Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel: Meaning, Mystery, Community

Koester’s study is not a conventional verse-by-verse commentary, but it is one of the most illuminating books available for understanding how John communicates. Particularly valuable is his concept of limited polyvalence: Johannine symbols can carry several mutually enriching meanings without becoming infinitely indeterminate, because the literary and theological context constrains their possibilities. Light, water, bread, shepherd, vine, signs and other images thereby form a christological symbolic world ultimately oriented toward the cross. This book repeatedly opens passages in ways that standard commentaries miss and is probably the single best specialist companion to a major commentary on John.