ExegeticalProcessatAshlandTheologicalSeminary TheBiblicalStudiesDepartment September2009 Introduction ScriptureisoneofthecorevaluesatAshlandTheologicalSeminaryarguablythe foundationalone.WecometoScriptureherenotmerelyoutofhistoricalinterest,but lookingforawordfromGod.WithHeinrichBullingerinhisSecondHelveticConfession, weexpecttoencountertheWordin,with,andthroughthewords.Ourorientation toScriptureisessentiallyincarnational.Itisbecauseofthisthatteachingtheartand scienceofexegesisisavitallyimportantpartofourcurriculum. Inordertobegintothinkaboutwhatexegesisisandwhyitmatters,itmaybe helpfultothinkofencounteringScripture,theWordmadeText,bywayofanalogy withencounteringJesus,theWordmadeFlesh.Ifwereallywanttosee,tolistento, andtoknowtheGodmademan,andtherebytoknowGodandGodspurposesmore deeply,wehavetobereadytodiscardmanyofourpresuppositionsaboutthisJesus.

us. Hewillnotlooklikeanyoftheimageswecarryaroundinourmindsfromart,movies, orourownimaginations.Ifwedontletgoofthesepresuppositions,wewont recognizeJesuswhenwerunintohim.HewilllooklikeahardworkingSemitic craftsperson.Hisattire,hygiene,tablemanners,andsoforthwillbefullyinlinewith thoseexhibitedbyresidentsoffirstcenturyGalilee.Ifwewanttounderstandhimas heteacheshisfellowJewsinthesynagogueorinteractswiththecenturionandPilate, wewillhavetolearnAramaic,Hebrew,andsomeGreek.Wellhavetoobservehow otherteachersconductthemselveswiththeirstudentsandwhatformstheyusetoteach them,sowecanknowbetterhowJesusstudentsareprocessinghisteachingand example,andsowecanbegintodiscernwhatsspecialaboutthisteacher.Wellhave toimmerseourselvesinthetraditions(bothbiblicalandextrabiblical)thatJesushas soakedupoverthecourseofhislifetime,sowecanunderstandpreciselywhatimpact hestryingtohave. EncounteringtheWordmadeTextwillrequireverysimilarmoves.Exegesisis theprocessofteasingmeaningoutofatextasopposedtoreadingmeaningintothetext. Itisadisciplinedprocessofdiscoveringourpresuppositionsaboutthetextand patientlylisteningtotheothernessofthetextsoastohearitsauthenticvoice.The messagestheScripturescommunicateareencodedwithinforeignlanguagesthattook shapewithin,anddrewmeaningfrom,ancientculturesandcustoms,withtheirforeign waysofthinkingandrelating.WhenwegiveScriptureacursoryreadingwithout patientlydiggingintoit,takingthetimetounderstandthelanguageandthesocial, cultural,andhistoricalworldswithinwhichittookshapeandthatprovidesits frameworkforcommunicatingmeanings,weareluredintosupposingthatwegetit 1

when,infact,weareprobablyreadingintoScriptureasmuchifnotmorethanweare readingoutfromtheScripture. Themeaningofaliterarytextcanbeconceivedofinmultipleways.Meaning, firstofall,canbediscernedintheintentoftheauthor,whattheauthororauthors meanttosay.Ontheotherhand,meaningcanbeseenintheimpactthetextmakes onindividualreadersorreadingcommunities,howreadersinvariouscontextsand locationsunderstandhowthetextspeakstothem.Third,abiblicaltextcanbeviewed asarecordofhumanexperiencewithGodataparticularpointorpointsintime, focusingourattentionontheexperiencesandissuestowhichittestifies.Finally,the meaningofatextcanbeascertainedthroughanexaminationofitsstructures,grammar, featuresanddevices.Noneoftheseaspectsshouldbeneglectedinexegesis.Insisting thatthebiblicaltextcanmeanonlyinoneofthesewayscutsoffpotentialpathways ofinsightandimpact.Keepingallinmindfacilitatesafuller,richerengagementwith thebiblicaltextthatwilldeepenfaith,clarifybeliefs,andstrengthenmission. Thestrategiesofexegesishelpusenterintothelifeworldthatgaverisetothe Scripturaltext,withwhichwehearandappreciateitsrichresonances,outofwhichwe canhearthetextspeakingmoreinitsownvoiceinitsowncontexts.Itdoesnttake longtoseethatcarefulexegesistranslatestoamuchricherseeingandhearingofthe text.Whatisheardthenmaybelived.Andwhatislivedthenmaybeshared. TheBiblicalStudiesdepartmentatAshlandTheologicalSeminaryiscommitted tohelpingyoudevelopthesestrategiesofexegesis.Inthisdocument,welayoutan overviewofthekindsoftools,methods,andperspectivesthatinformthelarger exegeticalprocess.Theinstitutionalcorecourse,FoundationsofBibleStudy, exercisesyouinsomeessentialpracticesofmakingobservationsaboutthetextthat providethegroundworkfor,andfeedintoseveralparticularstrategiesof,exegesis.In biblicalstudiescoreclasses(IntroductiontotheOldTestamentIⅈIntroductionto theNewTestamentI&II),youwilllearnmoreaboutthetheoryandpracticeofeachof thestrategiesintroducedinthisdocumentaswekeepthelargermodelinview.The biblicallanguagecourseswillhelpyoumovefromexegesisonthebasisofEnglish translationstoperformingexegesisonthetextinitsoriginallanguage.Ifyoutake bookstudies(ExegesisofPsalmsorExegesisofMatthew,forexample),youwill haveanevenmoreextensiveandintegratedexperienceofthisprocess.Ourcolleagues inotherdepartmentsstandalongsideustoreinforcethemasteryofexegesis,asthey buildexegeticalcomponentsintotheirassignments,bridgingtheScripturalfoundations withtheologyandministry. Itisimportanttobearinmindfromtheoutsetthatexegesisisnotastrictlylinear process,eventhoughthestepsoutlinedinthisdocumentcouldgivethatimpression. Noattempthasbeenmadetonumberthesesteps,sincethatwouldonlypromotesucha falseimpression.Theprocessismoreoftenaspiral.Exegesisinpracticeentailsa processofrevisitingandrevisingtheinsightsgleanedfromthefirststrategieswehave 2

