AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY How to Write an Exegesis of a Biblical Text. Ian J. Elmer

Transcription

1 AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY How to Write an Exegesis of a Biblical Text 1. Why do we need to do a formal interpretation (exegesis) of a biblical text? The bible is the product of a variety of authors, writing within a diversity of cultures, at times far removed from our own. The Bible is both a collection of historical artefacts and a library of ancient texts. Moreover, the composition of the individual books and the collection of these into the canon of the bible are the result of long historical processes. Therefore, if we are to reach an informed and balanced reading of a particular biblical text (be it a single passage, section, or book of the Bible), we must focus on three important aspects of the text: Its literary form and features (World within the text) Its historical development and context (World behind the text) Its meaning for us today (World before the text) These three foci, or three worlds, constitute the basis of an exegesis. 2. The Exegetical Exercise 1 a. Introduction: becoming familiar with the text i. Begin by focussing only on the biblical text you must put aside your own presuppositions and assumptions, and let the text speak on its own terms ii. Read the passage carefully and attentively (even if it is already familiar to you; you may learn something new). It may be helpful to look at one or two different translations. You may like to seek out a Parallel Bible (see below in Tools for the Exegete ), which provides several translations in a single edition. iii. Record your first impressions - How did this passage strike you? How did you respond to this passage? What questions did it raise for you? This step helps orient you to the task. iv. Check the footnotes and other apparatus in your bible Are there any textual problems (different readings of the texts or parts of the text in the different manuscripts)? Are there any translation problems (different ways to translate particular words or phrases)? Are there parallel passages elsewhere in the bible? These may be significant when interpreting the intended meaning of the text. 1 Adapted from ACU, THEO113 World and Literature of the Bible: Study Guide (Brisbane: ACU, Mcauley Campus, 2004). 1

2 Using a Study Bible (see below in Tools for the Exegete ) will make this enterprise much easier. b. The World within the Text: addressing literary-critical Issues i. Situate the text within its literary context Where is it placed within the Bible (Hebrew or Christian scriptures), section (eg. Torah, Prophets, Writings, Gospels, Letters, etc.), and/or book of the bible (eg. Genesis, Mark s Gospel)? What is its literary genre (historical narrative, poetry, legend, myth, aetiology)? How does it stand in relation to the material before and after it (in terms of content, style, and genre)? ii. Describe the literary structure (or plot) of the text Does it have an introduction and conclusion? How many identifiable sections or parts does it have, and how are they linked? Are there editorial comments or asides? Is there evidence of clear stylistic arrangement (eg. Use of Chiastic structure, rule of three, acrostic, or parallelism)? Are there any repetitions (words, phrases, events) used here in this text, or elsewhere in the larger context (book or section of the bible) from which this text is taken? Refer to a concordance or biblical dictionary to help you identify these significant words and phrases. iii. Note all indications of setting Where does this story take place in time (with reference to dates, seasons, events) and place (with reference to geography, both physical [mountain, plain, seaside] and political [houses, cities, temples])? Much of this could be symbolically significant for the author. Seek out commentaries or studies on this text that provide background on the geography and politics of the time. iv. List all the characters How are they introduced and presented? Who speaks and who doesn t, and what do they say and/or do? Who seem to be the central characters, and why are they the centre of attention? Whose perspective is presented in the text? v. Describe the role of the narrator Is the narrator overt (stated openly as in the case of Paul in his authentic letters), identified (pseudonymously claimed as in the case of Moses and Deuteronomy), or implied (functioning as interpreter and guide to readers but with a clear bias as in the case of Mark s Gospel)? How does the author use the narrator s voice to shape the reading of the text? vi. Summarise the contents Restate the story or teaching in your own words. Try to determine what you think the author is saying here. Make some preliminary observations about the function or meaning of the text in terms of its plot development, setting, 2

