Bible as Literature
The Bible is supernatural and extraordinary. Its theological and poetic, it’s prophetic and it wisdom. Our approach here is also about a correct understanding of the Word of God not just as literature but also as revealed truth. As we explore the genres of the Bible it does not take long to run into the stories which are called Biblical narratives. Biblical narratives are historical writing. That is, it is concern with the characters and events that takes place. Because the Bible is revealed truth there is a fundamental presuppositions that we take to the text. That is the Bible is rooted in time and space history. Biblical narratives are not just fictional stories but actual history that took place and are to be interpreted as literally true in all its parts and details unless the genre changes within the narratives, i.e., within a story there a vision, or it specifically says otherwise. That being said let’s take a look at some basics presupposition about Biblical narratives. Biblical narratives are to be taken at face value as historical fact. Historical writing wants to tell us what happened. Historical facts are often places into an interpretive moral and spiritual framework. Historical writings is not deconstructism where one attempt to distort history, but it affirms the truth about what took place. When you read the Bible as literature you detract the authority of the Bible by bring down to the same level as other secular literature. This not the case because the major difference in the two is in Biblical literature God is the hero of all narrative in the Scriptures not man as in secular literature. However we should very intentional and not throw away exegetical soundness. Because it is too easy to take things out of it context and distort the Word of God. This not the case either because once your learn to identify the different type of literature that is used throughout the Scriptures will assist you extracting the true intended meaning of it. We do have to continuously practice exegetical soundness but we do not have to give up out literary awareness.
Biblical Narratives
Because the Bible is also a piece of literature; and when studying Biblical narratives it in light of that; our goal should be to re-experience the stories. Hear the word being spoken- the dialogue. Feel like your set into the setting that is in the story. See the people and action in your mind. Experience every aspect of the story. However, it does not mean that should ignore the theological implications either. When we read and study the Bible as literature we are not reading for the theological out line for proof text. That is, we should also be concerned with experiential concreteness and we should be concern with identifying the literary genre, to examine the artistry, beauty, pattern of it, and it is looking at the literary resources of language. We should be make every effort to re-experience the reality of it. Literature appeals to our understanding through our imagination. The reason for this is because truth is more than abstract idea's it's should also ignites our images. It is no wonder that Jesus taught 70% of story illustration. This gives the image the imprint of what is being communicated.
To that end, it’s vital that we have some basic understanding about how we deal with Biblical narratives and how Biblical narratives function in our approach to them in order to set a president for interpretative correctness. There are three reason to Study the Biblical Narratives. The living Word of God alone breathes life in the heart of every born again believer and draws the unbelieving heart to faith in Christ, and this is number one greatest benefit of biblical Studies. We believe that Bible Study has the greatest spiritual impact on the minds and hearts of every one engaging in Bible Study! We believe in the sanctifying power of God’s Word in our lives and the lives which God uses to transform our lives through Biblical investigation! Biblical narratives provides an excellent vehicle in which we can identify the characters, who is interacting with whom and where; and it teaches what the facts of the narrative itself while we lean to identified what is happening as we follow the story line.
Purpose of Biblical Narratives and How to Deal with Them
Narratives are episodes (passages) with short scenarios with a set of characters that lead us to a single plot, some human some divine. Again its vital to remember that Biblical narratives are rooted in space time history, that is they are utterly true in all its parts, and show us God at work in His creation and among His people. Therefore, the goal is to always identifying God’s Work in His Creation and identify His Creations response (Good or bad).
The purpose of Biblical narratives is to always elicit faith in God and not man, that is they serve to move us from faith in creation to trust in the Creator. Therefore the primary purpose of Biblical narratives is to glorify God! That is they provide illustrations of many lessons important to our lives. Biblical narratives may teach by contrast, meaning that sometimes we are expected to be able to judge what is right or wrong on the basis of what God has taught us directly and categorically elsewhere in the Scripture. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example for us, and in fact sometimes, it is just the opposite. Biblical narratives always teach us about God specifically. It reveals how He has and can intervene in His creation. Biblical narratives state and demonstrate His will for mankind through the vehicle of human language and stories of actual history of His actions in this world throughout human history.
