Besides two hitherto unpublished papers, this collection contains 15 of Rainer Albertz' papers from the period 1978 - 2000. They reflect the author's concern to understand biblical developments against the background of the religious and socio-historical developments and currents in Israel and the Ancient Orient. The volume includes, for example, reflections on the development of the tradition of prehistory, of the commandment to honour one's parents, of the issue of monotheism, or of the significance of personal piety. The collection is completed with socio-historical studies on the social background to the Book of Job or the moving forces behind the Deuteronomistic History, together with approaches to the editorial history of the Books of Jeremiah and Deuteroisaiah.

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.