Genre Study

GENRE STUDY:
Pointers for
Interpreting Different
Types of Literature in
the Bible
By Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart
INTRUDUCTION:
gen-re (zha’anra)
1. category of artistic works: one of the categories,

based on form, style, or subject matter, into
which artistic works of all kinds can be divided.
For example, the detective novel is a genre of
fiction.
2. paintings of household scenes: painting

depicting household scenes [Early 19th century.
Via French, "type" < Latin genus "birth, kind”.
From the Book: Your Guide
to Understanding the Bible
Understanding the Bible isn’t for the:

1. FEW
2. THE GIFTED
3. THE SCHOLARLY
The Bible is accessible. It’s meant to be
read and comprehended by everyone
from armchair readers to seminary
students. A few essential insights
into the Bible can clear up a lot of
misconceptions and help you grasp
the meaning of Scripture and its
application to your 21st-century life.
How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth
is used all around the world. The book
covers everything from translational
concerns to different genres of biblical
writing. In clear, simple language, it
helps you accurately understand the
different parts of the Bible—their
meaning for ancient audiences and their
implications for you today—so you can
uncover the inexhaustible worth that is
in God’s Word.
About the Author:
Gordon D. Fee (PhD, University of Southern
California) is Professor Emeritus of New Testament
Studies at Regent College, Vancouver, British
Columbia. SPANISH BIO: Gordon D. Fee es profesor
emerito de Nuevo Testamento en Regent College,
Vancouver, Canada, y ha escrito numerosos libros
como 'La lectura eficaz de la Biblia, Exegesis del
Nuevo Testamento: manual para estudiantes y
pastores, La primera epistola a los Corintios, y los
publicados por la Coleccion Teologica
Contemporanea: 'Comentario de la Epistola a los
Filipenses y Comentario de las Epistolas a 1 y 2
Timoteo y Tito.
About the Author:
Douglas Stuart (PhD, Harvard University) is

professor of Old Testament at Gordon-
Conwell Theological Seminary.
Genre Study 1: OLD TESTAMENT STORIES
Genre Study 2: PROVERBS
Genre Study 3: ECCLESIASTES
Genre Study 4: OLD TESTAMENT LAWS
Genre Study 5: PROPHECY
Genre Study 6: PSALMS
Genre Study 7: REVELATION
Genre Study 8: GOSPELS
Genre Study 9: EPISTLES
Genre Study 10: ACTS
STUDY DURATION:
22 Weeks from 08 September 2012

to 04 February 2013 (tentative
completion)
STUDY
PRE-REQUISITES:
1. Must be born-again Christian.
2. At least know the basic tenets of
Christian faith. (Heb. 6:1-2)
3. Have a desire or is being used in
the ministry.
STUDY
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Training Manual
2. Notebook and pen
3. Bible/s
4. Dictionary/ies
5. Assignments for every Study
6. Final test
CERTIFICATE OF
TRAINING FOR
THOSE WHO WILL
COMPLETE 10
GENRE STUDIES
GENRE STUDY 1:
OLD TESTAMENT
STORIES
Pointer # 1:
The individual episodes or scenes in the
main story were not designed to speak
to the readers by itself. They must be
interpreted as to how they contribute in
highlighting the main point of the
narrative.
Three (3) Levels of Narrative:
TOP LEVEL: The story of God’s Over-all
Salvation Plan
God is not man that He plan the future. God being omniscient had established the beginning from the end.
Man’s Creation
Man’s Fall
Jesus’ Birth
P A S T
Jesus’ Death
&
Resurrection
Christ’s
Return
GOD’S OVERALL SALVATION PLAN
PRESENT FUTURE
Condemnation God’s Presence

Salvation Plan
MIDDLE LEVEL: The story of Israel

Salvation Plan
MIDDLE LEVEL: The story of Israel

BOTTOM LEVEL: Shorter stories in the
Old Testament
Pointer # 2:
Every individual Old Testament bottom
level narrative is at least a part of a
bigger middle level narrative about
Israel’s story, which in turn is part of the
ultimate, top level narrative about God’s
universal plan of salvation.
Pointer # 3:
In the final analysis, God is the hero of
all biblical narratives.
GENRE STUDY 2:
PROVERBS
Purpose
To teach people how to be

understanding, just, and fair in
everything they do, to make the simple-
minded wise, to warn young men about
some problems they will face, and to help
the wise become good leaders (1:2-6).
Source: Life Application Bible

Author
Solomon wrote most of this book, with

Agur and Lemuel contributing some of
the later sections (30 & 31)

Date written
Solomon wrote and compiled most of

the proverbs early in his reign.