employedasnewinsightsandinformationareacquiredfromlaterstrategies. Moreover,therearemultiplestartingpoints.Theoutlinebelowmovesfromclose investigationofthetexttothehistoricalsettingandcontextofthetextsoriginal compositionandthentothehistoryofhowthetexthasbeeninvestigatedand interpretedbeforearrivingatapplication.Butonecouldalsostartinthehistorical settingorinthehistoryofinterpretationandmovefromthereoutintotheotherareas beforearrivingatapplication. Notalltextsrequire,oreveninvite,allavenuesofexegeticalexploration.Partof yourgrowthasanexegeteandinterpreterofScripture(andothertexts)willbeyour developmentofdiscernmentconcerningwhichavenuesareappropriateandfruitfulfor gettingatthemeaningsandchallengesofdifferenttexts. ChoosingthePassageandExaminingPresuppositions AcommentaryistheresultofperformingexegesisonanentirebookoftheBible,butin preparationforanysermonorlessonyouwillonlybeabletoexamineaparticular selectionfromoneoranumberofscripturaltexts.Becauseselectingapassagemeans consciouschoice,itisappropriatetoreflectonthatchoicecritically.1 Whataretheboundariesofthepassageyouarelookingat?Howdoyou establishwhetherthepassageisaselfcontainedunit,withademonstrablebeginning andend?Howdoesitdemonstratecoherenceofthought?Isthepassagemanageable forthelevelofexegeticalexperienceyouhavedevelopedthusfar? Whydidyouchoosethispassage?Whatpresuppositionsdoyoubringtothe text(theological,cultural,etc.)fromyourownsocial,cultural,andtheologicallocation? Whatissuesinterestyou?Whatisthegoalofinterrogatingthistext?Isthetextrelevant forthatgoal? GatheringResourcesforIndepthExegesis Exegesisrequiresobservationandcriticalreflectiononthebiblicaltextandonesown interpretivecontext.Direct,firsthandworkwiththetextliesatthecenterofexegesis. Standardreferencematerials(e.g.,concordances,lexicons,dictionaries)canprovide essentialinformationaboutthehistoricalbackgroundandthemeaningsofwords,for
1

Thisistrueevenifyoupreachusingalectionary.Itisimportanttounderstandtherationaleforthe

limitssetonapassageinthelectionary,andsometimestochallengethoselimitsinthecourseofa sermon.TheRevisedCommonLectionaryalsoprovidesthepreacherwithfourchoiceseachSunday:a readingfromtheOldTestament,fromthePsalms,fromtheGospels,andfromtheEpistles.Thinking aboutwhatdrawsyoumoretoonelectionthantheothersisusefulforbecomingmoreawareofyour owninterestsandpresuppositionsasyoustarttheexegeticalprocess.

example,thataidonesownfirsthandworkwithatext,orserveastoolsthatfacilitate thesame. Othersources,suchasarticles,commentaries,andmonographs(indepth scholarlyinvestigationsofparticularquestions),fillinimportantgapsinourknowledge andofferimportantperspectivesonthetext.Someinformationincommentaries supportsourfirsthandworkwithatext,suchassuggestingearlierJewish,Greco Roman,orAncientNearEasterntextswithwhichourtextmaybeinteractinginsome way.Wewouldbehardpressedtofindthesepotentialsourcesofintertexture(see below)onourown,andsowerelyonthedatagatheredincommentariesandarticlesto helpusconductourownfirsthandstudyofthetext. Ofcourse,theexegeticaldecisionsmadeincommentariesandbyother specialistsareofgreatvaluetoourownstudyofthetextbuttheseareoftenbest engagedafterwehaveexploredthetextasfullyaspossibleonourown(seebelow underEngagingtheLargerConversationsAboutthePassage).Otherscholarly conclusions,however,shouldnotsubstituteforthestudentsownworkorvoice:the studentsfirsthandanalysisistestedandexaminedbybringingitintoconversation withtheworkofotherscholars. EstablishingandTranslatingtheText WedonotpossesstheoriginalmanuscriptswhichthePsalmist,orPaul,orJames actuallywrote.Wehave,instead,copiesofcopiesofcopies(andsoon)ofthose originals.Thewordinginonemanuscriptoftenvariesfromthewordinginthenext, withtheresultthatnotwoareexactlyalike.Thedisciplineoftextualcriticisminvolves comparingthereadingsofthesevariousmanuscriptsinanefforttodeterminethemost likelyoriginalreading.Establishingthetextisoftentakenasastartingpointfor examiningthepassageindetail.Obviously,thisrequiressomeknowledgeofGreekor Hebrew. Arethereanysignificantvariationsinwordingintheearlymanuscripts?What mightthesevariantssayaboutissues,difficulties,orquestionsintheearlyreceptionof thepassage?Usefultoolsincludethecriticalnoteslocatedatthebottomofthepage (thetextualapparatus)intheNestleAlandGreekNewTestamentandtheBiblia HebraicaStuttgartensia;BruceMetzger,TextualCommentaryontheGreekNewTestament (UnitedBibleSocieties,1971;rev.ed.,1994);P.W.Comfort,NewTestamentTextand TranslationCommentary(Tyndale,2008);EmmanuelTov,TextualCriticismoftheOld Testament(2nded.;Minneapolis:Fortress,2001). Readthepassageinmultipletranslations(NRSV,NKJV,NIV,ESV,JB,TNK, TNIV,RSV,etc.).Ifpossible,translatethepassagefromtheoriginallanguageyourself andcompareyourtranslationwiththesemultipletranslations.Noteplaceswhere differentsensesaregiventowordsorwheredifferentgrammaticalrelationshipsare establishedbetweenwordsorclausesandwhetherwordsareomittedorinserted.How 4

