D. Moody Smith's short commentary on the Epistles of John is insightful and a helpful companion to both teachers and preachers alike. Smith draws from the best that Johannine scholarship has to offer and makes it easily accessible in this work (he doesn't even include any footnotes, so as to not take the focus away from the text itself). Most helpful is Smith's discussion about background, historical context, and setting, especially revolving around the First Epistle. Understanding what is happening "behind the scenes" gives modern readers much more of an ability to grasp what the author of these Epistles is saying and what significance it may still have for us today.