3 characters, and narrative voice. How does it function within the larger context of the biblical book in which it appears? c. The World behind the Text: addressing historical-critical Issues i. Situate the text in its historical context What do we know about its author, its place of composition, and its intended readers? Can these questions be answered directly from the text, and is that information reliable (eg. The Deutero-Pauline letters and the Pastorals); or must we deduce them from the nature and content of the text? Search for clues and hints within the text; refer to commentaries, and individual monographs (see below in Tools for the Exegete ) on the text for help. Note that some texts may have several authors (Psalms, Paul s letters) or a succession of editors (eg. Torah). ii. Try to identify the sources behind the text Does the author draw on other known texts (eg. Matthew and Luke s use of Mark)? Remember, earlier, we took note of parallel passages elsewhere in the Bible are these directly related to (either dependent on or a source for) the text under review? Can we determine the presence of earlier editions or the combination of pre-existent, competing traditions (the J, E, P, D materials in the Torah)? Again, refer to commentaries, studies, and in the case of the Gospels a Synopsis (see below in Tools for the Exegete ). iii. Seek out similar and related materials either within the bible or extra-canonical/extra-biblical Are there any similarities in terms of content, style, and genre between this text and other ancient literature in the bible or beyond (eg. compare Genesis 1-3 to other creation stories from Mesopotamia; the Synoptic Gospels )? Is there evidence of an inter-relationship (dependence?) between these texts (consult the commentaries)? iv. Engage in a verse-by-verse exploration of the text Examine each verse, note key words and phrases, stylistic features, and attempt to situate these in their historical context (using commentaries, footnotes in your bible, biblical dictionaries, individual studies [monographs] of the passage, and concordances see Tools for the Exegete ). Consider here also those differences in translation or manuscript record noted earlier; how do these differences affect the meaning of the verse? v. Draw some conclusions in the light of your research on the original and intended meaning and function of this passage What did the author intend this passage to mean? How would the original audience have understood it? How might this passage have been used within the community? What does the passage tell 3

4 us about the situation (economic, social, demographic, geographic, etc), beliefs (religious, political, and cultural) and faith-practice (liturgical, moral, structural) of that community? Obviously, not every passage will provide all of these insights. List only those that can be established, or argued for, with some degree of certainty. A Bible Atlas (see below in Tools for the Exegete ) is an invaluable resource for this task. d. The World before the Text: addressing contemporary issues i. Think about the relevance of the text for today Can this text still speak to us in twenty-first century? What are the problematic (literary and historical) features of this text that make it difficult for people today to comprehend? How does the world in which this text was first communicated differ from ours? How does the literary style and genre make this text alien to modern readers? ii. Identify current prejudices and presuppositions that effect the interpretation of the text How has this text normally been interpreted (in churches, in the media [film, novels, plays, newspapers], in the general public)? Has it been misused to justify inappropriate beliefs or behaviour? Has your re-reading of the text in its literary and historical contexts forced you to reconsider your own preconceptions, prejudices and presuppositions about the meaning of this text? iii. Be aware of different scholarly interpretations In your research you probably encountered differences of opinion amongst the commentators and scholars who studied this text. Consider and compare their opinions, and determine the strengths and weaknesses of their differing arguments. With whom do you agree, and why (based on your own reading of the literary and historical contexts of the text)? How might you counter the opposing opinion? iv. Consider other points-of-view How might people of another culture, gender, creed, or race interpret this passage? Seek out any available materials (eg. Commentaries, studies and monographs written from another perspective, such as Feminist interpretation, Liberation-theology, fundamentalist, Eastern-Rite [Orthodox], Pentecostal, Islamic or Jewish exegetical traditions) that attempt to interpret this passage from a perspective different from your own. This may provide further new insights. v. Finally, think about how this text might be divine revelation for readers today What features of the worlds both within and behind this text parallel the challenges faced by devotees in the modern world? How might this text, read in its proper literary and 4