doyouexplainandadjudicatebetweenthesedifferenttranslations?Theseobservations cangenerateimportantquestionsforyouasyoucontinuetostudythepassage. InnertextualAnalysis(includingIT502strategies) Exegesiscallsforthinkingsystematicallyaboutwhatthepassageactuallysays,which involvesusintheclosestudyofthemeaningsofthewordsinthetext,thegrammatical relationshipsbetweenwordsinthetext(e.g.,thesubjectofaparticularverb,etc.),the emphasesandmovementthatarepresentinthetext,andsoforth. Whatdoesthepassagesay?Howdoesanalysisofparticularwordsandstudyof theoriginalHebreworAramaicorGreektextinformyourownreadingofthetext?Are thereanytermsthatcouldbeconsideredtechnical(e.g.SonofMan)orunusual(e.g. hapaxlegomena,termsthatonlyoccuronceintheOldorNewTestament)oridomatic? Howdothewords,clauses,andparagraphswork,individuallyandtogether,toconvey meaning? Howwouldyoumaptheflow,thedevelopmentofthought,inthepassage?Is thereamainidea?Ifso,whatisthemainideaofeachparagraphinyourtext?Does eachparagraphlogicallyconnectwiththeothers?Ifthepassageisanarrativetextor story,howwouldyoumapitsplotanddevelopment?Whatnarrativeprogressionin character,plot,setting,etc.,canyouobserve? Whatisthestructureofthepassage?Aretheresymmetriesorpatternsof thought,theme,orstructure?Ifso,whatassociationsdotheyelicit?Howwouldyou outlinethistexttodepictthisstructure? Whatimagesormentalpicturesmightbeevokedforthehearers?Whatareasof socialorculturalexperience(e.g.,householdstructures,patron/clientorslave/master relationships,rituals)dotheseimagesinvoke,andhowmightthelogicorrulesof thatarenaofexperiencebesubtlybroughttobearinthetext?Doesthetextemploy symbolismormetaphors?Ifso,whatistheimportofthosemetaphorsandblendsof imagesinthetext? LiteraryContext Youhaveoftenheardpeopleobjectthatsomethingtheysaidordid,wastakenoutof context.Thelargerconversationthatsurroundsasingleutterance,orthelargermatrix ofeventsandcircumstancesthatsurroundasingleact,providesaveryimportant interpretiveframeorcontext.Forthisreason,lookingatyourpassagewithinitsliterary contextboththeimmediatecontext,whichistheparagraphsthatprecedeandfollow, andthelargercontextofthewholebookisanessentialexegeticalstrategy. Howdoestheunityouareexploringconnecttoitsimmediateliterarycontext andhowdoesitfitwithinitslargerliterarycontext?Whatdoestheprecedingmaterial contributetoitsunderstanding,andhowdoesthepassageadvancethe flow/progressionofthefollowingsectionsofthebook?Howdoesthispassagefitinto 5

overalltheliterarycontextofthechapter,section(e.g.,theHolinessCode,theSermon ontheMount/Plain,theJohannineFarewellDiscourse,etc.)andbook?Whatisthe functionofthepassagewithinthebook? Whatthemesarepresentwithinthepassage,andhowdotheserelatetothemes inthesurroundingmaterial?Arethereresonancesinvocabulary,characters,topic,or plotwithotherpassagesinthisbook?Howdoesthataffectyoursenseofwhatyour passagesays,andwhatitcontributestothelargerwhole? Whatcanbelearnedfromothertextswrittenbythesameauthor(orthe emergingliterarytradition)thatmighthaveanimpactonaninterpretationofthetext? Forexample,howmightthelargerDeuteronomisticHistory(Joshuathrough2Kings) informyourstudyof1Kings3,orhowdoesthewholeofLukeActsillumineyour exegesisofLuke4,orhowwouldthelargercontentofPaulslettersimpactyourstudy ofGalatians2? LiteraryHistoryandComposition Sometextshaveaneditorialandcompositionalhistory.Somewerewrittenand compiledinstages,andlaterrevisedtospeaktoanewsetting.Untanglingthathistory canoftenhelpushearthetextbetter,sincewecanhearitspeakatvariousstagesof compositiontodifferenthistorical/pastoralcontexts.Somebookshavealiterary relationshipwithothertexts,sometimesusingthemassources(likeMatthewandLuke mayhaveusedMark,or2PetermayhaveusedJude),sometimespresenting,ineffect, alternativeaccountsofthesameevents(liketheGospels,or1&2Chroniclesalongside 1&2Samuel+1&2Kings).Lookingcloselyatsuchrelationshipsoftenhelpsusto discovermoreabouttheparticularquestionsraised,andcontributionsmade,inthe differenttexts. Checksynopticparallels(thetermappliestoMt,Mk,Lk;12Sam,12Kgs,and 1+2Chron;otherdoublets,e.g.,inthelegalmaterial)wheretheyexist.What differencesinmaterial,language,presentation,orliteraryorderdoyoudetect?Do thesedifferencessignalparticularinterestsoremphasesonthepartoftheauthorwhose textyouarestudying?Howdothedifferencescontributetocreatingmeaning? Arethereincongruities,doublets,orotherindicationsthatthepassagehasa complexhistoryofcomposition?Howhavebiblicalscholarsaddressedthecomposition ofthetext?Howmightacompositetextbearthetracesoftheologicalreflectionover time?Howdothevoicesofauthorsandredactorscontributetothetheologicalrichness ofthepassage?Whyhavetensionsinthetextbeenallowedtostand?Mighttheabove featuresbeindicationsofintentionalliteraryartistryratherthanmultipleredactionsor revisions?Ifso,whatdotheyconvey? 6