Setting
This book of wise sayings, a textbook

for teaching people how to live godly
lives through the repetition of wise
thoughts.

Key verse
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of

knowledge: but fools despise wisdom
and instruction.” (1:7)

Pointer # 1:
Proverbs are generalizations of

important principles and not absolute
commands that we should heed on all
occasions.
Pointer # 2:
Proverbs are not divine formulas for

success that we should follow and
expect unfailing results all the time.
Their compressed and memorable
structure should point us to a broader
principles that can shape our views and
decisions in life.
Pointer # 3:
In identifying the “broader principles”

that is being pertained to in a specific
saying, one must compare the saying
with other sayings in the same book (i.e.
Proverbs) or with other related subjects
found elsewhere in the scripture.
GENRE STUDY 3:
ECCLESIASTES
Purpose
To spare future generations the

bitterness of learning through their own
experience that life is meaningless apart
from God.

Author
Solomon

Solomon asked God for wisdom (2Chron. 1:7-12) and became the wisest man in the world (1Kings 4:29-34)
To whom written
Solomon’s subjects in particular,

and all people in general

Date written
Probably around 935 B.C., late in

Solomon’s life

Setting
Solomon looks back on his life,

much of which was lived apart from
God.

Although Solomon wandered away from God in his latter years, the gifts he received were never taken from him. Rom 11:29 …for God's gifts and
his call are irrevocable. (NIV)
Key verse
“Let us hear the conclusion of the

whole matter: Fear God, and keep
His commandments: for this is the
whole duty of man.” (12:13)

Book Outline
1. Solomon’s personal experience (1:1 to 2:26)
2. Solomon’s general observation (3:1 to 5:20)
3. Solomon’s practical counsel (6:1 to 8:15)
4. Solomon’s final conclusion (8:16 to 12:14)

Pointer:
Consider carefully the context of the
passage being quoted in Ecclesiastes. If
the passage being quoted is part of the
writer’s description of the futility of life
“under the sun,” (without God) it should
not be considered as an advice on how
to live life.
GENRE STUDY 4:
OLD TESTAMENT
LAWS
( Exodus 20 through Deuteronomy 33 )
Pertains occasionally to the entire Old Testament material (Mat. 5:17-18) or to the first 5 Old Testament books – Torah/Pentateuch (Genesis up to
Deutoronomy; Josh. 1:8)
Purpose
1. To record the events of Israel’s

deliverance from Egypt and development
as nation.
2. A handbook for the priests and Levites
outlining their duties.
3. To remind the people of what God has
done and encourage them to rededicate
their lives to Him.

Author
Moses

Date written
1450 – 1407/6 B.C.

Setting
The region presently known as the

Middle East: Egypt, At the foot of
Mount Sinai, Canaan.

Key verse
“Know therefore that the Lord thy
God, he is God, the faithful God,
Which keepeth covenant and mercy
with them that love him and keep
his commandments to a thousand
generations.” (Deut. 7:9)

Pointer # 1:
Even if we are not anymore bound to
obey the Old Testament
Commandments, the spirit or the
principles behind these commandments
are timeless and can still be applied in
our times.
Pointer # 2:
The Old Testament laws were given by
God with the welfare of Israel as its
intended purpose. As we study the
unique benefit of a particular law to
Israel’s welfare, the more we will
appreciate God’s grace and concern for
them.
GENRE STUDY 5:
PROPHESY
Purpose
1. To show the extent of God’s grace.
2. To pronounce God’s judgment and to offer
pardon to all who repent.
3. To shake the people out of their complacency
and urge them to return to God.
4. To give hope to God’s people by revealing
God’s future deliverance through the Messiah
5. To confront the people with their sins and to
restore their relationship with God.

Authors
JUDAH
Joel ?
Isaiah ISRAEL
Micah Jonah
Zephaniah Amos POST-EXILE
Jeremiah
Hosea Haggai
Habakkuk
Nahum Zechariah
Ezekiel
Daniel Malachi
Obadiah Divided Kingdom – 930 BC; 1Kings 12:16
Date written
700 – 430 B.C.