5 historical contexts, offer fresh insight into our beliefs and faithpractices? Does this text confirm or challenge those beliefs and practices? What is an appropriate response to the message of this text? 3. Tools for the Exegete 2 a. Study Bible - an edition which prints not only the biblical text itself (as in a "Reader s Bible"), but also extensive "editorial material," including introductions, footnotes, cross-references, and appendices with maps, charts, time-lines, etc. b. Biblical Atlas - a book containing lots of maps and diagrams, pictures and helpful discussions of biblical geography; good ones include the Harpers Bible Atlas and the Macmillan Atlas of the Bible. See also Giacomo Perego s Interdisciplinary Atlas of the Bible, which combines maps, pictures and diagrams arranged chronologically (historically) with insights drawn from biblical criticism, archaeology, history, and theology. c. Biblical Commentary - a book of modern scholars explanations of biblical texts, arranged in biblical order (book-by-book, chapter-bychapter, verse-by-verse); it usually includes notes on items necessary for understanding the text (historical, geographical, linguistic, etc.), and a scholar s interpretation of its meaning (theological, rhetorical, and/or narrative); good one-volume commentaries covering the whole OT and NT include the New Jerome Biblical Commentary and the Harpers Bible Commentary; multi-volume commentary series go into much more depth on each biblical book eg. New Interpreters Bible, Sacra Pagina Series and Black s New Testament Commentaries. d. Monograph literally a single writing, it is the term used for specialist studies on specific biblical passages, books, concepts, or issues written by scholars; eg. SBL Monograph Series. Shorter more concise studies can be located in academic journals dedicated to the study of the Bible, eg. Catholic Biblical Quarterly (CBQ), Journal for the Study of the New Testament (JSNT), The Bible Today (BibToday), Interpretation (Int), and the Journal of Biblical Literature (JBL). e. Biblical Dictionary - contains articles on most biblical names, places, images, themes, and other words in alphabetical order; the best ones currently available are the Anchor Bible Dictionary (ABD; 6 vols.; 1992), the Interpreters Dictionary of the Bible (IDB: 4 vols. 1962; and IDBS: a "Supplement" vol. 1969), and the HarperCollins Bible Dictionary (1996). 2 Adapted from F. Just, A Glossary of Important Terms for New Testament Studies Electronic New Testament Educational Resources (Loyola Marymount University, 2004).URL: (Date Accessed ). 5

6 f. Lexicon - a dictionary explaining the meaning of ancient Hebrew or Greek words, and usually also providing some references for where and how they are used in ancient literature. g. Concordance - a book listing all the passages in the Bible (OT and NT) in which a particular word is used; be careful when using English concordances, since a particular Hebrew or Greek word might be translated with various different English words; so always also look up related words and synonyms! h. Parallel Bible - an edition which prints several English translations (often 4, 6, or 8 different ones! - and sometimes also the original Greek or Hebrew text) in parallel columns on the same pages so you can compare them easily; the texts follow the biblical order from Genesis to Revelation (or Matthew to Revelation if it covers only the NT). i. Gospel Synopsis - a book which prints similar pericopes from the Gospels (either the Synoptics only, or possibly all four Gospels) in parallel columns on the same pages for easy comparison; it uses only one English translation (and/or Greek texts). The best known is Synopsis of the Four Gospels, edited by K. Aland, which is based on the RSV (Revised Standard Version). Pericopes are arranged roughly from the beginning of Matt to the end of John, but since pericopes are in different orders in the Synoptics, and most of John s material is not in the Synoptics at all, many pericopes have to be printed out of biblical order or printed twice. j. Interlinear Bible - an edition in which each line of the original biblical text (OT Hebrew or NT Greek) is followed by a line containing a literal English equivalent directly underneath each Hebrew or Greek word; since the word order of the ancient languages is very different from any modern languages, the English equivalents seem very strange, chopped up, and out of order; thus a smooth English translation is usually also provided in the margins. 4. What if I have to Write a Formal Exegesis for Assessment? In any unit on Biblical Studies, students will usually be required to do an exegesis of a particular passage (eg. The Creation story in Genesis 1:1-2:4), or examine a biblical author s use of a specific motif (eg. The Disciples in Mark s Gospel); the latter requires the student to do a separate (albeit brief) exegesis on several pertinent passages. The process outlined above seems daunting, but most of it is really a method of guided reading. You will not be required to write all of the reflections and notes derived from the process above into a formal exegesis. Moreover, students confronted with the prospect of doing a formal exegesis tend to look at the enormity of the project, rather than attempting break that project down into smaller, discreet tasks. But first, some general observations: 6