AnalysisofFormandGenre Genreandformaretermsusedtotalkaboutthecategoryofliteratureintowhich thepassagewearestudying(andthelargerbookofwhichitisapart)falls.Agenreis aconventionaltypeofhumancommunicationthatcanbeidentifiedbyparticular, recognizableelements.Inbiblicalstudy,itmayrefertoclassesofliterature(e.g.lament, gospel,apocalyptic)orcompactliteraryunits(e.g.visionreport,judgmentoracle, miraclestory).Agenredrawsfromabasicformthatcomprisesafixed,simple structure,andoftencommonvocabularyorformulaiclanguage.Observationsabout formoftenleadtoconclusionsaboutthegenreofthetext. Thereareoftensetsofexpectationsconnectedwithaparticularformorgenre, andtheseexpectationsenterintohowanauthorandaudiencewillhavethoughtabout andexperiencedthetext.Inourownexperience,wenegotiategenreandthe appropriatesetofexpectationsrelatedtogenrethroughouttheday.Weheara commercialandwehaveasetofexpectationsforwhatthesubjectmatterwillbe (discussionofsomeproduct),thepurposeofthecommunication(sellingtheproduct), thedegreeofliteralismorreliabilityweshouldascribetotheclaimsmadeaboutthe product(theyaretryingtosellit,afterall,notprovideabalancedviewoftheproduct alongsideothersonthemarket).Afriendstartsspeaking,andcertainformalfeaturesat theoutsetwillusuallyclueusinastowhethersheissharingapersonalstory(Myaunt wasdiagnosedwithcancer)orajoke(Twoguyswentintoahospital),andour automaticdiscernmentofgenregivesusimportantinformationabouthowtoprocess andrespondtothestoryourfriendtells.Gettingthegenrewrongcanseriouslyskew ourunderstandingofwhatisbeingsaid! Whatisthegenreand/ortheliteraryformofthepassage?Whataretheancient conventions(literary,rhetorical,etc)ofthistypeofliterature?Howarethese conventionsevidentinthetextyouarestudying?Howdoestheauthorutilize, transform,orsubvertconventionstocommunicatehis/herpoint,andtowhatends(for example,onceweveidentifiedthegenreofGalatiansasaletter,wemightaskwhyit doesnothaveaThanksgivinglikeotherPaulineletters)?Howdoestheformor genresuggestwhatkindsofquestionsandobservationsareappropriateinregardto thistext? Historical/PastoralContext(RhetoricalSituation) ApassagefromScripturedoesnotonlyhavealiterarycontext,oragenericcontext(the largercontextoftheexpectationsandrulesofaparticularkindofliterature).Itwill alsohaveanhistoricalcontext.Verylikely,thetextwaswrittenoutofapastoral concernwithinaspecifichistoricalcontextsomethingthathasmadethesetexts resonatewithgenerationaftergenerationofJewishandChristianleadersseekingfrom themawordfromtheLordtoaddressthepastoralconcernsintheirownhistorical 7

