Lecture 6

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation Lecture 6 Shepherds College Scott Jacobsen, Instructor 5 November 2024 1 Why Bother with Historical-Cultural Context? God did not say, “Because I’m God I will speak directly to everybody in all times and cultures.” Craig Keener 2 Why Bother with Historical-Cultural Context? God spoke through the human writers of Scripture to address the real-life needs of people at a particular time in a particular culture. 3 Why Bother with Historical-Cultural Context? The truth of the matter is that each passage of Scripture was “God’s Word to other people before it became God’s Word to us.” William Klein, Craig Blomberg & Robert Hubbard 4 Why Bother with Historical-Cultural Context? For our interpretation of any biblical text to be valid, it must be consistent with the historical-cultural context of that text. 5 What is Historical-Cultural Context? 1. The Biblical Writer • What is the author’s background? • When did the author write? • What type of ministry did the author have? • What type of relationship did the author have with his audience? • Why is the author writing? 6 What is Historical-Cultural Context? 2. The Biblical Audience • What circumstances does the audience face? Persecution Destruction of the Temple Exile in Babylon False Teaching 7 What is Historical-Cultural Context? 3. Other Historical-Cultural Elements Social Factors Geographical Features Religious Life Political Climate Economic Practices 8 Dangers Associated with Studying Background 1. Inaccurate background information 2. Elevating the background of the text above the meaning of the text 3. Evolving into nothing more than a walking database of ancient facts 9 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Entire Book Bible Handbooks include general articles about the Bible and the world of the Bible. Typically, they also contain a brief commentary on the entire Bible. 10 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Entire Book Old Testament and New Testament Introductions and Surveys contain detailed background information on each book of the Bible as well as an overview of the book’s contents. 11 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Entire Book Commentaries contain the most up-to-date, detailed information about the historical-cultural context of the book that contains your passage. 12 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Bible Atlases contain maps of the land, pictures of important sites, and helpful historical charts. 13 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Bible Dictionaries and Encyclopedias contain information about particular topics mentioned in a biblical text. 14 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Commentaries contain the most up-to-date, detailed information about the historical-cultural context of the book that contains your passage. 15 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Background Commentaries focus on explaining the historicalcultural background that is essential to grasping the meaning of a biblical text. 16 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Old Testament and New Testament Histories provide detailed background information on particular topics you encounter in a biblical passage. 17 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Special Studies in Ancient Life and Culture provide detailed discussions on selected topics. These special studies are similar to Bible dictionaries, but are more narrowly focused. 18 Tools for Identifying Historical-Cultural Context The Basic Tools Historical-Cultural Context of the Passage Itself Computer Software and the Internet provide convenient electronic access to many sources we have already discussed. 19 Old Testament Narrative and More Tools Corresponds to textbook chapter 18 20 Notes on Assignments • Use the worksheet • Outlining • Sub-points follow the points immediately above it. • “Stay on the Line” • When outlining the text, make certain that you .are only outlining what the text actually says, not what you “import” onto it. • Name on the worksheet • “Assignment 2 (last name) .docx” (or rtf, etc.) • Please do not send pdf files—hard to convert well. • I will return worksheet as “Assignment 2 (last name) marked.” 21 Concordance 22 On your own 1. Use a concordance to trace an English word. 2. Compare the Strong’s number to find the definition of that word. 1. 2. Note that Greek words are italicised and Hebrew words are in non-italicised. Note the different uses, in their contexts. 23 Old Testament Narrative: an example Text: “David and Goliath” See Helm p. 107 1. Locate the pericope 2. Use the Worksheet and answer the questions (worksheet was in the email). 1. Put your name on the worksheet 2. If possible, show your work beneath each heading of the worksheet 24 Old Testament Narrative “What happens when you begin studying a biblical passage by considering application for today? By contrast, what happens when you look through the lens of the passage’s literary and historical context before approaching application for today?” 25 Narrative: Three Levels (from Fee and Stuart) 3rd Level: Metanarrative 2nd Level: the Covenant People of God 1st Level: the individual stories 26 The Metanarrative 27 Interpreting Narratives (from Fee and Stuart) 1. Narratives are not Allegories 2. Narratives are not moral stories (although there may be a moral element) 3. Narratives illustrate the explicit 28 Characteristics of Hebrew Narrative • The Narrator • Scenes • Characters • Dialogue 29 Characteristics of Hebrew Narrative • Plot • Setting • Climax • Anti-climax • Features of Structure • Repetition • Inclusion (inclusio) • Chiasm • God as the ultimate character 30 Errors in Interpreting Narrative • Allegorizing • Decontextualizing • Selectivity • Moralizing • Personalizing • Misappropriation • False appropriation • False combination • Redefinition 31 Interpreting Narratives (readings from Fee & Stuart) 1. An Old Testament narrative usually does not directly teach a doctrine. 2. An Old Testament narrative usually illustrates a doctrine or doctrines taught propositionally elsewhere. 3. Narratives record what happened—not necessarily what should have happened or what ought to happen every time. Therefore, not every narrative has an individual identifiable moral application. 32 Interpreting Narratives 4. What people do in narratives is not necessarily a good example for us. Frequently, it is just the opposite. 5. Most of the characters in Old Testament narratives are far from perfect—as are their actions as well. 33 Interpreting Narratives 6. We are not always told at the end of a narrative whether what happened was good or bad. We are expected to be able to judge this on the basis of what God has taught us directly and categorically elsewhere in Scripture. 7. All narratives are selective and incomplete. Not all the relevant details are always given (cf. John 21:25). What does appear in the narrative is everything that the inspired author thought important for us to know. 34 Interpreting Narratives 8. Narratives are not written to answer all our theological questions. They have particular, specific, limited purposes and deal with certain issues, leaving others to be dealt with elsewhere in other ways. 9. Narratives may teach either explicitly (by clearly stating something) or implicitly (by clearly implying something without actually stating it). 10.In the final analysis, God is the hero of all biblical narratives. 35 Points to Remember 1. What did the text mean to the original writer? 2. What does the text mean in the light of the Gospel? 3. What is its specific meaning to me or my hearers now? Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom, 1981 36