7 a. The first thing to remember about an exegesis is that it is like any other academic paper, which contains a threefold structure: an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion (see How to Write an Essay ). b. The main body of the paper has to contain an informed and logically structured argument or analysis. c. By informed, we mean that it must contain factual information that is documented by using (preferably) the Turabian (Chicago) referencing system (footnote/bibliography). At least six reputable and recognized, scholarly sources are to be used when writing your paper, avoiding references primarily drawn from devotional and pastoral materials. The last page of the paper will be an alphabetical bibliography of all sources used in the paper (APA usually requires a penultimate page of References, listing those texts specifically quoted in the essay). d. By logically-structured we mean that you must make a balanced, and coherent argument or analysis based on your own observations of the text. Moreover, it is important to note that you must make your own argument or analysis, in your own words (avoid jargon), using your secondary sources merely to illustrate, support, and augment your own line of investigation. Your primary focus must be on the biblical text, not on the secondary scholarship. Writing a formal exegesis is not simply a matter of stringing together pertinent quotes from secondary sources. e. Exegesis papers are to be typed double-spaced with all scripture references placed within the text eg. (Gen 1:1) - and coming from a recent, recognized translation such as, the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (NRSV), the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB), the New International Version (NIV), or the New American Bible (NAB). Having said that, we might now note how you go about writing this exegesis: f. After completing the introduction to the paper (outlining his/her question, thesis, and brief overview), the student has to tackle the main body, which is divided into three distinct sections (now you ll see the sense in the exegetical exercise outlined above). I. The first section is composed of an analysis of the setting or the passage in its literary context (the world within the text). Begin by simply describing what you read, trying to determine in what form or genre the passage is written. Is the passage prose or poetry, history or allegory, literal or symbolic, lament or hymn, law or diary, parable, sermon, or letter? Briefly detail its plot, setting, and characters (if it is a narrative), noting stylistic characteristics (eg. Repertitions, distinctive words and phrases, narrative voice, etc.), and apparent (literal ) meaning. Also, it is important to look at the context of the passage in relation to the context of the Bible as a whole, the book in which it is located, and the material immediately surrounding the passage. 7

8 II. Second, we turn to the world behind the text that is its historical context. Using the hints and clues available in the text, and referring to your secondary, scholarly sources to support, illustrate and augment your investigation, try to verify who wrote the passage and discern the historical situation in which it was written. Next, determine exactly what was going on in the world at the time of the writing and then consider to whom the passage was written. Using this information present an analysis of the actual passage and each individual verse of the passage. This analysis should include word studies and a discussion of any peculiar grammar patterns. The Bible is a piece of literature; therefore, an exegesis would be incomplete if it did not define terms (within their historical context), consider the structure of the language (as used at the time), or the function of the various parts of speech. III. The conclusion of the main body of your exegesis paper is a discussion of the theological significance or contemporary relevance of the passage (the world before the text). Students need to look at the passage and determine how (in the light of their literary and historical investigation) this passage is relevant for today's society. In other words, what does it say to our present situation in life and what meaning does it have for us today. This part of the paper does not necessarily need to be documented because it is to be written from the viewpoint of the person doing the exegesis. However, this would be an appropriate place to note some other unique interpretations provided by other scholars and traditions, discussing (briefly) how these might inform our presentday reading of the text. g. Finally, the student finishes the paper with a standard Conclusion (restating the question, briefly revisiting the arguments presented and the conclusions reached). Remember, when writing a formal exegesis it is important not to be intimated by either the enormity of the project or the content of the subject matter, the Bible. Calmly analyze the requirements (i.e. the essay question) for the paper and carefully follow the guidelines presented above, using a variety of tools (i.e. commentaries, biblical atlases, concordances, and dictionaries) to make the task easier. Don't even be thrown by differing opinions from different scholars. After all, the best essays that score the highest marks are those that canvas a variety of opinions, while making a cogent personal assessment of the primary text. 8