7 Weeks (Writing a Commentary)

I had left my former College's residence 7 weeks ago to return home. In the first 5 weeks I wrote about 52,000 words on a book project. Then, all of a sudden I switched gear and started commenting on John's Gospel ch.13 which is volume 2 of my commentary on John's gospel (1-12) published in Feb 2020. If I get it done by Feb next year, it will be exactly 5 years for the entire Gospel. But writing a commentary is tough, perhaps the toughest genre in biblical writing because one has to comment on every verse, explain difficult words (in Greek) and the overall theme and theology of the textual unit or the whole chapter within the whole Gospel.

One has to know the Bible like the back of one's hand, no wonder I started writing only when I turned 55 years old after 25 years in full-time ministry and after 17 years of obtaining a doctorate in biblical studies and after teaching for 10 years in Sabah (4 years) and Singapore (6 years), now with the additional year of teaching (1 year) making a total of 11 years of seminary's teaching and 9 years of pastoring three churches with 3 years as Treasurer-General where by God's grace I single-handedly raised 60% of the monthly expenditure. In fact, at most 35% of the church income was guaranteed and the rest depended on the endeavours of the Treasurer during my tenure but it was God as I was not a fund-raiser but a prayer warrior. I stormed the heavens and sought His blessings for His church and His servants under the payroll of the HQ. To God be all the glory.

I listed the above not so much of qualifications or experience but I have walked with God for more than 29 years as a full-time servant of Christ and have held multiple offices in the church and in the HQ. I write as a believer, as a pastor, as a College professor/lecturer and as a published author of 6 books as I am writing my 7th and 8th book in tandem as the Lord leads. John's Gospel is my favourite book in the Bible (2nd is Psalms) since my early days as a Christian. I taught it as a subject twice in Sabah and twice in Singapore. I lost count of the number of books I read in my 6 years in Singapore. 

Whenever I testify I would give the more conservative number rather than erring on the side of exaggeration or overstating one's case. So during the seminary's Retreat I testified that I read at least two books a week (100 a year) consistently during my 6 years' sojourn in Singapore and that would be a conservative estimate. The correct figure could be three or four solid books per week, by God's grace, by two is good enough for almost everyone in the earth.