How to Write an Exegesis PDF

Preview

Summary

How to Write an Exegesis. This document directly helps with writing one of the assessment pieces....

Description

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

How to Write an Exegesis (Critical Analysis) of a Biblical Text

Ian J. Elmer

1. What is an Exegesis? The term “exegesis” is used by biblical scholars and readers of the Bile to refer to the systematic process by which a person (an “exegete”) arrives at a reasonable and coherent sense of the meaning and message of a biblical passage. A good exegete has learned what questions to ask of a text in order to arrive at this “sense” and, of course, how and where to go to find the answers. Because the right kind of questions will vary depending on the type (genre) of literature involved, and finding them is more of an art than a science, a guide such as this is not definitive, but only a crude tool. The goal of the exegetical exercise is to discover meaning within the text in such a way that it reflects the particularities (e.g. "feel", plain sense, problems, ambiguities, historical context, canonical context, potential theological sensus plenior, etc.) of that text alone. A formal written exegesis takes the format of a report of the conclusions the exegete has reached as the result of the exercise of interpretation. A formal exegesis is a specific genre of writing and has its own conventions and literary structure. There are different critical methods and depending on the assigned task and/or method, a student will be required to adhere to the appropriate conventions and structure of the assigned method of exegesis.

2. Critical Methods of Interpretation In the history of biblical interpretation, exegetes have employed different critical methods of interpretation. These various methods fall within two broad schools or approaches: “diachronic” (concerned with the way in which a text has developed and evolved historically or “through time”) and “synchronic” (concerned with the way in which a text is read within specific literary contexts or “with[in a specific] time”). Diachronic methods seek to uncover or recover the original meaning of a text: what did this text mean for its author and its audience? They are, therefore, often also called “author-centred” approaches. The synchronic method seeks to read a text from different points of view (other than those of the original author and audience): what does this text mean for a specific audience (past or present) – e.g., women in the 21st century or indigenous peoples in a post-colonial society? These methods are typified as “reader-centred” because the locus of meaning rests with the reader ’s context and his or her engagement with the text.

1

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

Here is a list of the most common methods employed by biblical scholarship: “Diachronic” or “Author-Centred” Approaches Historical Criticism seeks to reconstruct the world in which a text was first written and read. It shows how investigation of historical background can shed light on the Bible, its composition, and the way it portrays historical people, places and events. Form Criticism proceeds on the assumption that most biblical books existed orally before being written down. Form criticism seeks to reconstruct that oral stage and locate it in the Sitz im Leben (“setting in life”) in which it originally arose and functioned. Source Criticism seeks to recover and reconstruct the sources used by the authors and redactors (editors) of a biblical text, which seems to be composed of pre-existing written and/or oral traditions. Redaction Criticism seeks to understand how various ancient versions of biblical texts were edited and compiled by a later editor (“redactor”). This approach seeks to discern how the redactor shaped the final form of the text to make particular theological points. “Synchronic” or “reader-Centred” Approaches Literary Criticism refers to the application of literary theory to the study of the Bible. It includes, but is not limited to, analysis of rhetoric, plot, character development, themes, imagery, and poetry. Genre Criticism identifies the literary genre of a text. This is done by comparing the text with similar ancient texts to discern how the original author and audience would have understood it. Tradition Criticism is concerned with how a text has been understood by various traditions contained in the Bible. For example, how was Moses understood by the communities of Josiah and Ezra? Canonical Criticism asks what meaning texts have in their final canonical arrangement. It is concerned with how the rest of Scripture elucidates a text and vice versa. Advocacy Criticism intentionally and transparently adopts a non-objective viewpoint of the text, usually for some social or political purpose, and attempts to read the text

2

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

from that viewpoint. Examples of advocacy criticisms include such forms as feminist, ecological or post-colonial perspectives.

3. 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 any exegesis; although a formal written exegesis may focus on only one or two of these worlds (or, indeed, aspects of all three). So, for example, if you are focusing on the historical contexts of a biblical passage, you would be interested in exploring questions relating to the historical events as they are portrayed within the text and/or the historical events that lay behind the writing of the text. You might also be interested in asking questions about the historical transmission of the text, which would involve a consideration of the world before the text. Regardless of which method one is using to interpret a text, be it “author-centred” (diachronic) or “reader-centred” (synchronic), a complete appreciation of meaning must take into account all three worlds of the text. So, for example, diachronic approaches (e.g., Historical Criticism or Redaction Criticism) are not simply focused on the world behind the text. The same is true of Synchronic approaches to the text (e.g., Literary Criticism or Advocacy Criticism), which might focus on the literary structures, genre, or narratology of a biblical text, but might also be interested in “historical” questions. How does this text fit within the literature of the ancient world? What does it tell us about attitudes to women, Jews, or nature in the ancient world? What other contemporary, literary texts has the author used or imitated? How does the text function today as a story or teaching (or even how has it influenced popular modern writings)?

4. The Exegetical Exercise 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

3

Biblical Studies

b.

Ian J. Elmer

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. Using a ‘Study Bible’ (see below in ‘Tools for the Exegete’) will make this enterprise much easier.

The World within the Text: What does the text say and how does it say it? 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 (e.g., 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, and events) and place (with reference to geography, both physical [mountain, plain, and 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.

4

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

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, characters, and narrative voice. How does it function within the larger context of the biblical book in which it appears?

vii.

Compose a single paragraph (or, two or three at most) describing the salient features of the story as told within the text. This is what would go into your assignment. Discuss only those aspects of the story that you intend to explore further in the assignment. Keep this brief, unless you intend to focus primarily on this aspect of the exegesis (as you would if you wanted to follow a narrative-critical approach).

At this point, you will need to ascertain or decide on the method of approach you intend to employ: diachronic or synchronic. Do you want to ask questions about the original “historical” context or a very specific “literary” context of your text? The following steps/foci relate to historical context; but, even if you are primarily interested in a later context, determining how, why, when and where a text was composed will help ground your reading of the text. c.

The World behind the Text: How, why, when and where was this text composed? 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).

5

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

ii.

Try to identify the sources behind the text – Does the author draw on other known texts (e.g., 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 us about the situation (economic, social, demographic, geographic, etc), beliefs (religious, political, and cultural) and faith-practice (liturgical, moral, and 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.

vi.

Write up the results of your investigation. At this point you are in a position to explore the historical context behind your text. Write several paragraphs describing the historical circumstances that brought this text to its present form. Focus particularly on those aspects of the text that you highlighted in your exploration of the world within the text. Keep your focus relatively narrow.

6

Biblical Studies d.

Ian J. Elmer

The World before the Text: what does the text say to us today? 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 historical contexts, offer fresh insight into our beliefs and faith-practices? Does this text confirm or challenge those beliefs and practices? What is an appropriate response to the message of this text?

vi.

Write a brief few paragraphs on what the text may mean for us reading it today. Again focus primarily on those aspects of the story or passage that you delineated for further study when you examined the world within the text. This need not be long, and one should avoid preaching. The conclusions you draw here should be directly related to your previous discussion of the story or teaching as told in the text and the historical context that brought the story to its final form.

7

Biblical Studies

Ian J. Elmer

5. Tools for the Exegete 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 incl...