Apocalyptic Literature When approaching apocalyptic literature, we must first define our terms: Apocalypse: a particular genre of literature written between approximately 200 B.C. and A.D. 200; Apocalyptic: an adjective “describing either the literary genre or the worldview; Apocalypticism: a worldview, ideology, or theology merging the eschatological aims of particular groups into a cosmic and political… Read More
A Call for Discernment: Interpreting the Parables
The Parables of Jesus In our book Invitation to Biblical Interpretation, we define a parable as “a short narrative that demands a response from the hearer” (426). Parables are realistic in that they do not contain fanciful elements that would be found in myths or fairy tales, yet they are not true stories like historical narratives…. Read More
Introduction to Hebrews: Who Were the Readers?
Introduction to Hebrews Throughout this blog series, we’ve been exploring introductory matters related to the book of Hebrews. Thus far, we’ve tried to detect clues within the letter as it pertains to the identity of the author and the central message of the book. In the final post of this series, we’ll turn our attention… Read More
Introduction to Hebrews: What Is the Message?
Introduction to Hebrews In the first post of this series, I likened the task of biblical interpretation to the work of a detective meticulously searching for clues and evidence. When it comes to the Bible, I noted that exploring introductory matters can greatly help us in our interpretation just as a composite sketch of a suspect… Read More
Introduction to Hebrews: Who Is the Author?
Introduction to Hebrews Recently, I was given the task of introducing the book of Hebrews at Randolph Street Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia. Over the next few posts, I’d like to explore introductory matters related to this important book. I believe knowing the background, that is, the historical setting, the literary design, and the major… Read More