The premise of this series is that by better understanding the literary genres in which the books of the Bible were written, the better we are able to understand the Bible itself. The next two posts provide the two biggest examples of this, for they are the two major genres where misunderstandings run rampant (especially … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Prophecy
For the first Christians, the resurrection of Christ was more than just a miraculous event in the life of Jesus; it was a powerful symbol of the coming of a new age. It was to change absolutely everything in their lives, because, in their minds, it had changed absolutely everything on a cosmic level. We … Continue reading The Dawn of a New Age: A Reflection on Acts 2.42-47
There can be no doubt that poetry is the oldest and historically most important form of literature; as much as it may be an afterthought for most of us today, throughout most of human history, poetry was king. While more of a stylistic approach to language than a 'genre,' it’s helpful to understand how biblical … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Poetry
As someone who reads and reflects on the Scriptures regularly, I can’t deny there’s always a desire to find a new approach or twist to these old stories we’ve heard so many times before. But sometimes the old, well-worn roads are the right ones. They may be corny or cheesy or cliché, a little too … Continue reading On the Road Again: A Reflection on Luke 24.13-35
Some of the oddest pieces of the Bible to many of us today are the long sections taken up with genealogies. We can be excused for asking why, considering the great expense of writing materials in the ancient world, biblical authors felt the need to include this content at all. Moreover, thinking of the Bible … Continue reading Understanding Biblical Genres: Genealogies
Matthew Root 