Analysis by Genre (Narratives)

INTRODUCTION
• Different strategies
• Narratives in the Bible
• Three areas of interpretation
 INTRODUCTION

Theology

Gram.-Histo. Literary

Pathological Extremes: Traditionalism, Historicism, Fiction

Outline: Narratives
Subgenres Literary
01 02
Analysis

Storyteller Christ-centered
03 04
 OT Narratives

Subgenres
•
• Gospels
• Acts
• Parable
OT Narratives
● Throughout the Old Testament
● “Our Story” – God & Redemption
● Recurring motif – Kingdom, Messiah,
judgment/salvation, wilderness
● Hebrew Literature
Gospel
● Fulfillment: NT interprets OT. OT is NT’s
background.
● About Christ.
● Themes: Kingdom, Messiah,
● Synoptic gospels – syntopical reading.
Acts
● Continuation of Christ’s Ministry through the
Spirit
● Exodus: vertical and horizontal dimension
● Apostle’s testimony
Parable
● Prominent in Jesus’ teachings
● Function: revealing & concealing
● Major & Minor points
● Hearers: Jesus’ & Author’s
Literary • Characters

Analysis
• Plot
• Structure
Narrator
● Implied Author
● Point of View (Omniscience)
● 5 Areas: psychological, evaluative, spatial,
temporal, phraseological
Characters: Analysis
● Comment
● Inner Thought
● Dialogue
● Action
● Name
Characters: Types
● Main
● Antagonist
● Foil
● Orpha → Ruth

● Uriah → David (2 Sam 11:11)

Setting & Plot
● Setting
● Plot
● Structure
Storyteller •
•
•
Author & Implied Author
Hearers
Examples
Genesis
● Moses to Israelites in Wilderness
● Genesis 19:24-26
“24 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah
sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven. 25 And he
overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the
inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.
26 But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she
became a pillar of salt.”
1 Kings
● A prophet to Israelites in Exodus
● 1 Kings 17:8~
● 1 Kings 21:20-29
Luke
● Luke to Theophilus
● Luke 10 – 70 unnamed apostles.
● Luke 24
● Christ absent/present
Acts
● Luke to Theophilus
● Acts 1:8 – witnesses.
● Acts 3 – Healing, testify to Christ.
● Acts 5 – Holiness.
● Acts 7 – In suffering.
 Christ- • Edmund Clowney’s Chart
Allegory

Centered
•
• Type
• Compare/Contrast
Edmund Clowney’s Chart
Allegory
● Gal 4:24 “24 Now this may be interpreted
allegorically (ἀλληγορούμενα)…”
● Patristic
● Modern Criticism & Re-evaluation
Allegory: Guide
● Explicit (i.e. 1 Cor. 10:1-4)
● Inference (i.e. Matt 2:18)
● OT authors knowledge
Type
● Repeated image, theme & etc.
(i.e. descent/ascent)
Compare/Contrast
● Compare:
● Boaz

● The good Samaritan

● Contrast:
● King David’s sin against Uriah and his wife

● Jonah’s prophecy