Interpreting Biblical Genres

Narrative, Poetry, Prophecy, Wisdom Literature, Gospels, Epistles, and Apocalyptic Writings

Introduction

Week 4 of this course transitions from historical background to literary form. Having considered the socio-political world of the Bible and the Jewish traditions of the Second Temple period, students are now prepared to examine how the Bible communicates through diverse genres. Scripture is not a monolithic book but a library, containing narrative, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, gospels, epistles, and apocalyptic writings.

Genre awareness is foundational for hermeneutics. As Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart (2014) stress, the first rule of interpretation is that “a text cannot mean what it never meant.” To discern what it meant, readers must attend to how it was written. This article surveys each major biblical genre, outlining its features, interpretive challenges, and hermeneutical significance.

1. Interpreting Biblical Narrative

1.1 Features of Narrative

Narrative comprises nearly half of Scripture, including Genesis, Exodus, the historical books, and much of the Gospels and Acts. Narratives tell stories, presenting characters, events, and settings. They reveal God’s purposes through history rather than abstract propositions.

1.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Focus on plot and character: How do events unfold? How are characters portrayed in relation to God?

• Theological themes: Narratives communicate theology indirectly through story (e.g., God’s providence in Joseph’s story, Gen. 50:20).

• Historical grounding: Narratives are rooted in real events, but they are also theological accounts.

1.3 Interpretive Challenges

Narratives are descriptive, not always prescriptive. Solomon’s excessive polygamy is narrated, not necessarily endorsed. Interpreters must distinguish between what the text records and what it commends.

2. Interpreting Biblical Poetry

2.1 Features of Poetry

Nearly a third of the Old Testament is poetry, including Psalms, Proverbs, and much of the Prophets. Hebrew poetry is marked by parallelism, imagery, and rhythm. Robert Alter (2011) notes that Hebrew poetry’s genius lies in its terse, evocative lines that open multiple interpretive horizons.

2.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Parallelism: Pay attention to synonymous, antithetic, and synthetic parallels.

• Imagery and metaphor: Poetry conveys truth through image, not literal description.

• Emotion and worship: Poetry appeals to the heart as well as the mind, shaping prayer and praise.

2.3 Interpretive Challenges

Poetry resists precision. Over-literalizing metaphors can distort meaning. For example, “The Lord is my rock” (Ps. 18:2) is metaphorical, not geological.

3. Interpreting Prophecy

3.1 Features of Prophecy

Prophetic literature includes Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve. Prophecy is not primarily prediction but proclamation — God’s word addressing His people in their historical context. Walter Brueggemann (2012) emphasizes that prophecy speaks truth to power, calling Israel back to covenant fidelity.

3.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Historical setting: Identify the political, social, and religious context.

• Covenant framework: Prophets appeal to the covenant — blessings for obedience, curses for disobedience.

• Future hope: Prophecy often extends beyond immediate judgment to promises of restoration and messianic hope.

3.3 Interpretive Challenges

Prophetic language is poetic, symbolic, and hyperbolic. Interpreters must resist flattening prophecy into mere prediction or allegory.

4. Interpreting Wisdom Literature

4.1 Features of Wisdom

Wisdom books include Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. They grapple with the meaning of life, suffering, and the pursuit of righteousness. Wisdom literature often uses aphorisms, dialogues, and reflections.

4.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Genre sensitivity: Proverbs are general principles, not ironclad promises.

• Dialogical structure: Job presents multiple voices, culminating in God’s perspective.

• Theological depth: Wisdom addresses universal human questions, grounding them in the fear of the Lord.

4.3 Interpretive Challenges

Interpreters must avoid absolutizing wisdom sayings (e.g., Prov. 22:6) and must attend to the tensions within wisdom literature itself (e.g., Proverbs vs. Ecclesiastes).

5. Interpreting the Gospels

5.1 Features of the Gospels

The four Gospels present the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. They are ancient biographies (bioi), not modern histories, focusing on theological portraits of Jesus. Each Gospel writer shapes material for distinct audiences.

5.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Synoptic relationships: Compare Matthew, Mark, and Luke, noting similarities and distinct emphases.

• Christological focus: The Gospels present Jesus as Messiah, Son of God, and Lord.

• Kingdom proclamation: Central to Jesus’ message is the kingdom of God, interpreted against Jewish and Roman contexts.

5.3 Interpretive Challenges

Modern readers often harmonize the Gospels, but hermeneutics requires respecting each Gospel’s theological intent. John differs from the Synoptics not in contradiction but in perspective.

6. Interpreting the Epistles

6.1 Features of Epistles

The epistles are letters, situational in nature. They address particular churches and issues, offering theology applied to context. Paul’s letters dominate, but general epistles (e.g., James, 1 Peter) broaden the witness.

6.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Occasional nature: Identify the problem or situation prompting the letter.

• Structure and argument: Trace the flow of thought, noting doctrinal and practical sections.

• Theological significance: Epistles articulate much of the New Testament’s theology.

6.3 Interpretive Challenges

Because epistles are occasional, interpreters must bridge the gap between ancient situations and contemporary application. For example, head coverings in Corinth (1 Cor. 11) require cultural sensitivity before drawing conclusions for today.

7. Interpreting Apocalyptic Writings

7.1 Features of Apocalyptic

Apocalyptic literature includes Daniel, parts of Isaiah and Ezekiel, and Revelation. It is marked by symbolic visions, heavenly journeys, and cosmic conflict. John Collins (1998) defines apocalyptic as a genre that reveals heavenly mysteries to encourage faith amid crisis.

7.2 Hermeneutical Approach

• Symbolism: Interpret symbols in light of Old Testament background and historical context.

• Theological function: Apocalyptic literature provides hope and assurance of God’s ultimate victory.

• Pastoral aim: Revelation, for example, was written to encourage persecuted Christians, not to provide a secret code for end-time speculation.

7.3 Interpretive Challenges

Apocalyptic writings are prone to misuse. Over-literalism or speculative date-setting distorts their pastoral purpose. Interpreters must prioritize theological meaning over sensational predictions.

8. Integrative Hermeneutical Principles

8.1 Genre Sensitivity

Each genre requires a distinct approach. Narrative calls for attention to plot, poetry to imagery, prophecy to covenant, wisdom to dialogue, Gospels to Christology, epistles to occasion, and apocalyptic to symbolism.

8.2 Authorial Intent

Authorial intent is always mediated through genre. To discern what the author meant, interpreters must read according to the conventions of the genre employed.

8.3 The Unity of Scripture

Despite diversity of genre, Scripture testifies to one God and one redemptive plan. Genre diversity enriches rather than fragments this witness.

Conclusion

Biblical interpretation requires attentiveness to genre. Without genre sensitivity, interpreters risk misreading Scripture, imposing inappropriate expectations on the text. By respecting the forms God chose to use — story, song, oracle, proverb, Gospel, letter, vision — interpreters honor both the divine and human authors.

This is a call to literary humility. God’s Word comes to us in many voices and forms. To hear it rightly, we must listen on its own terms.

References

Alter, R. (2011). The Art of Biblical Poetry. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Brueggemann, W. (2012). The Prophetic Imagination (2nd ed.). Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press.

Collins, J. J. (1998). The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature (2nd ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

Fee, G. D., & Stuart, D. (2014). How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth (4th ed.). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Wright, N. T. (2012). How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels. New York, NY: HarperOne.