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Review of Biblical Literature Blog

Imagery in the Gospel of John: Terms, Forms, Themes, and Theology of Johannine Figurative Language
Frey, Jörg, Jan van der Watt and Ruben Zimmerman, editors

Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2006 pp. xii + 495. €109.00

Series Information
Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament, 200

Description: The Gospel of John is well-known for its wealth and depth of figurative language, metaphors and symbols. These articles, written by some of the leading scholars in Johannine exegesis and particularly in the debate on Johannine imagery, utilize a broad variety of methods of interpretation. The authors provide an in-depth discussion of the variety of terms and forms of figurative speech and explore the conceptual and traditio-historical background of central motifs. Some of the most prominent Johannine images (lamb, king, bread, shepherd, vine, eating and drinking and others) are discussed with regard to their literary design and theological meaning. The collection aims at opening up paths in the tangled thicket of John's figurative world, it amply demonstrates the close relationship between the different metaphors and images in the Fourth Gospel and opens the view to the inter-relatedness of its theological themes.

Subjects: Bible, New Testament, Johannine Literature, John, Literature