# What is the best most concise book on biblical literary genre?



## The Deeps (Mar 5, 2009)

I am really looking to purchase the best reference work for exposition on Biblical literary genre. 

The following would be very helpful.

1. covering the whole bible
2. contemporary (or as close as possible)
3. 1 chapter one genre
4. it discusses the dangers of over application and under application of the genre to the text. (not an extreme position)
5. Is it available on LOGOS? (this one is not a deal breaker)

(I already have the literary study bible)


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## DMcFadden (Mar 5, 2009)

One of the best introductions to hermeneutics dealing with the various genre of the Bible is available in Logos,
*Introduction to Biblical Interpretation*
William W. Klein, Craig Blomberg, Robert L. Hubbard and Kermit Allen Ecklebarger, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Dallas, Tex.: Word Pub., 1993), i.


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## The Deeps (Mar 5, 2009)

Does this book focus solely on literary genre?


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## DMcFadden (Mar 5, 2009)

No, it is a general book on hermeneutics . . .

PART I—THE TASK OF INTERPRETATION
CHAPTER 1—THE NEED FOR HERMENEUTICS
Why Hermeneutics?
Hermeneutics Defined
The Art and Science of Interpretation
The Role of the Interpreter
The Meaning of the Message
The Text
The Author and the Audience
Some Challenges of Bible Interpretation
Distance of Time
Cultural Distance
Geographical Distance
Distance of Language
Eternal Relevance—The Divine Factor
The Goal of Hermeneutics
Conclusion

CHAPTER 2—THE HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION
Jewish Interpretation
Hellenistic Judaism
The Qumran Community
Rabbinic Judaism
The Apostolic Period (ca. a.d. 30–100)
The Patristic Period (ca. a.d. 100–590)
The Apostolic Fathers (ca. a.d. 100–150)
Alexandrian School (ca. a.d. 150–400)
Church Councils (ca. a.d. 400–590)
The Middle Ages (ca. a.d. 590–1500)
The Reformation (ca. a.d. 1500–1650)
The Post-Reformation Period (ca. a.d. 1650–1800)
The Modern Period (ca. a.d. 1800—Present)
The Nineteenth Century
The Twentieth Century
Post-World War I
Post-World War II

CHAPTER 3—RECENT LITERARY AND SOCIAL-SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES TO INTERPRETATION
Literary Criticism
Narrative Criticism
Applications
Critique
Poststructuralism
Reader-Response Criticism
Deconstruction
Social-Scientific Approaches to Scripture
Classification
Social History
Application of Social-Scientific Theories
Advocacy Groups
Liberation Hermeneutics
Cultural Criticism
Feminist Hermeneutics

CHAPTER 4—THE CANON AND TRANSLATIONS
The Biblical Canon
The Canon of the Old Testament
The Development of the Canon
The Order of the Canon
The Canon of the New Testament
The Development of the Canon
The Order of the Canon
Criteria of Canonicity
Canon Criticism
Texts and Translations
Textual Criticism
Techniques of Translation
The Major English Translations
Choosing a Translation

PART II—THE INTERPRETER AND THE GOAL
CHAPTER 5—THE INTERPRETER
Qualifications of the Interpreter
A Reasoned Faith
Obedience
Illumination
Membership in the Church
Appropriate Methods
Presuppositions for Correct Interpretation
Presuppositions about the Nature of the Bible
Presuppositions about Methodology
Presuppositions about the Ultimate Goal of Hermeneutics
Preunderstandings of the Interpreter
Definition of Preunderstanding
The Role of Preunderstanding
A Philosophy of Interpretation as Preunderstanding
Testing Preunderstandings
A Christian Preunderstanding
Preunderstandings Change with Understanding
Preunderstandings and Objectivity in Interpretation

CHAPTER 6—THE GOAL OF INTERPRETATION
Levels of Meaning
Does the Text Have One Fixed Meaning or Several Levels of Meaning?
Author-Centered Textual Meaning
What Kind of “Meaning” Ought to Be the Goal of Interpretation?
Legitimate Reader-Response Interpretation
How Can We Assure that We Give the Reader Full Due?
Validating Our Interpretation
How Can We Validate Our Interpretation?

