature. All readers intrigued by this aspect of the Gospel will find Lamb's work an indispensable aid in their thinking about its significance. -- Andrew T. Lincoln, University of Gloucestershire At the close of his introduction, the author modestly states that he hopes to have added to others' work and provided a "useful overview" of this area of study. This is modest indeed in the light of the range of the literature consulted, including in the field of linguistics, together with the clarity and insight with which each argument is assessed and relevant texts are drawn in and analysed. In sum, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in the fascinating topic of how John wrote his Gospel and also in its broader implications for New Testament study. -- Wendy E. S. North, University of Durham For decades there has been no new monograph on the narrative comments in John, perhaps because they were assumed to be insignificant, perhaps because there was no clear path forward. David Lamb has waded into these murky waters, systematically questioned longstanding assumptions, proposed clear distinctions and definitions, and studied the comments in the other gospels, historical writings in the Hebrew Scriptures and a sample of Greco-Roman literature, then analyzed how the various types of comments function in John. In the process, this volume sets a new milestone in Johannine scholarship, and the comments emerge as a vital element in the rhetoric of the Gospel. -- R. Alan Culpepper, Mercer University The Fourth Gospel's narrative is interspersed with comments, short and long, including translations, observations about Jesus's knowledge, scriptural citations, and assessments of the story. Described in various ways, e.g., as "parentheses," "asides," and "footnotes," they have been diversely assessed, as editorial remarks, secondary intrusions, observations of a usually trusted narrator. What counts as part of the collection is itself debated. David Lamb deftly sifts through the gospel's evidence and an array of relevant scholarship that uses modern literary theory. With a selective review of similar comments, he offers his own judicious framework for classifying and analyzing these comments, finding in them primarily the voice of an author who guides readers/hearers through the story with care. Anyone interested in Johannine literary dynamics will find Lamb's work a valuable resource. -- Harold W. Attridge, Yale Divinity School David Lamb brings his characteristic thoroughness and precision of language to bear on a long-debated feature of John's Gospel: the so-called "asides" or "interruptions." Rather than comments to dismiss or redactional seams to explore, Lamb encourages us to recognize their essential function as integral to not just what John's story is but also how that story is told. * Alicia D. Myers, Campbell University Divinity School *