Themes, Lexemes, and “Mnemes”

Composite Allusions in the Gospel of John and Other Jewish Literature

By (author) Samuel L. Voo

Book cover: Themes, Lexemes, and “Mnemes”

Extent: 330 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Biblical Studies, Jewish Studies

Series: Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 2.Reihe

Language: English

Paperback (Unspecified)

(July 2026)

ISBN: 9783161635175

6.69 x 9.45 inches

Price: $125.00

Out of stock

Samuel L. Voo examines certain types of allusions called “composite allusions” in the Fourth Gospel and compares these to those found in other ancient Jewish literature. The author employs methods from three different perspectives: a literary perspective, an ancient Jewish perspective, and the perspective of ancient orality.


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 authot 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.

  • By (author) Samuel L. Voo