The Bible contains many different books telling many smaller stories that all tie together into one larger story. These smaller stories are written in different “literary genres.”
Talking Points:
- In the Bible, understanding literary genres or literary styles is key to interpreting what you’re reading. You’ll miss out on a lot, or even draw incorrect conclusions if you treat a poem like a narrative or vice versa!
- Narrative makes up half the Bible, and this makes sense because it is the most common form of communication. By assembling these seemingly random events into a sequence, we are able to see the meaning and purpose of the events and realize that they aren’t random at all.
- Poetry/wisdom literature in the Bible falls into three main categories: poems/songs (Psalms, Song of Solomon), wisdom (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job), and prophetic (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other Hebrew prophets). All of these sub-genres have different tones and goals.
- These are speeches, letters, or essays that form an argument requiring a logical response from the audience. This literature is found in the Law of Moses (“torah”), the wisdom literature, and the letters written by the Apostles, like Peter, Paul, and John.
Discussion:
- Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
- Think of things like satire websites or “fake news.” Why is it important to understand context when you are reading, hearing, or seeing something? Share an example or story if you have one.
- Give an example of how context helped you understand a confusing Bible passage, or how context changed a view you previously held.
- “In life, we tend to think in familiar, well-worn paths.” Explain how you’ve seen this to be true in your own life. How have you seen people break out of vicious cycles or pointless ruts?
- How can the Bible’s different types of literature and genres reach all of us right where we are?
- Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?
