Know the Basic Five Steps to Interpretation
1. The Genre of the Passage
2. The Big Idea of the Passage
3. Observations and Analysis
4. Interpretation
5. Contemporary/Practical Application
Old Testament Narrative Examples
ex: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 &2 Kins, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job
Old Testament Three Narrative Levels
top level: the eternal, universal plan of God (most important for understanding life)
middle: the story of God's people (most important for identity and heritage)
lowest: the stories of individuals (important in offering models)
Old Testament Narrative Interpretative Principles
1. Big Bites
2. God is the hero of every O.T. story
3. Read every story on three narrative levels
Psalms Interpretative Principles
1. They were written by human hands, blending human experience and emotion, with sound theology.
2. There are different types
3. Read each Psalm as a whole
Psalms Figure of Speech
Simile, Metaphor, Hyberbole, Anthropomorphism Anthropopathism, Zoomorphism
Simile
Comparing two things with "like" or "as
Metaphor
Comparing two things, but with no "like" or "as
Hyperbole:
An exaggeration
Anthropomorphism
God in the form of man
Zoomorphism:
God with animal or nonhuman attributes
Psalm Parallelisms
Antithetical, Synonymous, Intensifying, Specifying.
Antithetical
the second line is the antithesis or opposite of the 1st line (for emphasis)
Synonymous
The 2nd line repeats or echoes the 1st line (for emphasis)
Intensifying:
The 2nd line restates the ideas of the 1st line in stronger, emphatic way.
Synthetic:
The 2nd line develops the idea of the 1st line. Provides further info
OT Prophecy Two Types of Prophecy
a. Forthtelling
b. Foretelling
OT Prophecy Interpretative Principles
a. Determine the type of prophecy
b. Historical context is very important in this genre
- You must know which event/period of Israel's history the prophecy
c. Relevancy to US (21st-Century Readers)
-We are as prone to wandering as Israel was
-We can identify with Israel and their struggles
-We can learn about God's tender heart for his chosen people.
Gospels Interpertative Principles
1. focus of the Gospel is on Jesus
2. One of the primary goals is to prove that Jesus is the Messiah
3. We need to understand the centrality of the kingdom of God in the Gospels
4. Historical and cultural background info is important
5. The Gospels are narratives, so we need to know the broader context.
6. We should do comparisons of the Gospels where appropriate.
Acts Interertative Principles
1. Grasp the whole to understand its part
2.Pay attention to what Luke emphasize for maximum spiritual impact
3. Be impacted by the godly models and imitate their faith
description truth
description of the past
perspective truth
prescription for us to follow
Epistles Interpretative Principles
1.Read the entire epistle in one sitting (identify main issue/topic on the letter and understand the structure/outline of the letter)
2. Know what part of the letter you are reading
3. Think of terms of paragraphs (not individual verses/sentences)
4. Historical/Cultural context is really important
Revelation Genres
Epistle, Prophecy, Apocalyptic
Revelation Interpretative Principles
1. This book is ultimately about Jesus Christ (not Satan or Antichrist)
2. Historical background is really important
3. The primary meaning of Revelation is what John intended it to mean.
4. Generally, apocalypses (and Revelation, specifically) do not intend to give a chronological account of the future.
5. Revelation functions as the capstone of all Scriptures (OT and NT) and to complete the picture of God's eternal plan.