contexts.Exploringthehistoricalcontext,andthemorespecificconcernsorexigencies thatthetextmightaddresswithinthatcontext,isanessentialcomponentofexegesis. Whatdoweknowaboutthepeopleinvolvedintheconstructionofthetext (authors,editors,scribes,community)?Whatpresuppositionsandmotivesmighthave influencedthepresentationofideas?Whatdoweknoworsurmiseabouttheintended (orimplied/inscribedinorbythetext)audienceandtheircircumstances?Whatcanwe notknowforsureaboutthetextanditsbackground? Whatisthehistorical,social,religious,andgeographicallocationofthepeople involvedintheproductionofthetext,andhowdoesthisdemonstrablyimpactthe authorsthinkingandwriting?Whatresources(e.g.,ancientdocuments,dictionaries, histories,archaeology)helpustofleshoutthislocationmorefully? Whatsocial,economic,religious,ethical,orpoliticalcircumstances,problems,or issuesdoestheauthorseemintentonaddressingorrespondingtointhebookasa wholeandinyourpassageinparticular?Howistheauthortryingtoshapethehearers responsestothoseissues?Whatrhetoricalconstraintsdoesthepassagebringtobearon thesituationsoastoincreasetheprobabilityofsecuringtheseoutcomes?What rhetoricalconventionsdoestheauthoremploy?Whatlensesdoestheauthorholdupto theissue?Howdoesheorsherepictureorreimaginereality?Constructarguments? Withwhattopics?Howdoestheauthorframeorinterpretthesituationandpossible responses,soastodirecttheaddresseestorespondinaparticularway? Howmighttheaudiencehaveunderstoodthetext?Whatwerethepotential meaningsfortheoriginalaudience?Whathistorical,socialandculturalfactorsmight haveinfluencedtheaudiencesreceptionofthispassage?Istherepotentialfor misunderstanding?Isthepassageprescriptiveordescriptive?Howdoestheanswer affecthowweunderstandandapplythetext? Intertexture(LiteraryConversations) ThewritersofthetextsthatwouldcometobeincludedintheScriptureswereoften themselvesreading,interpreting,andinteractingwithothertextsthathadbeenor wouldbeincludedintheScriptures,andoftenwithtextsthatliebeyondourcanonof Scripture.Thisisthecontextofthelargerconversationsofwhichtheparticularpassage youarestudyingwasapart.ThePsalmists,authorsofProverbs,andtheprophetswere readingatleastsubstantialportionsoftheTorah(teachings,lawsandinstructions containedinfirstfivebooksoftheOldTestament/HebrewBible).Jesus,Paul,andother earlyChristianswerereadingandinterpretingtheJewishScripturesandotherwritings (likeBenSiraandTobit),includingpaganpoets.MatthewandLukewerereading Mark.Theauthorof2PeterwasreadingPaulandJude(whohadevenbeenreading1 Enoch!).Enteringintothewaystheauthorofthepassageyouarestudyingread, interpreted,andappliedothertextswilloftenplayanimportantroleininterpreting thatpassage. 8

Doestheauthordrawonmaterialfrompreviousbooks,perhapsquoting, recontextualizing(placingtheminanewcontextthatdiffersfromtheoriginalcontext), alludingto,orechoingtextsfromtheHebrewBibleorSeptuagint(theearlyGreek translationoftheJewishScripturesusedbyGreekspeakingJews),literatureoutsideof thebiblicalcanon,orotherearlyChristianwriters?Howdoestheauthorreadand interprettheothertext?Doestheauthormodifytheresource?Doestheauthorreadthe textinwaysconsonantwithitsoriginalmeaninginitscontext,orinsurprisingly differentways?Howdoyouaccountforhisuseofthetext?Towhatpurposedoesthe authoremploythisintertexture? Isthetextitselfusedasaresourcebylaterauthorsandhowcanwedetectsuch use?Howisitread(andperhapsmodified)bylaterwriters? ComparativeLiterature TheculturesoftheAncientNearEastandtheGrecoRomanworldproducedabundant literaryartifacts.Thesehelpusenterintothatworldmorefullytolearnaboutthe cultural,philosophical,theological,social,political,andideologicalbackgrounds pertinenttotheauthorsandaudiencesoftheScripturaltextsofconcerntous.Paying attentiontothisliteraturecanalsohelpustolearnabouttheconversationsthatwere beingcarriedonoutthere,andtodiscoverwhereourauthorsreinforcewhatothers aresaying,wheretheygobeyondit,andwheretheychallengethewisdomoftheage. Arethereanytextsthatprovideliteraryparallelsto,orcomparativetextsfor, yourpassageelsewhereinbiblicalandextrabiblicalliterature(forexample,thestoryof GilgameshasacomparativetextfortheNoahstory,ortheWisdomofAmenemopefor Proverbs2224)?Whatdoescomparativeliteraturetellusabouttheaudiencespossible expectations(e.g.,attitudesaboutSamaritansinSecondTemplePeriodJudaism,or ideasabouttherolesandresponsibilitiesofmembersofthehouseholdinGreekand Jewishsources,orideasaboutthegodsandgrace)?Howdoesthebiblicalauthor reinforceexpectations?Howdoestheauthorsurprisethereader? Whatideologiesofgender,socialclass,ethnicity,orpowerareencodedwithinor critiquedbythepassage,inboththecontentandtherenderingofthepassage? EngagingtheLargerConversationsAboutthePassage TheScriptureshavestoodattheheartofJewishandChristianconversationfor millennia.Scholars,pastors,priests,andrabbishavedevotedlifetimestolearning, reading,andreflectingonthesetexts.Whilewestresstheimportanceofyourownfirst handdiggingintotheScripturesandlisteningforitsvoice,theprocessofexegesis includesinvitingdifferingand/orvariousvoicesintoconversationwithusaboutthe text.ThemysteryofthepeopleofGodasBodyincludesthepremisethatweseeand understandthetextmorefullywhenwetalkaboutittogether. 9

