MAY 1

Hebrews 1:1-3
Memorise Hebrews 1:1
“God, …in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets”

DO BIBLICAL GENRES AFFECT INTERPRETATION?

As we read through the Bible, we realise that it does not read like any storybook that we get from the bookshops. Neither is it like the textbooks that we use in school. It is unique (possibly confusing even), in that it is a collection of different sorts of writings, not always arranged in chronological or logical order. We have of course the narratives that are easier to understand, but there are also chapters and books of laws, of genealogies; there are also many books of poetry and prophecy, many of which are not so simple to interpret. Then there are epistles (letters) recorded, and mysterious visions of the future. The list goes on!

You may ask – if God wants to teach us the Christian doctrine so that we know His will, isn’t it easier to give us a book of systematic theology, rather than this collection of books, which includes various “genres” like narratives, poetry, epistles etc?

But think again – won’t it be very boring if all that we have is just systematic theology (like a textbook)? Don’t get me wrong, I love systematic theology, and find it very exciting, but it’s even more exciting to read the Bible itself – Genesis, the books of Kings, the Prophets, the Gospels, Epistles etc! These would be so enriching and wonderful if you read the Bible with understanding, with love and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit!

In going through each book of the Bible, we learn to appreciate the faith of Abraham (“He went out, not knowing whither he went”), the “rise and fall” of David, the labours of the apostle Paul, and most important, the life of our Lord Jesus – not only intellectually, but with the knowledge that goes deep into the heart!

God made us and He knows us the best! He knows that we learn best through different types of genres (narrative, poetry etc)! That is why, “God… at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets”.

The question today is: “Do biblical genres affect interpretation”? The answer is of course, “Yes”! We will learn over the next few weeks the ‘what’ and ‘how’ and ‘why’ of this statement.

Thought: The Bible is “a pool in which a baby can paddle or an elephant can swim”.
Prayer: Lord, teach me to love Thy Word more and more each day.