Who was John? What was his world? What was his purpose in writing? In this brief but helpful survey of the background, purpose, plan, and teaching of the Johannine literature, E. Earle Ellis guides the reader to a better understanding and a fuller appreciation of the Gospel and the Epistles of John.Ellis shows that John was a "theologican in his own right with roots in primitive Christianity as deep as Paul's." He sees John as an "inspired interpreter" of the mind of Christ who stands on good historical ground. Written in clear, concise terminology, The World of St. John is written for readers with little or no theological background who want to know what John's writings are about, the context in which they were written, and what their meaning is for today. Originally published in 1984 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.