BIBLE GENRE ANALYSIS

This page is part of the Interpretation Section of our Bible Study Guide.  We'll explore the various literary genre's of the Bible, including how to recognize and interpret the various types.

Probably the second most common source of errors in Bible interpretation (behind taking Scripture out of proper context) is failure to apply the proper rules of genre interpretation.  Each literary genre (type, category or form of literary composition such as poetry, prose etc) contains its own set of rules which govern both the author and the reader.  In order for the reader to obtain a proper understanding of the author's meaning, he must correctly determine the literary form being used and apply the rules governing that literary form.

Navigation Notes:  For speed of loading, and ease of navigation and printing, we've split this into multiple pages.  You may click on the "[TOC]" links within the pages to return to the Table of Contents. 
 

Table of Contents

Introduction

The first task of Bible interpretation is called exegesis, that is, discovering the original intended meaning of the author.  Most interpretation principles mentioned on our main Bible Interpretation Page will be applicable, so we must first apply them to the various genres.   Next, we must determine the correct type of literature employed by the author, then apply the proper rules for interpreting that particular form.  Then, and only then, can we move on to seeking the contemporary relevance for our particular situations. 

The authors of Scripture submitted to the various rules (sometimes referred to as the "norms of language") governing the various forms of biblical literature, and expected the reader to do the same.  I once read an author comparing a reader utilizing the rules governing a parable while reading a narrative with someone watching a football game who was only familiar with the rules of baseball.  In each case, neither would understand what they were reading or observing.  We'll now examine the various rules for each literary type.

While reading the Bible, you'll find some books employ only one genre, while others contain many forms.  In addition, there can be overlaps.  For example, many psalms, poetry, and most proverbs can also be classified as wisdom literature.  Some scholars even classify some types as sub-genres of another.  With that in mind, we will attempt to  treat separately the most common genres and sub-genres found in the Bible while noting the characteristics in common with the other literary types. 

We'll have additional information on how literary genre applies to specific Bible books in our Bible Book Guides.

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Literalism (Relation to the Various Genres)

We've added this section due to some inquiries from some readers who were wondering if a literal interpretation of Scripture excluded the various literary forms expounded upon in this section. The short answer is that it does not.  For a better understanding of this, we're including a brief explanation of the meaning of "literal" interpretation.

We hold to the Reformers view of the "literal" sense of Scripture, which was the sense that was intended by the original authors, according to the rules for the type of literary forms used by the author.  That is, the literal meaning of a passage is what the author intended it to mean, and if this meaning included hyperbole, allegories or metaphors, so be it.  For example, interpreting a passage as a literal statement when the author wrote it as hyperbole would actually violate the intent of the "literal sense" of Scripture, since the reader did not interpret it using the rules of the proper literary form intended by the author, but interpreting the passage as hyperbole would be consistent with the "literal sense".

Confusion over the word "literal" arises when one attempts to to apply a non-literary definition rather than a literary one.  Recognizing this, the Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics of 1982 was formulated to clarify language used in the Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy of 1978.  Article 15 of the Biblical Hermeneutics statement reads:

We affirm the necessity of interpreting the Bible according to its literal, or normal, sense. The literal sense is the grammatical-historical sense, that is, the meaning which the writer expressed.  Interpretation according to the literal sense will take account of all figures of speech and literary forms found in the text.
We deny the legitimacy of any approach to Scripture that attributes to it meaning which the literal sense does not support.

Theologian Norman Geisler, who holds to the inerrancy of the Bible, comments:

The literal sense of Scripture is strongly affirmed here.  To be sure the English word literal carries some problematic connotations with it.  Hence the words normal and grammatical-historical are used to explain what is meant.  The literal sense is also designated by the more descriptive title grammatical-historical sense.  This means the correct interpretation is the one which discovers the meaning of the text in its grammatical forms and in the historical, cultural context in which the text is expressed.

Therefore, we conclude that, instead of being mutually exclusive, the practice of  properly interpreting the Scriptures according to the proper literary form used by the author is in harmony with the practice of interpreting the Bible in a "literal sense" when the literary meaning of "literal" is properly understood.

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