This volume is based on a symposium held at the School of Mission and Theology in Stavanger, Norway, in 1998 on 'The Mission of the Early Church to Jews and Gentiles'. Four authors discuss the question of the mission to the Jewish people with particular regard to the gospel of Matthew and the Great Commission. Further papers address different phases and aspects of early mission. Finally the volume contains four essays relating to the Acts of the Apostles and to the Pauline letters.

For far too long, the author argues, the parables of Jesus have been read either as allegories encoding Christian theology - including the theological message of one or another Gospel writer - or as tantalizing clues to the authentic voice of Jesus.