Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05
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B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N
affirms the fact that the Bible itself is a book of literature, one which is ordered and governed by attention to literary rules and principles like other works of literature, and that God employed genres and human literary strategies to communicate his Word to us. • There are many significant forms and types of literature in the Scriptures. These include the use of narrative (both historical and imaginative), the occurrence of the Law (legal writings), epistles (letters), prophecy (including apocalyptic literature), the wisdom literature of Scripture (including proverbs, monologues, riddles, fables, parables, allegories, etc.), and the presence of poetic works. • Genres occur because of the particular literary purpose of the authors to address particular needs and issues to their respective audiences, as well as to deepen our understanding of our fundamental human experience. Genre study also allows us to comprehend the truth by seeing it imaged forth in its most concrete from, as well as to display the artistry of the biblical authors as led by the Spirit, and to reveal the richness of the mystery of God and his work in the world. • Careful attention to the genres and the rules to interpret them can provide us with major benefits in our biblical interpretation; genre study can empower us to discover the author’s original intention, edify us as we identify the meaning of Scripture for our lives, enrich and entertain us in the beauty of the Scripture itself, and enlighten us in the knowledge of the purpose and will of God. Why is it important to classify biblical texts according to their literary form? First, the literary form of a text is often a clue to its meaning. For example, how we interpret Genesis 1-3 depends on whether it is read as a creationmyth, allegory, or scientific history. The meaning we see in a text often derives from our prior judgment about its literary form. Second, the literary form is often a clue to its life setting. If we recognize that a text is in the form of a hymn, this allows us to relate it to the liturgical setting out of which it arose. Third, properly recognizing a literary form enables us to compare the text with similar literary forms in both biblical and nonbiblical writings. Such comparison often enables us to see things in a text we would otherwise miss. The Importance of Genre in Bible Study
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~ Carl R. Holladay. “Biblical Criticism.” Harper’s Bible Dictionary . P. J. Achtemeier, ed. (1st ed.) Harper & Row: San Francisco, 1985. p. 131.
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