After a consistent diet of novels, I decided to read non-fiction books this year. At first, I read them as I read fiction. But I soon realized that I needed a different approach for this genre if I wanted to maximize my understanding. We know instinctively that different literary styles need unique reading strategies. You wouldn’t read a textbook the same way you read a novel, nor would you read poetry the same way you read comics.
Yet, with the Bible, we often throw away this principle and read every book the same way (present company included).
There are a variety of genres in the Bible, and being mindful of them helps us understand, interpret, and apply Scripture correctly. Why? Because genres show an author’s preferred patterns to present God’s truth. It tells us how a book is written and why. And it helps us look for specific things and guard against errors.
For example, if we are aware a text is descriptive (describes something), we know the author doesn’t intend us to do what it says. But if it’s prescriptive (tells us to do something), we know to look for practical applications.
There are seven main genres in the Bible; here is how to read them.
1. Law
The law was God’s precept for the Israelites. There are 613 laws dispersed in Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Their purpose is to show God’s character, will and justice, and how to respond to it. They also act as a mirror that reflects our moral depravity and emphasizes our need for a savior.
The Westminster Confession of Faith divides the law into three categories: moral, ceremonial, and civil.
Moral laws show God’s character. For instance, the ten commandments (Exodus 20:1-26), loving others (Leviticus 19:18), sexual immorality (Leviticus 18:20; 20:9-21; Numbers 5:12-15), etc. Since God doesn’t change, these precepts are timeless, and Christians must follow them. Moreover, Jesus upheld and expanded these precepts in his sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7). Note that since we are under the new covenant, we don’t keep God’s commands out of duty but out of love (John 14:21).
Ceremonial laws displayed God’s holiness and comprised instructions for offerings (Numbers 29:39), the atonement (Leviticus 16:1-28; 17:1-16), cleanliness and uncleanliness (Leviticus 11:1-47), priestly duties (Leviticus 7:1-37). Christians must not keep these laws because Jesus atoned for our sins once and for all (1 Peter 3:18).
Civil laws dealt with Israel’s judicial system and distinguished Israel from other nations. They included laws on divorce (Deuteronomy 22:19), kidnapping (Exodus 21:16), treatment of the poor (Leviticus 19:15), debt (Deuteronomy 31:10), and more. Christians don’t have to follow these laws since we don’t live in ancient Israel. But they are still sound principles for today.
The crucial part of reading the law is not picking which ones to follow. Instead, it’s to understand how they point to Jesus and how He fulfilled them (Matthew 5:17-18, Romans 8:3-4).
2. Narrative
Narratives are authentic stories of events, people, and places. It is the most common biblical genre and makes up about 40% of the Bible. There are two types of biblical narratives: historical narratives (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Acts). And biographical narratives (the Gospels, Ruth, Esther, and Jonah.)
Narratives inform us of God’s past actions so we can understand our place in the present and know what the future holds. They typically have three key elements: plot, characters, and setting.
A plot is the arrangement of scenes to present a storyline. It has a beginning, a conflict (a problem to solve), and a climax/resolution. Find the primary plot of the story, see how one scene fits with others, and pay attention to the conflict resolution; the ending matters.
Characters are the people in a story. Jesus is the leading role of the Bible, so look for His appearance, revealed or concealed, in the story. Then study the other characters, their actions, motives, and learn from their lives.
The setting is the location, timeline of the story. These details enrich our understanding of the text, so be mindful of them.
The writers of the Bible didn’t give every detail of an event. So, it’s critical to be attentive to what they included because it’s there for a reason. Discover how the story fits with the overarching biblical narrative and its theological point.
3. Poetry
These are writings with prose, rhythm, and figurative language; they make up one-third of the Bible. And books like the Psalms, Lamentations, Songs of Solomon are entirely poetry. The purpose is to amplify truth using beauty, to stir our emotions, amaze us, and lead us to worship.
The primary literary device of biblical poetry is parallelism. Parallelism occurs when two thoughts (or lines) are put together in a particular relation. The second thought can restate the first one, amplify it, complete it, contrast it, or affect it another way.
To interpret poetry, see how one line relates to the other. Also, notice the choice of words, imageries, metaphors, and other literary devices the author used. It will help discern his intent and the feelings he wants to evoke.
4. Wisdom
Wisdom literature is a collection of maxims and sayings. The wisdom books of the Bible are Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. They inform us of the world’s operation and how to live accordingly. The wisdom books have a lot of poetry, so search for parallelism. Watch out for life lessons and practical applications, but know that they are guidelines for a great life, not a guarantee.
5. Gospels
The Gospels are biographical narratives of the life, teachings, sayings, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Their purpose is to inform us of and proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God. There are four Gospel books: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and they tell the same story from fresh angles.
Matthew wrote to a Jewish audience to prove Jesus was the messiah. That’s why his account begins with the genealogy of Jesus and has the most Old Testament references.
Mark wrote to a Roman audience. His goal was to present Jesus as the perfect servant of God. As a result, Mark focuses on Jesus’ works and has the highest record of Jesus’ miracles.
A Gentile himself, Luke wrote to fellow Greeks to present an orderly account of the life of Jesus, and to prove its historical accuracy. Luke’s emphasis is on the humanity of Jesus, whom he calls the Son of Adam.
John wrote his gospel to prove Jesus is the Son of God. That is why he begins by proclaiming Jesus as the eternal Word of God and mentions the seven I Am statements that show the deity of Jesus. John’s gospel has about 90% unique content.
The gospels also have parables— earthly stories with a heavenly meaning. Jesus often used them to illustrate a theological concept. The parables revealed truths of the kingdom of God to a select people while concealing it to others (Luke 8:10). Always pay attention to the immediate context of the parables; it will help you interpret it correctly. Be mindful of the plot, characters, and settings of the gospels too.
6. Epistles
Epistles are the letters of the apostles which comprise teachings, exhortations, commands, and clarifications based on Jesus’ teachings. They typically have a salutation, introduction, body, and conclusion. The purpose of epistles is to instruct us using a logical or systematic presentation of ideas.
To interpret epistles, you need to research their historical context, i.e., the author, recipient, purpose, time, and place. You can also learn the culture and norms of the time and compare it to the epistle’s message.
The apostles did not write these letters to us. Consequently, we need to fill in the gaps and learn the things they didn’t say because their audience already knew it. You can find this information in an excellent study Bible such as the ESV Study Bible, or free online resources (I shared a few in the PSALM Bible Study Method.)
7. Prophecy and Apocalyptic
Prophecies either declare the word of God (forth-telling) or show future events (foretelling). They appear in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the other prophets. Apocalyptic literature is a prophecy that deals mainly with the end of times. They occur mostly in parts of Daniel and the book of Revelation.
Prophetic writings are usually poetic (see number 3), symbolic, or both. Pay attention to the symbols, but don’t over-analyze them; search for similar symbols in other Scriptures. Take into consideration the historical context of the text and how it fits in the unified story of the Bible.
Prophetic writings can be tricky to interpret, so do your due diligence to avoid errors. And remember that the ultimate purpose of prophecies is to point to Jesus. So note the ones Jesus fulfilled and those he hasn’t accomplished yet.
The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.
A.W. Tozer
A literary genre is an indispensable tool that enhances biblical interpretation. But like any other tool, it has its limitations. Genre tells us why and how a book was written, but it doesn’t tell us its content. Therefore, don’t assume a text means something only because it’s in a specific genre. The author’s intent alone decides the meaning.
Excellent article, very well written and easy to understand. Thank You!
Thank you! 🙂