Whoareandhavebeenthekeyfigurescommentingonthistext,andhowhave theyshapedtheconversationaboutthetext?Whathavescholarsfromavarietyof locationscontributedtoourunderstanding(ormisunderstanding!)ofthistext,andhow havetheyinterpretedit?Whatdothesescholarscontributetoansweringthequestions youhavebroughttothetext,arisingoutofanyoftheexegeticalstrategiesoutlined above?Whatnewquestionsdotheybring? HowhavedifferentpersonsofvariousbackgroundsincludingChristiansof differentperspectives,experiences,andcontextsreadandappropriatedthetext? Howdotheirreadingshelpyouidentifywhatyoumayhavemissedinyourown analysis?Thisisanessentialfacetofexegesisirrespectiveofonesstartingpointand hermeneuticallens,sinceithelpsustohearthetextbeyondthelimitationsofthe mindsetandscriptsofourownsociallocation,whateverthatsociallocationmaybe. IfwewanttoheartheSpiritsvoice,weneedtolistentothechurchinallits breadth,acrosstheglobe,acrossethnicandgenderlines,acrossnationallinesofus andthem,acrossdenominationallines.Onlyinthiswaycanwemorefullydiscern whattheSpiritsaystothechurches.Exegesistakesplaceincommunity,between differentcommunities,sothatwemayhearwhatcomesoutofthetextmorefullythan whatwehearofitsmeaningfromwithinourownlocationwithitsblindspots.No readerorhearerseesallanglesfromhisorherowncorner.Andeachactofexegesis, whetheronthesameoradifferenttext,canyieldnewandfreshinsights. ReflectingonOurHermeneuticalLenses Everyreaderapproachesatextwithaninterpretiveframework,aperspectiveorlens throughwhichheorsheattemptstounderstandanddrawmeaningfromatext.In otherwords,consciouslyorunconsciously,anexegeteemploysanoverarching paradigmorparadigmsgoverninghisorheranalysisofthetext.Partofthetaskof criticalexegesisinvolvesbecomingmorefullyconsciousofthelensesandparadigms weemployasweinterpretbiblicaltexts.Personalexperience,religiousindoctrination, oracademictraining,amongotherthings,predisposeaninterpretersselectionof certaintextsandnotothers,namingofpotentialmeaningsinthetext,andthechoiceof whattoolstouseintheinterpretativeprocess. Ifourinterestliesintryingtodiscoveranoriginalorhistoricalmeaningofatext, wemayemployprimarilyahistoricalcriticallens.Feministandwomanistscholars approachthestudyorinterpretationoftextswithalensthatprivilegesan understandingthatwomenarefullyhuman,womensexperiencesarecentral,andthat sometextsmustbeapproachedwithacriticaleyetowardandrocentric,patriarchal,and otherbiases.Postcolonialinterpretersareinterestedintherelationshipbetween dominantandsubordinatedgroupswithinthetext,aswellasinthehistoryofthe interpretationandapplicationofthetext(notthatFeministandotherscholarsarenot interestedinhistoryofinterpretationandapplication).Itisoftenmosthelpful 10

consciouslytoadoptandintegrateseveraldifferentlenses.Theadoptionofseveral lensescanopenupfaithfulreadingsofthetextthatallowforinsightsintoandcritique ofpowerarrangementsintextsandinourcontemporarylocationsthatwewould otherwiseignore. RevisitingAssumptionsandPresuppositions Revisityourresponsestothesecondpartofchoosingthepassage.Haveother presuppositions,conventions,andperspectivesofyourownoryourfaithcommunity beenuncoveredintheprocessofstudyingthetext?Wheredoesthetextorthe conversationaboutthetextchallengeyourpresuppositionsaboutit?Howdoesthe passageofferavisionofwhoGodis,whatGodisdoingintheworld,andtheshapeof faithfuldiscipleship?Atwhatpointsdoesthisvisionchafeagainstyourownvision? Howdoesthistextofferanexpandedorchallengingvisiontoyouandyour community? SummarizingtheMessage Afteryouhaveworkedthroughthestrategiesappropriatetoyourpassageand reworkedthroughthemallagaininlightofwhattheunfoldingprocessbrought forward,itisimportanttoputitalltogether,perhapsfocusingonastatementabout whatthetextsauthorsand/oreditorsweretryingtosayandtoaccomplish.Whatwas theirwordandhowwasitcraftedtoaddressspecificchallengesandquestionsfacing thecommunityoffaiththen?Thisbecomesausefullaunchingpadforconsideringhow thetextspeakstoandchallengesus.Oftenthiswillrequireconsiderationofthe passageswordwithinthelargerconversationofthechurchscanononthatsubject. Whatpossibletheological,ethical,social,andpoliticalclaimswerebeingmade bythistextinitsoriginalsetting?Howdotheseclaimsconversewithotherswithinthe book,withinsimilarbooks,andwiththewholecanonofscripture?Isthetextintension withanothertext(seeRom13andRev13)?Howdoweresolvethequestionof how/whether/whentohonorbothtexts? DiscerningandCommunicatingtheWordtoNewSituations Understandingthepassageasawordcraftedtoaddressitspastoralandhistorical settinggivesusasolid,fixedpointininterpretation,but,inmanyways,thedifficult workbeginsaswetrytomovefromthatpointtoourownlocation,workingtodiscern howthatwordcanspeakfaithfully,andspeakontarget,topeopleinaverydifferent socialandculturallocation.Thetaskrequiresaptinterpretationofourowncontexton topofalltheworkspentunderstandingthetextinitscontext,andevensometimescalls ustoraisequestionsaboutwhetheratextstillspeakstothenewcontext. WhatdoesthetextshowusaboutwhoGodis,aboutwhoweareashumans, aboutthedivine/humanrelationshipandaboutourrelationshiptoothergroupsand 11

