Introduction to the New Testament

Transcription

1 Introduction to the New Testament UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING LITERARY TYPES

2 The Goal of Interpretation Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15) Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction. (2Peter 3:15-16)

3 Interpretation Your Best (personal; imperfect process) Correctly Handles ortho tomeō (thus, orthodox ) to cut a straight path through (I.e., interpret correctly) Word of Truth Propositions That which conforms to reality

4 Interpretive Contexts Grammatical Cultural Theological Historical Geographical Literary Contexts Textual

5 Interpretation (Contexts)

6 The Literature of the New Testament Epistles Parables Prophecy Gospels Genres Apocalyptic

7 Gospels (interpreting) Theological Biographies Formally, a gospel is a narrative account concerning the public life and teaching of a significant person that is composed of discreet traditional units placed in the context of scripture (IBI, p. 325). They are Theological and Historical Interpreting horizontally (Historical) Utilize a harmony of the gospels Let the gospels interpret one another Interpreting vertically (Theological) The first priority Maintain gospel emphases

8 Gospels (thinking horizontally and vertically) Horizontally Matthew Mark Luke John Vertically 14: : :10-17 Note: Frequently the gospel writers group passages topically or thematically rather than chronologically. 6:1-15 Feeding of the Five Thousand

9 Parables Often treated as allegories in the past Now commonly thought to teach a single general truth Narrative fiction with points leading to a main principle About 2/3 of Jesus stories have three major characters About 1/3 of the parables have 2 or 1 major characters Triadic Composition of Parables Dyadic & Monadic

10 Parables (not allegory) Luke 18:1-5 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!'"

11 Parables (general approach) Matthew 21:28-22 (The Parable of the Two Sons) Three Lessons God commands all to obey Some promise but do not perform Some rebel but later submit One Principle: Performance takes priority over promise.

12 Epistles (basic form) 1. Opening 2. Thanksgiving 3. Body of the letter 4. Moral exhortations 5. Closing Adapted from How to Read the Bible as Literature, Ryken, p. 155

13 Epistles (tips for interpreters) READING THE NEW TESTAMENT Minutes Read as a literary whole Jude Romans 90 1 Corinthians Attend to the historical context Occasional letters Not theological essays Note figures of speech Think in paragraphs to follow the logic flow 3 John 2 John 1 John 2 Peter 1 Peter James Hebrew s Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians Philemon Titus 2 Timothy 1 Timothy

14 Figures of Speech Anthropomorphism The attribution of human features or actions to God. Acts 13:11 Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind, and for a time you will be unable to see the light of the sun. Apostrophe Addressing a thing as if it were a person, or an absent of imaginary person as if he were present. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

15 Figures of Speech Euphemism The use of a less offensive expression to indicate a more offensive one. Galatians 5:12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! Hyperbole Exaggeration to say more than is literally meant. 2 Corinthians 11:8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you.

16 Figures of Speech Hypocatastasis A comparison in which likeness is implied rather than stated. Luke 12:1 Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Idiom An expression peculiar to a particular people. Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, (NASB)

17 Figures of Speech Merism A substitution of two contrasting or opposite parts for the whole (Genesis 1:1). Acts 2:17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Metaphor A comparison in which one thing represents another. Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world.

18 Figures of Speech Paradox A statement that seems absurd, self-contradictory, or contrary to logical thought. Matthew 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. Personification Ascribing human characteristics or actions to inanimate objects or animals. Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

19 Figures of Speech Rhetorical Question A question that requires no answer, yet forces one to answer mentally and consider its ramifications. Romans 6:1 Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Simile A comparison using like or as. James 1:6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

20 Prophecy: Overview Purpose Explaining the present (Proclamation) Predicting the future Presuppositions Prediction is possible God knows and orders the future God has spoken through the Bible Skeptic s Issues Vague predictions Contemporary fulfillment Post-dated (falsified) statements

21 Four Schools of Interpretation Late first century persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian (81-96) AD Past Ideal Continuous Historical Events between John s day and the return of Jesus Events associated with the end of time/return of Jesus Future

22 Apocalyptic Description High symbolic and figurative language Focus on final matters Focus on the struggle between good and evil Use Prevalent Between 200 BC and 200 AD Present in the Old Testament (Daniel, Zechariah & Ezekiel) Occurring in later Christian writings

23 Apocalyptic (figurative language) Revelation 20:1-3 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

24 Apocalyptic (distinctive elements of Revelation) Regular references to the book as prophecy Typically prophetic warnings and calls for repentance Lack of pseudonymity An optimistic worldview No retracing of past history in the guise of prophecy Realized eschatology Little interpretation by angels Belief that the Messiah has already come Adapted from The Book of Revelation, Leon Morris, pp

25 Interpretation (avoiding errors) Content Observed Relationships Context Intent Interpreted Relationships

26 Interpretation (difficulties) A troublesome problem A handy excuse Getting beyond, That s just your interpretation!

27 Interpretation (resources) Introduction to Biblical Interpretation (Klein, Blomberg, and Hubbard), W Publishing Group, 1993 Living by the Book (Hendricks and Hendricks), Moody Press, 1991 How to Read the Bible as Literature (Ryken), Zondervan, 1984 Exegetical Fallacies (Carson), Baker Books, 1996 Mind the Gap (Harvey), Lulu 2015