Rebecca Stark is the author of The Good Portion: Godthe second title in The Good Portion series.

The Good Portion: God explores what Scripture teaches about God in hopes that readers will see his perfection, worth, magnificence, and beauty as they study his triune nature, infinite attributes, and wondrous works. 

                     

Thursday
Jun132024

Theological Term: Literary Genres of the Bible

literary genres of the Bible
Types of writing found in Scripture. Each type is characterized by a particular form, style, or content.
  • From the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy: 
Article XIII

WE AFFIRM that awareness of the literary categories, formal and stylistic, of the various parts of Scripture is essential for proper exegesis, and hence we value genre criticism as one of the many disciplines of biblical study.

WE DENY that generic categories which negate historicity may rightly be imposed on biblical narratives which present themselves as factual.

The awareness of what kind of literature one is interpreting is essential to a correct understanding of the text. A correct genre judgment should be made to ensure correct understanding. A parable, for example, should not be treated like a chronicle, nor should poetry be interpreted as though it were a straightforward narrative. Each passage has its own genre, and the interpreter should be cognizant of the specific kind of literature it is as he attempts to interpret it. Without genre recognition an interpreter can be misled in his understanding of the passage. For example, when the prophet speaks of “trees clapping their hands” (Isa. 55:12) one could assume a kind of animism unless he recognized that this is poetry and not prose.

The Denial is directed at an illegitimate use of genre criticism by some who deny the truth of passages which are presented as factual. Some, for instance, take Adam to be a myth, whereas in Scripture he is presented as a real person. Others take Jonah to be an allegory when he is presented as a historical person and so referred to by Christ (Mat. 12:40-42). This Denial is an appropriate and timely warning not to use genre criticism as a cloak for rejecting the truth of Scripture.

Article XIV

WE AFFIRM that the biblical record of events, discourses and sayings, though presented in a variety of appropriate literary forms, corresponds to historical fact.

WE DENY that any event, discourse or saying reported in Scripture was invented by the biblical writers or by the traditions they incorporated.

This article combines the emphases of Articles VI and XIII. While acknowledging the legitimacy of literary forms, this article insists that any record of events presented in Scripture must correspond to historical fact. That is, no reported event, discourse, or saying should be considered imaginary.

The Denial is even more clear than the Affirmation. It stresses that any discourse, saying, or event reported in Scripture must actually have occurred. This means that any hermeneutic or form of biblical criticism which claims that something was invented by the author must be rejected. This does not mean that a parable must be understood to represent historical facts, since a parable does not (by its very genre) purport to report an event or saying but simply to illustrate a point.

  • A list of literary genres found frequently in the Bible and examples of each one:1
  • Historical Narrative — Genesis, Mark
  • Geneology — 1 Chronicles 1-9, Matthew 1:1-17
  • Exaggeration/Hyperbole — Matthew 5:29-30, 23-24
  • Prophecy — Isaiah; Malachi
  • Poetry — Joel, Amos (also prophecy)
  • Covenant — Genesis 17:1-4; Joshua 24:1-28
  • Proverbs/Wisdom Literature — Proverbs, Job
  • Psalms and Songs — Exodus 15:1-18; Psalms
  • Letters — 1 Corinthians; 2 Peter
  • Apocalypse —Daniel, Revelation
  •  

    Learn more: 

    1. Got Questions: How should the different genres of the Bible impact how we interpret the Bible?
    2. Bible Project: Literary Genres and the Stories We Tell Ourselves
    3. Core Christianity: What Are the Genres of the Bible and Why Do They Matter?
    4. Jason DeRouchie: How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament: Step 1—Genre
    5. Capitol Hill Baptist Church: The Bible’s Genres
    6. George Guthrie: Literary Genres
    7. Kathleen Nielson:Reviewing (and Delighting in) Biblical Genres

     

    Related terms:

    Filed under Scripture

    1 From 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible by Robert Plummer.

    Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

    Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.

     

    Sunday
    Jun092024

    Sunday Hymn: He Will Hold Me Fast

     

     

     

    When I fear my faith will fail
    Christ will hold me fast
    When the tempter would prevail
    He will hold me fast
    I could never keep my hold
    Through life’s fearful path
    For my love is often cold
    He must hold me fast

    Refrain
    He will hold me fast
    He will hold me fast
    For my Saviour loves me so
    He will hold me fast

    Those He saves are His delight
    Christ will hold me fast
    Precious in His holy sight
    He will hold me fast
    He’ll not let my soul be lost
    His promises shall last
    Bought by Him at such a cost
    He will hold me fast

    Refrain

    For my life He bled and died
    Christ will hold me fast
    Justice has been satisfied
    He will hold me fast
    Raised with Him to endless life
    He will hold me fast
    ‘Til our faith is turned to sight
    When He comes at last!

    Refrain

     vv. 1-2 Ada Habershon (1861-1918), Public Domain.Alt. words, new words (v.3) Matthew Merker  © 2013 Getty Music (BMI)/Matthew Merker Music (BMI) (adm. by Music Services)
    Friday
    Jun072024

    Theological Term of the Week: Inscriptional Curse

    inscriptional curse
    A warning included in ancient treaties pronouncing judgment on anyone who changed the wording of a covenant document.
    • In scripture: 
    You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you (Deuteronomy 4:2 ESV).

    I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book (Revelation 22:18-19).

    • From Canon Revisited by Michael Kruger, pages 165-167:

    [Meredith Kline argues] that the entire Old Testament structure and all the books therein reflect various aspects of … ancient extrabiblical treaties. In particular, he observes that ancient treaties included an “inscriptional curse,” which pronounced judgment on all those who changed the wording of the covenant documents. Likewise, such an inscriptional curse is evident through the biblical witness from Deuteronomy 4:2 … .

    Kline [also] shows that the New Testament documents themselves, from Gospel to epistle to Revelation, all reflect the formal covenantal structure already laid forth in the Old Testament pattern. Moreover, we again see the “inscriptional curse” in Revelation 22:18-19:

    I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. 

    Thus the New Testament canon, at its core, is a covenental document.

     

    Related terms:

    Filed under Scripture

    Do you have a a theological term you’d like to see featured as a Theological Term of the Week? Email your suggestion using the contact button in the navigation bar above. 

    Clicking on the Theological Terms button above the header will take you to an alphabetical list of all the theological terms.