agendasintheworldaroundus?Howdoesitnotonlyimpactwhatonebelieves,but alsohowonelives?Howdoesthetextinspireyouandchallengeyou?Wheredoesthe textmakeyouuncomfortable? Whatparallelsexistbetweenoursocietyandtheancientworld?Howdoesthe Scripturalauthorsdiagnosisofhishearerssituationraisequestionsforusabout diagnosingissuesinours?Wherearethestakessimilar?Howdotheresourcesthatthe authorbringstobearonhishearerssituationcontinuetocastvaluableinterpretive lightonanalogoussituationsinourcontexts?Whatwouldthepersonalandsocial formationoutcomessoughtbytheauthorlooklikeinoursetting,andunderwhat circumstanceswouldtheseoutcomesstillbeappropriate? Whatissueshavechanged?Whatisthesocialdistancebetweenusandthe originaltext?Howcanthatsocialdistancebebridgedinawaythathonorsthetextand itsworld?Arethereanyelementsthatmightbeconsideredculturallyor chronologicallytimebound? Whatarethequestionableorsensitiveissuesintheapplicationofthepassage, particularlyasvoicesfromsociallocationsdifferentfromourownareabletoraisethese toconsciousness.Feministcritiquesandconstructiveapplications?Postcolonial critiquesandconstructivepossibilities?PerspectivesfrommultipleChristian denominationallocations?SocialJusticecritiquesfromourcommunitiesandtheworld atlarge?Whatdoweneedtoseemoreclearlyaboutourselvesandourpracticesbefore wecanapplythispassagefullytoourselvesandourselvesfullytoit?Whatdoesthe textsaytotheconcernsofmultiplecontemporarysociallocations? Howcanwetranslateorcritiqueandrejectelementsoffensivetoour understandingofGodsvisionforhumancommunityinourchangedsocialand culturallocations(suchasgenocideinJoshua,slaveryintheNThouseholdcodesinthe NT,patriarchalpresuppositions)? Howcanwehearelementsthatwouldbeshockingtotheoriginalhearers(e.g., theideaofagoodSamaritan,thebehavioroftheprodigalSon,thedivinecommand forhumansacrificeinthestoryofAbrahamandIsaac),buthavebecomeordinaryfor us? Howdoesthisapplicationdifferdependingononespersonalandsocial location?Howmightthisapplicationsuggestapplicationsforthewidercommunity whichmighthavebeenoverlooked? HowdoIconveythemessageandchallengeofthistextinawaythatisfaithful toitsformandcontent(e.g.whenisitappropriatetopreachanarrativetext narratologicallyratherthanpropositionally,oradiscursivetextbymeansofamore narrationalsermon)? 12

Summary Recallingthatonecanbeginexegesisfrommultiplestartingpoints,andthatexegesisis notalinearprocess,butratheroneinwhicheachnewphaseofanalysissharpensour insightintoearlieranalyses,thefollowingmayserveasahandysummaryofthe exegeticalprocess. 1.Selectareasonablydelimitedpassage. 2.Examineyourpresuppositions,interests,andcommitmentsregardingthetextasyou beginstudy. 3.Gatheryourtoolsforindepthstudy,bothgeneral(e.g.,concordancesandlexica)and specific(commentaries,journalarticles,booksaboutyourchosentext). 4.Establishthetextandexamineimportantvariants. 5.Translatethetext,compareEnglishtranslations,andidentifylexicalandgrammatical issuesforfurtherinvestigation. 6.Examinetheinnertextureofthepassage:studythemeaningsofsignificantHebrew orGreekwords;mapthenarrativeorlogicalprogression;mapthestructureofthe passage. 7.Examinethepassageinitsliterarycontext(immediateandbroadercontexts). 8.Examine,ifapplicable,thesignsofliteraryprehistoryandediting(redaction)inthe text. 9.Examinetheformofthepassage,theimplicationsofthesamefordeterminingits genreandpurpose,andanysignsofsubversionofconventions. 10.Studythehistoricalcontextandrhetoricalsituationofthepassage,insofarasthis canberecovered.Whatchallengesorquestionsevokethistext,andwhatdoesthe authorseektoaccomplishbywriting? 11.Exploretheintertextureofthepassage. 12.Studythepassageinlightofwellchosencomparativeliterature. 13.Readandevaluatewhatotherscholarshavelearnedaboutthetextandhowthey arrivedatthoseconclusions;expandandrefineyourownworkaccordingly.Make everyefforttoreadtheworkofpeoplefromavarietyofsocialandgloballocations. 14.Reexamineyourassumptionsandpresuppositions,notingwherethesehavebeen confirmedorchallenged. 15.Revisitthehermeneuticallensesyouhaveusedorencounteredinthecourseof exegesis;itisbesttocombineavarietyofauthorcentered,textcentered,andreader centeredapproaches. 16.Summarizethemessageofthetext. 17.Performexegesisonyourfaithcommunityanditscontext;discernhowyour passagewouldaddressthisnewrhetoricalsituation;formulateaneffectivewayto deliverthatword. 13

ResourcesforExegeticalMethodology General/ComprehensiveResourcesonExegeticalMethod Anderson,JaniceCapel,andStephenMoore,eds.MarkandMethod.2nded.Minneapolis: Fortress,2008. Barton,John.ReadingtheOldTestament:MethodinBibleStudy.Rev.ed.Louisville: PresbterianPublishingCorporation,1997. Black,DavidAlan,andDavidS.Dockery,eds.InterpretingtheNewTestament:Essayson MethodsandIssues.Nashville:BroadmanandHolman,2001. deSilva,DavidA.AnIntroductiontotheNewTestament:Contexts,Methods&Ministry Formation.InterVarsity,2004. Erickson,Richard.ABeginnersGuidetoNewTestamentExegesis.DownersGrove: InterVarsity,2005. Fee,GordonD.NewTestamentExegesis:AHandbookforStudentsandPastors.3rded. Louisville:WestminsterJohnKnox,2002. Goldingay,John.ModelsforInterpretationofScripture.Eerdmans,1995. Gorman,MichaelJ.ElementsofBiblicalExegesis:ABasicGuideforStudentsandMinisters. Peabody:Hendrickson,2001. Green,Joel,ed.HearingtheNewTestament:StrategiesforInterpretation.GrandRapids: Eerdmans,1995. Hayes,John,andCarlHolladay.BiblicalExegesis.3rded.Louisville:WestminsterJohn Knox,2007. McKenzie,S.L.,andS.R.Haynes,eds.ToEachItsOwnMeaning:AnIntroductionto BiblicalCriticismsandTheirApplication.Louisville:WestminsterJohnKnox,1993. Robbins,VernonK.ExploringtheTextureofTexts.ValleyForge,PA:TrinityPress International,1996. Soulen,R.N.HandbookofBiblicalCriticism.2nded.Atlanta:JohnKnoxPress,1981. Stuart,Douglas.OldTestamentExegesis:AHandbookforStudentsandPastors.3rded. Louisville:WestminsterJohnKnox,2001. Tate,W.Randolph.BiblicalInterpretation:AnIntegratedApproach.3rded.Peabody: Hendrickson,2008. Yee,Gale,ed.JudgesandMethod.2nded.Minneapolis:Fortress,2007. SpecializedResourcesonParticularMethods HistoricalCriticism Krentz,Edgar.TheHistoricalCriticalMethod.Philadelphia:Fortress,1975. 14

