John's book is the "Gospel of Belief." Belief in Christ leads to life; unbelief leads to darkness and death. The purpose of John's gospel is to persuade the reader to believe. Laney performs two equally important tasks in this commentary. He writes as a scholar who must be engaged in all the textual and critical issues. But in his heart, Laney is a preacher who must distill this scholarship into practical application for the layman. Working from overall chapter outlines, Laney takes the reader verse-by-verse through the text, ensuring interpretive continuity. But he also highlights how belief in Christ unfolded as His ministry developed. Laney arranges his commentary into homiletical sections that can easily be taught or preached, a helpful guide for teachers and pastors that is rarely found in commentaries.