Picturing Theology, Revised Edition

Picturing Theology, Revised Edition | 71

G. Study the words and the grammatical structures. Key Tools: Hebrew and Greek Lexicons and Expository Dictionaries help deepen our understanding of word meanings and usage. Exegetical Commentaries help explain grammatical constructions and how they affect the meaning of the text. • Make a note of words that are being used in a unique way by the writer and of special grammatical forms like imperatives, verbs that show continuous action, etc. H. Identify the genre (type of literature) and consider any special rules that apply to it. Key Tool: Bible Dictionary and Bible Commentaries • Each type of literature has to be taken seriously for what it is. We must not interpret poetry in the same way we interpret prophecy, or narratives in the way we interpret commands. I. Look for literary structures that might influence the way the text is understood. Key Tool: Exegetical Commentaries • Literary structures include figures of speech, metaphors, typologies, symbols, poetic structures, chiasmic structures, etc. J. Identify the historical events and the cultural issues which might effect the people or influence the ideas described in the passage. Key Tools: Bible Dictionaries and Bible Commentaries • Constantly ask, “What was happening in history and society that would affect the way the audience heard the message in this text?” K. Summarize what you believe the author was trying to say and why it was important for the original audience. • Your goal in this step is to write the key truths of the passage in such a way that the original author and the original listeners would agree with them if they heard them.