Samuel L. Voo examines certain types of allusions called »composite allusions« in the Fourth Gospel and compares these to similar phenomena in other ancient Jewish literature. The author employs methods from three different sub-fields: literary criticism, ancient Jewish exegesis, and ancient media criticism.
Samuel L. Voo examines composite allusions to the Jewish scriptures in the Gospel of John and compares these to similar phenomena in late Second Temple Jewish literature. Composite allusions are defined in this study as allusions clustered together in a single literary unit that are best interpreted together. To analyze such allusions, the author develops a three-fold method integrating literary analysis, Jewish catchword exegesis, and insights from studies in ancient media culture. He examines six passages from Jewish literature (from the Hodayot, the Damascus Document, and the LXX), and four passages in the Fourth Gospel (12:37¬-40; 1:29; 7:37-39; 15:1-11). The author argues that the composite features across all of these passages function on the basis of common lexemes, common themes, and orally-derived metonymy.
Table of contents:
Introduction
Chapter I: The Study of Composite Allusions
I.1. Introduction - I.2. Composite Citations in the New Testament and especially, in the Gospel of John - I.3. The Study of Scriptural Allusions in the New Testament - I.4. On Ancient Media Culture - I.5. Summary and Conclusion: An Overview of Methodological Considerations
Chapter II: An Examination of Six Composite Scriptural Allusions in Late Second Temple Jewish Materials
II.1 Introduction - II.2 The Damascus Document 1:1-3 (CD 1:1-3) - II.3 Hodayot, Column XVI:5-12A (1QHA 16:5-12A) - II.4 Ben Sira 33:7-15 (36:8-16) - II.5 Catchword Allusions in the Septuagint - II.6 Concluding Synthesis: a Taxonomy of Composite Features
Chapter III: John 12:37-40: An Example of Composite Characteristics and Patterns of Scriptural Usage in the Gospel of John
III.1 Introduction - III.2 Literary Structure and Key Themes in the Fourth Gospel - III.3 Isaiah 53:1 and 6:9-10 in their Literary Contexts - III.4 Isaiah 53:1 and 6:9 in John 12:38 - III.5 Composite Allusions, John 12:37-40 and Ancient Media Culture - Excursus: On Social Memory and Communal Identity - III.6 Summary
Chapter IV: John 1:29: »The Lamb of God«—A Compact, Three-way Composite Allusion
IV.1 Introduction - IV.2 Preliminary Textual Analysis of John 1:29 and Possible Scriptural Sources - IV.3.0 A Survey of the Landscape and Three Recent Studies - IV.4.0 Three Complex, Inter-connected, Multi-layered Traditions: Paschal Lamb, Suffering Servant, and Cultic Sacrificial Imagery - IV.5 Formal Analysis of the Composite Allusion in John 1:29 and Summary
Chapter V: John 7:37B-39: A Composite »Citation-Allusion«
V.1 Introduction - V.2 Key Lexemes and Possible Source Texts - V.3 John 7:39, the Spirit, and the Johannine Concept of »Living Water« - V.4 Composite Citation in 7:38B—the Water-from-the-Rock Tradition of Psalm 105(104):41; Psalm 78(77):16, 20; Isaiah 48:21; Exod. 17:6 and Num. 20:11 - V.5 Synthesis: Ancient Media Culture, Metonymic Referencing, and Social Memory - V.6 The Punctuation of 7:37B-38 - V.7 Summary and Conclusions
Chapter VI: John 15:1-11: A Composite Allusion Within an Extended Metaphor
VI.1 Introduction - VI.2 Literary Context; Delimitation and Structure - VI.3 Key Lexemes and Possible Source Texts - VI.4 Thematic Analysis of the Background Texts in Relation to John 15:1-11 - Excursus: The Vine and the Son of Man in John 15:1-11 - VI.5 Synthesis: John 15:1-11 and Ancient Media Criticism - VI.6 Formal Analysis and Exegetical Impact of the Composite Allusion in John 15:1-17 - VI.7 Summary
Chapter VII: Concluding Synthesis AND Wider Implications
VII.1 Introduction - VII.2 John and Second Temple Literature: Commonalities - VII.3 John and Second Temple Literature: Differences - VII.4 The Contributions of this Study and the Question of 'John and Judaism' - VII.5 Postscript: Future Research and Final Comments