Three Greatest Fallacy with Biblical Narratives
One of the fallacy to avoid when dealing with Biblical is focusing on solely on who God uses and not what God does! Again, the reason and purpose of Biblical narratives is to glorify God and not the man.
Glorifying people and not God.
The second fallacy to avoid is allegorizing the details of the narratives. Simply put this takes the details of the narratives and makes them represent or personifies something else other than the literally. The actors and action represent other things. A good example of this is in the story of David and Goliath. When David pick up five smooth stones and making each stone represent something else besides stones like a “stone of faith” and a “stone of prayer” etc. and ignoring the contexts and the no accepting it a record of historical fact. The details of scripture are taken, not in their natural meaning, but in a scriptural sense not observed on the surface. The story may be true of life, but doesn't mean what it says. The actors and action represent other things. There are allegorical portion of Scripture (e.g., Ezekiel 23 or parts of revelation) but none of the Scriptural allegories is simple narrative."[1] Most if not all allegorical portions are found in apocalyptic literature not in Biblical narratives.
The third fallacy personalizing. “This is reading the Scriptures in a way that suppose that any or all parts apply to you or your group in a way that they do not apply to everyone else. "People tend to be self-centered, even when reading the Bible. When the big picture of God's redemptive history fails to satisfy, they prey to the temptation to look for something that will satisfy their personal needs, cravings, or problems. They can forget that all parts of the Bible are intended for everyone, not just them. Examples of personalizing would be, "The story of Balaam's talking donkey reminds me that I talk too much.”[2]
How to Study and Interpret Biblical Narratives
Interpreting Biblical narratives is really quite simple. There are three progressive steps when studying Biblical narratives. Three levels to engage into when studying Biblical narratives.
First step is what’s happening in the narrative itself! That is identify who’s involved, who is God using and what’s being said?
Secondly, we need to jump back then and there. What is happening culturally, spiritually and what is happening at the time of the events are taking place. Investigate and learn the beliefs, attitude and customs of the time and place the narrative into the larger historical context. Narrative that deal with the times of the prophets, such as this one, must be seen in light of the prophetic period. This is where the literary thinking becomes active. Learning to make every effort to re-experience the reality of it. With the help of the Holy Spirit igniting our imagination and sound historical evidence the goal is the capture the original intending meaning that the original author was trying to communicate to his original audience at the original time period that it was original written. Create a mental time warp, enter into the narrative yourself.
Thirdly, how does the narrative fit into God's universal plan. What transcultural or timeless Biblical truth is being communicated or taught. Take the narrative and place it in light of what God has been doing throughout history, in all ages. Take the narrative and place it in light of what God has been doing throughout history, in all ages. How does it fit into His overall plan. How does it relate to us here and now. The most critical thing to remember here is that God is always the supreme protagonist and the leading decisive character in all Biblical narratives. Failure to identify God as the ultra-protagonist is failure to interpret it correctly. Therefore, God is the hero of all Biblical narrative!
The way Biblical narratives teach today is something quite unique. Spiritual formation takes place when the intersections between the facts of the Biblical narrative and understanding that supreme protagonist and the leading decisive character (God) reaches our hearts. When this bridges is built transformation happens. Reason being is that now we server a God who can and will be the hero in our lives today and as a result we can trust in and rely on Him in the same way the biblical characters did of old. The heart of Biblical narratives and the nature of spiritual formation in its purest form is in the stories we read in the Bible. God was and is the hero of all Biblical narrative and He is and can be the hero in our lives as well if we learn the Biblical narratives and apply them to our lives today.
[1] Fee Gordon & Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible For all Its Worth, (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House 1994), p. 91.
[2] Ibid.
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