DIGGING DEEP – 4 BY ABIDAN PAUL SHAH

DIGGING DEEP – 4 by Abidan Paul Shah

Some preliminary remarks:

Again, remember the tool imagery from last week. We are trying to put together the most well rounded system of interpretation (comprehensive, congruent, consistent, and coherent) – from David L. Wolfe, Epistemology, The Justification of Belief.
Find a balance between “commitment to literal” and “appreciation of genre”

Today we will be looking at what’s known as Genre or Type of Literature found in the Bible. My information is coming from Grant Osborne’s Hermeneutical Spiral.

Narrative – Found in OT books like Genesis, Exodus, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Nehemiah, etc.; NT books like Gospels, Acts, etc. They contain both history and theology. The basic method to study them is to “Read them” and look for the various dimensions of the story – plot, characters, and setting. Also look for the various dimensions of the discourse – implied author, point of view, and implicit commentary, implied reader.

Poetry – Found in some OT historical books (Gen 49; Ex 15:1-18, I Sam 2;1-10), some entire prophetic books (Hosea, Joel, Amos), some extensive portions of other prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah), and especially in Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Song of songs, or Job. Types of Poetry – War Songs, Love Songs, Lament, Hymns or Praise Songs, Thanksgiving Hymns, Songs of Celebration and Affirmation, Wisdom and Didactic Psalms, and Imprecatory Psalms. In the NT, there are many quotations of psalms; quotations from ancient poets (Acts 17:28); poetic passages in the form of Hebraic hymns (Luke 1-2); passages without meter but containing exalted expressions of poetry (Mt 5:3-12 or John 1)

Wisdom – Found in OT books – Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes. Various forms of Wisdom Literature – Proverb, Saying, Riddle, Admonition, Allegory, Hymns and Prayers, Dialogue, Confession, Beatitudes. Found in the NT books – Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5), Romans, 12, James 1-3,

Prophecy – predominant in the latter part of the OT and in the NT. The writing prophets were active in only three centuries (from the 8^th – 5^th). The prophet was a “forth-teller” before he was a “foreteller.” They were not angry with the Jewish system but with the apostasy and false religion that was practiced in both Israel and Judah. They stood for the Torah and condemned Israel’s worship because it was impure. The key to understanding prophecy is to determine the original context.

Parable – One third of Jesus’ teaching in the synoptic gospels comes in parables. The Hebrew term is “masal” which is also the word for proverb and riddle. It has the basic idea of comparison. Again, carefully read the original setting.

Epistle – most of the NT. To correctly understand the epistle – study the logical development of the argument. It is a letter.

Apocalyptic – In the OT – Daniel, Zechariah, visions of Ezekiel (37-39), Isaiah 24-27, locust plague of Joel; in the NT – Olivet Discourse (Mk 13 and parallels), I Cor 15, II Thess 2, II Peter 3, Jude and Revelation. It covers the period from the seventh century BC to first century AD. The term “apocalypse” means to reveal or uncover. Again, begin by looking at the original context and then seek to understand the present application with humility. The reason for cryptic symbols is to keep the reader from being to confident in applying the passage to his/her present setting.

Test Passages: