Statement from Zondervan Academic on Dr. Andreas Köstenberger’s John Commentary

December 4, 2017

In October 2017 Dr. Andreas Köstenberger informed Zondervan Academic that his commentary on the Gospel of John in volume 2 of the Zondervan Illustrated Bible Commentary: New Testament (ZIBBC: NT) contained “a series of inadvertently unattributed references” to D. A. Carson's The Gospel according to John in The Pillar New Testament Commentary published by Wm. B. Eerdmans. After careful consideration of the evidence, we concluded that the problem was so extensive that there was no acceptable way to fix the problem. Since the commentary on John in volume 2 of ZIBBC: NT does not consistently follow commonly accepted standards for the use and documentation of secondary resources, our commitment to high publishing standards leaves us no choice but to put volume 2 of the ZIBBC: NT out of print in its print form and to destroy the remaining inventory. The digital formats of the John part of volume 2 are also out of print and withdrawn from the market. Individuals who have purchased this volume and wish to return it for credit should call 1-800-727-3480 for instructions. Trade accounts should call 1-800-727-1309.

Notwithstanding the above, it is important to call attention to the fact that Dr. Clinton Arnold’s fine commentary on the book of Acts that was also in volume 2 of ZIBBC: NT will still be available in digital forms from the various ebook and Bible software resellers and in a handsome 4-color softcover edition (ISBN 9780310278252). It is our intention to reassign the commentary on John to another author and reissue volume 2 of ZIBBC: NT in a hardcover edition.

Stanley N. Gundry, SVP and Publisher, Zondervan