Form,Source,andRedactionAnalysis McKnight,E.V.WhatisFormCriticism?Philadelphia:Fortress,1969. Tucker,Gene.FormCriticismoftheOldTestament.Philadelphia:Fortress,1971. Perrin,Norman.WhatisRedactionCriticism?Philadelphia:Fortress,1969. Stein,RobertH.StudyingtheSynopticGospels:OriginandInterpretation.2nded.Grand Rapids:BakerAcademic,2001. AlsoconsultindividualvolumesintheFormsofOldTestamentLiteratureseries editedbyRolfKnierim,GeneTuckerandMarvinSweeney(GrandRapids: Eerdmans). LiteraryAnalysis Alter,Robert.TheArtofBiblicalNarrative.NewYork:BasicBooks,1981. Doty,W.G.LettersinPrimitiveChristianity.Philadelphia:Fortress,1973. Gunn,DavidM.NarrativeintheHebrewBible.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,1993. Habel,Norman.LiteraryCriticismoftheOldTestament.Philadelphia:Fortress,1971. Petersen,NormanR.LiteraryCriticismforNewTestamentCritics.Philadelphia:Fortress, 1978. Powell,M.A.WhatisNarrativeCriticism?Minneapolis:Fortress,1991. Rhoads,David,JoannaDewey,andDonaldMichie.MarkasStory.2nded.Augsburg: Fortress,1999. Ryken,Leland,ed.TheNewTestamentinLiteraryCriticism.NewYork:Ungar,1984. RhetoricalAnalysis Kennedy,GeorgeA.NewTestamentInterpretationThroughRhetoricalCriticism.Chapel Hill:UniversityofNorthCarolinaPress,1984. Mack,BurtonL.WhatisRhetoricalCriticism?Minneapolis:Fortress,1990. Witherington,Ben,III.NewTestamentRhetoric:AnIntroductoryGuidetotheArtof PersuasioninandoftheNewTestament.Eugene,OR:Cascade,2009. SociologicalandCulturalAnthropologicalAnalysis deSilva,D.A.Honor,Patronage,Kinship&Purity:UnlockingNewTestamentCulture. DownersGrove:InterVarsity,2000. Elliot,J.H.WhatisSocialScientificCriticism?Minneapolis:Fortress,1993. Kee,HowardClark.KnowingtheTruth:ASociologicalApproachtoNewTestament Interpretation.Minneapolis:Fortress,1989. Neyrey,JeromeH.,ed.TheSocialWorldofLukeActs:ModelsforInterpretation.Peabody: Hendrickson,1991. CanonicalCriticism Gamble,H.Y.TheNewTestamentCanon.Philadelphia:Fortress,1985. 15

Sanders,J.A.CanonandCommunity:aGuidetoCanonicalCriticism.Philadelphia: Fortress,1984. PostmodernInterpretation Adam,A.K.M.,ed.HandbookofPostmodernInterpretation.St.Louis:Chalice,2000. Adam,A.K.M.,ed.PostmodernInterpretation:AReader.St.Louis:Chalice,2001. TheBibleandCultureCollective.ThePostmodernBible.NewHaven:YaleUniversity Press,1997. ReadingfromMultipleSocialLocations Adeyemo,Tokunboh,ed.AfricanBibleCommentary:AOneVolumeCommentaryWritten by70AfricanScholars.GrandRapids:Zondervan,2006. Anderson,JaniceCapel,andStephenMoore,eds.MarkandMethod.2nded.Minneapolis: Fortress,2008. Blount,BrianK.,ed.TruetoOurNativeLand:AnAfricanAmericanNewTestament Commentary.Minneapolis:Fortress,2007. Newsom,Carol,andSharonRinge,eds.WomensBibleCommentary,expandededition. Louisville:WestminsterJohnKnox,1998. Patte,Daniel,ed.GlobalBibleCommentary.Nashville:Abingdon,2004. Levison,PriscillaPope,ed.ReturntoBabel:GlobalPerspectivesontheBible.Louisville: WestminsterJohnKnox,2004. Sugirtharajah,R.S.VoicesfromtheMargin:InterpretingtheBibleintheThirdWorld.3rd ed.NewYork:Orbis,2006. Sugirtharajah,R.S.,ed.ThePostcolonialBible.Sheffield:SheffieldAcademicPress,1998. Yee,Gale,ed.JudgesandMethod.2nded.Minneapolis:Fortress,2007.

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