PART III—UNDERSTANDING LITERATURE
CHAPTER 7—GENERAL RULES OF HERMENEUTICS: PROSE
Literary Context
The Importance of the Literary Context
Principles of Hermeneutics Relating to Context
Circles of Contextual Study
Historical-Cultural Background
The Significance of the Historical-Cultural Background
Principles for Historical-Cultural Interpretation
Retrieving the Historical-Cultural Background
Word Meanings
Crucial Issues about the Nature of Words
Steps for Performing Word Studies
Grammatical-Structural Relationships
The Importance of Grammatical Relationships
Steps for Discovering Structural Relationships

CHAPTER 8—GENERAL RULES OF HERMENEUTICS: BIBLICAL POETRY
The Dynamics of Poetry
The Sounds of Hebrew Poetry
Rhyme and Meter
The Sounds of Poetic Words
The Structure of Hebrew Poetry
Parallelism
Basic Units of Parallelism
How Parallelism Works
Types of Parallelism
Other Poetic Structures
The Language of Poetry
Imagery
Devices of Poetic Language
Similes and Metaphors
Other Poetic Language Devices
How to Interpret Poetic Language
Larger Units of Poetry
Sense Units

PART IV—UNDERSTANDING BIBLE GENRES
CHAPTER 9–GENRES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
Narratives
Old Testament Narrative Genres
Reports
Heroic Narrative
Prophet Story
Comedy
Farewell Speech
A Sample Narrative: Judges 7:1–15
Embedded Genres
Popular Proverb
Riddles, Fables, and Parables
Songs
Lists
Law
Types of Old Testament Legal Material
Casuistic Law
Apodictic Law
Legal Series
Legal Instruction
Principles of Interpretation—Law
A Sample Legal Text: Exodus 21:7–11
Deuteronomy
Poetry
Types of Old Testament Poetry
Prayers
Songs
Liturgies
Wisdom Psalms
Principles of Interpretation—Poetry
Prophecy
Basic Types of Prophecy
Prophecy of Disaster
Prophecy of Salvation
Woe Speech
Prophetic Dirge
Prophetic Hymn
Prophetic Liturgy
Prophetic Disputation
Prophetic Lawsuit
Prophecy Against Foreign Nations
Prophetic Vision Report
Prophetic Narratives
General Principles for Interpreting Old Testament Prophecy
Interpreting Prophetic “Forthtelling”
Interpreting Prophetic “Foretelling”
The Many Ways of Fulfillment
Specific Principles for Interpretation—Prophecy
A Sample Prophetic Text: Isaiah 5:1–7
Apocalyptic Prophecy
Wisdom
Types of Wisdom Literature
Proverbs
Instruction
Example Story and Reflection
Disputation Speeches
A Sample Wisdom Text—Proverbs 30:24–28
Conclusion

CHAPTER 10—GENRES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
The Genre of the Gospels
Implications for Interpretation
Historical Trustworthiness
Reading Horizontally and Vertically
The Gospels’ First Audiences
Key Theological Issues
The Kingdom of God
The Ethics of Jesus
The Forms Within the Gospels
Parables
Miracle Stories
Pronouncement Stories
Other Forms
The Genre of Acts
Implications for Interpretation
Thinking Vertically
The Significance of Pentecost
Acts as Narrative
The Genre of the Epistles
Implications for Interpretation
General Considerations
Specific Considerations
Distinctives of Hebrews and the “General Epistles”
Individual Forms in the Epistles
Creeds or Hymns
The Domestic Code
Slogans
Vice and Virtue Lists
Key Theological Issues for the Pauline Epistles
The Center of Pauline Theology
Is There Development in Paul’s Writings?
The Genre of Revelation
Revelation as an Epistle
Revelation as Prophecy
Revelation as Apocalyptic
Conclusion

PART V—THE FRUITS OF INTERPRETATION
CHAPTER 11—USING THE BIBLE TODAY
To Gain Information and Understanding
To Worship
To Create Liturgy
To Formulate Theology
To Preach
To Teach
To Provide Pastoral Care
For Spiritual Formation in the Christian Life
For Aesthetic Enjoyment
Summary

CHAPTER 12—APPLICATION
The Importance of Application
Avoiding Mistakes in Application
Total Neglect of Any Context
Partial Neglect of the Literary or Historical Context of a Passage
Insufficiently Analogous Situations
A Four-Step Methodology for Legitimate Application
Determine the Original Application(s)
Evaluate the Level of Specificity of the Original Application(s)
Identify the Cross-Cultural Principles
Find Appropriate Applications that Embody the Broader Principles
The Role of the Holy Spirit
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hermeneutical Tools
Annotated Listing

I don't swear by all of their conclusions. They are, "broadly evangelical," for instance, and more than a little bit more favorable to reader response hermeneutics than I am comfortable with as a general rule.

I think the following one will be a bit more practical (and orthodox).

*Hermeneutics: Principles and Processes of Biblical Interpretation *
Henry A. Virkler, Karelynne Gerber Ayayo 
Books Baker Academic (09/01/2007)
ISBN: 0801031389

If you wait a bit, Logos has it in their Baker Hermeneutics pre-pub deal.


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## The Deeps (Mar 6, 2009)

Just ordered principles and processes thanks!


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