I saw Barrett’s commentary on John at a used bookstore and almost didn’t pick it up because I worried that it might be too old. Glad I got it, still such an important work (and for 10 bucks in good condition!)

I highly recommend Ridderbos for a look at the theology of John. http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-John-Theological-Commentary/dp/0802804535/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239389509&sr=8-1

I just preached through John. At the beginning I was using five or six commentaries. By the end I was just using Brown and Keener. Just about everything you need is in those two works. Both are great and they complement each other well.

One most certainly needs B.F. Westcott’s Commentary, both the one on the English and the one on the Greek. Something about those Bishops of Durham

BTW, I really enjoy FF Bruce’s work on John. Very helpful to me.

I know they are not commentaries, but the works from D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (collected sermons and essays) from John’s Gospel have been a goldmine to me.
Also, I really appreciate this blog series. Really. Thanks.

I’ve found Kostenberger’s commentary to be readable and helpful. And for those of you who enjoyed Dale Bruner’s Matthew commentary, his commentary on John should be out next year (Eerdmans).

How about Marianne Meye Thompson’s book: http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-John-Marianne-Meye-Thompson/dp/080284734X/ref=sr_1_2/192-2999050-5582239?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1239421977&sr=1-2
I noticed that the most scholars have tended to miss some crucial aspects relating to women in their commentaries on John. We used Brown’s commentary when I was studying w/ Marianne, and he certainly missed the mark on, for instance, the woman at the well, IMHO.

I absolutely love Brown’s and Barrett’s commentaries. I personally found Rudolf Schnackenburg’s 3 volume work the most helpful in terms of detailed exegesis.

I love Brown, but agree w Ann, he isn’t all the way there on every point. (He does do better as i recall on women in his short book on Johannine Community).
Haven’t seen Meye Thompson’s book ref’d here. But have her earlier The Incarnate Word, and her IVP commentary on 1-2-3 John, both v good.
There are other good women scholars readable at least a little on-line — see the scripture index for John at http://www.textweek.com — (Sandra Schneiders (sp?) one of the best, imo)
I start usually w Alan Culpepper’s short Abingdon commentary on John and 1,2,3 John. Brief but deep. (Can click to from the same amazon page as Ann refs in #8 above)
I often go next to Beasley Murray who, like Brown, i love reading.
Then Morris, who gets the seven days of new creation riffs in John better than the others i’ve seen, but gets more distracted than others with trying to make it all harmonize more than necessary(imo)
I skim Sloyan (interpreter) if i have time, and Barclay…
end up w Brown to see how he sees it…
thanks again for this series.
blessings,

Oh, also. Brown rewrote the Introduction to his commentary where he changed his positions on composition and authorship a bit. Really good stuff. Maloney edited/finished it and really helps put it into perspective with some other research. It is a must-have for anyone studying John (I believe it now comes as part of the Anchor Bible release on REB’s commentary).

I want to put a word in for Andrew Lincoln. I haven’t read all the way through his Black’s commentary, but his Truth on Trial book on John is really good, with lots of interesting contemporary connections to Camus and other writers at the end.

It calls itself an exposition rather than a commentary, but Lesslie Newbigin’s “The Light has come” (Eerdmans 1982)stands out for its simplicity and clarity.