Theological Term of the Week

literary genres of the Bible
Categories of writing found in Scripture, each characterized by a particular form, style, or content.

• From The Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics:

  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, followed by examples of each, taken from 40 Questions About Interpreting the Bible  by Robert Plummer 

1. Historical Narrative — Genesis, Mark
2. Geneology — 1 Chronicles 1-9, Matthew 1:1-17
3. Exaggeration/Hyperbole — Matthew 5:29-30, 23-24
4. Prophecy — Isaiah; Malachi
5. Poetry — Joel, Amos (also prophecy)
6. Covenant — Genesis 17:1-4; Joshua 24:1-28
7. Proverbs/Wisdom Literature — Proverbs, Job
8. Psalms and Songs — Exodus 15:1-18; Psalms
9. Letters — 1 Corinthians; 2 Peter
10. Apocalypse —Daniel, Revelation

Learn more:

1. The Literary Study Bible: An Anthology with Diverse Genres
2. Prepare International: Understanding the Literary Type or Genre of the Books of the Bible
3. Robert Plummer: Both Familiar and Foreign Genres
4. Justin Taylor: Why Context and Genre Are Keys to Interpretation
5. Dennis Bratcher: The Genre of New Testament Letter and Epistles

Related terms:

• biblical hermeneutics
• exegesis
• textual criticism

Filed under Scripture.

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Status Report: April

Sitting…on the couch in the living room. My son’s big dog David is sitting beside me. I’m his new best friend since my son has been touring Germany and Poland for the last two weeks. I’ve been David’s only feeder and walker and companion and we’re buds now.

Drinking…an after supper cup of green tea.

Realizing…that it’s only a couple of days before my son returns home and I’ve finished just a couple of the many tasks I had hoped to accomplish while he was gone. It’s not that I didn’t work hard, but that I’ve had way more interruptions than I anticipated. And, as usual, I may have had expectations that were just a wee bit unrealistic.

Hoping…that this lastest oral surgery will work the way it’s supposed to. I’m tired of having stitches in my mouth and having to be careful what and how I eat. I’m sick of taking antibiotics, too. If this latest stitch up job doesn’t work, it’s back for more surgery again. And I don’t want that!

Wondering…if having an implant is worth it after all. Perhaps I should have just let things be.

Reading…Rodney Stark’s God’s Battalions: The Case for the Crusades. I like history, but I know nothing much about the Crusades, so I’m learning. I finally finished The World-Tilting Gospel by Dan Phillips, the book I kept in my purse to read whenever I had to wait somewhere. Look for a review soon. Taking TWTG’s place in my purse is The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz. Yes, I’ve decided to read more than one novel this year.

Thinking…about a post I have in draft. Thinking about how to say what I want to say nicely. Because it could come across wrong if I’m not careful. (You know, I never used to even think much about these things. I’d just have gone ahead and posted the post without a second thought. But I’ve grown mellow (or chicken) in my old age.) 

Also thinking…that you all are going to read that and think the last paragraph is refering to my soon to come review of The World Tilting Gospel. You would be wrong.

Planning…an Easter dinner/birthday party for the fam this weekend.

Anticipating…green. We are in the midst of the mud and dirty snow season. But I know spring is coming because it’s 9pm and still light out.

Copying…Lisa.

A Catechism for Girls and Boys

Part III: Questions about Salvation

70. Q. What did Christ undertake in the covenant of grace?
       A. Christ undertook to keep the whole law for his people, and to suffer the punishment due to their sins 

(Click through to read scriptural proof.)

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