Today we're bringing this survey of common biblical genres to a close with Epistles, which probably represent the least likely type of literature to find its way into a canon of Sacred Scripture. Epistles are nothing more nor less than letters written from a person to another, or to a group of people. They are … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Epistle
I don’t need to tell anyone that we are living in strange and frightening times. The world is changing in innumerable ways and it seems like society — and the people who make it up — are flailing in response. One of my only real consolations in this situation is that people have felt this … Continue reading Do Not Be Surprised: A Reflection on 1 Peter 4.12-14, 5.6-11
For the most part, understanding biblical genres is about situating the books of the Bible within their broader cultural context: Understanding Ancient Near Eastern Law codes can help us better understand how the Law of Moses functioned, for example, or understanding how Apocalyptic functioned in Second Temple Judaism can help us to avoid serious interpretive … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Gospel
Today is Ascension Day, the feast when Christians commemorate Jesus’s ascension into heaven, where, in the words of the Creed, “he sits at the right hand of the Father.” It’s an event in Jesus’s life that has been hovering over (no pun intended) our Sunday readings for the last two weeks: Jesus’ claim to be … Continue reading Some Resources for Ascension Day
It’s time for our look at different biblical genres to switch over to genres we see primarily in the New Testament, and specifically today we’ll look at the Parables of Jesus, which nicely bridge the gap between Old Testament Wisdom Literature and the explicitly Christian writings of the New Testament. While there are some parables … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Parables
Matthew Root 