Setting
During the divided Kingdoms of

Israel and its Post-exile.
Prophesy as God’s
Response to Israel’s
Violation of the Covenant
Prophets are sent by God to remind them of

their current disobedience and destructive
events that will follow it if they don’t amend
their ways. (Amos 3:7)
Pointer # 1:
Study the background of Israel’s

particular disobedience that prompted
the prophecy to be given.
1Kings 11:1-10 – King Solomon’s disobedience. 1Kings 11: 29 – Prophet Ahijah prophesied the divided kingdom.
The 12
Tribes of
Israel
The ISRAEL
Divided
division
Kingdoms
JUDAH
Divided Kingdoms – 930 BC; 1Kings 12:16

The
Divided
Kingdoms
Prophesy as a Collection
of Speeches
MAJOR DIFFICULTY: Most speeches were
compiled without indicating where one
speech ends and where other begins.
How many prophetic speeches can be found
in Amos 5?
Stephen Langton (1227) – separated the Bible by Chapters. The Hebrew Old Testament was divided into verses by a Jewish rabbi by the name of Nathan in
A.D. 1448. Robert Estienne, who was also known as Stephanus, was the first to divide the New Testament into standard numbered verses, in 1555.
3 speeches: vs. 1-3; 4-17; 18-27

Through Different
Prophetic Structures:
1. Prophetic Oracle Structure

– Amos 1: 3-5
2. Court Case or Lawsuit Structure
– Isaiah 3: 13-26
3. Woe oracles, Funeral dirge, etc.
Can we identify the
Differences?
Pointer # 2:
Identify the beginning and ending of a

prophecy by being aware of the different
structures employed in the delivery of
prophetic speeches.
Prophesies And Their
Time Of Fulfillment:
The Perspective of the
Prophet (front view):
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Time event is clear

EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
Time event is clear

EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Time distance between events is not clear when viewed in one dimension
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Time distance between events is becoming clear when viewed in two dimension
Almost Actual Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
The Actual Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
time
distance
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Time distance between events becomes clear when viewed in two dimension
Pointer # 3:
In as much as there are prophecies
intended for the final day of the Lord’s
coming (Joel 2: 30-32); let us be
cautious in pushing predictions
intended for the immediate future of the
prophet, into our 20th century setting or
to the last days before the Second
Coming of Jesus (remote future).
The Dual Fulfillment Of
Some Prophesies:
A Study of Isaiah 7:14-16
Contextual History:
During the time of the divided kingdom, King Ahaz,
king of Judah faced threat of defeat and destruction
in the alliance of Israel (Ephraim-Northern Kingdom)
and Syria (Aram) – v. 1-2. It was here when the Lord
gave the sign as a prophecy to king Ahaz – v.14-16
“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a
son, and will call him Immanuel. He will eat curds
and honey when he knows enough to reject the
wrong and choose the right. 16 But before the boy
knows enough to reject the wrong and choose the
right, the land of the two kings you dread will be laid
waste.”
Personal study for discussion purposes.
Application of Pointer #1
Background of Israel’s
Disobedience:
Previous studies showed the divided kingdom as a

result of Israel’s disobedience. 930 BC; 1Kings 12:16

Application of Pointer #1
Structure Application:
Prophetic (ch.8) and Woe Oracle Structure

Textual Definitions:
virgin - `almah (al-maw'); a lass, damsel, tenth
century text read "young girl" (v.16).
 As opposed to:
virgin - `bethuwlah (beth-oo-law'); feminine passive
participle of an unused root meaning to separate; a
virgin (from her privacy); a bride (Gen.24:16);
virgin - `parthenos (par-then'-os); a maiden; by
implication, an unmarried daughter (Mat.1:23)

Immanuel - `Immanuw'el (im-maw-noo-ale'); from

OT:5973 and OT:410 with a pronominal suffix
inserted; with us (is) God; Immanuel, a type name
of Isaiah's son

Principle of Logic Precedence

Defined as: Recognition of logical dependencies
between events/activities.

Application of Logic Precedence
v.6: "Let us invade Judah; let us tear it apart and
divide it among ourselves, and make the son of
Tabeel king over it."
 Is precedent to:
v.14: Therefore the Lord himself will give you a
sign….
v.16: …the land of the two kings you dread will be
laid waste
Application of Logic Precedence
v.16b: …the land of the two kings you dread will be
laid waste
v.16a: ...the boy knows enough to reject the wrong
and choose the right
v.17: The LORD will bring on you and on your people
and on the house of your father a time unlike any
since Ephraim broke away from Judah--he will bring
the king of Assyria."
Logic Precedence Network
v.6 In applying this principle, we
observe that v.17 is
v.14 dependent on v.16, and v.16a
dependent on v.16b, and so
v.16b forth.
v.16a
Based on these dependencies,
we can conclude that while v.17
v.17 actually occurred in ch. 8:4
therefore, the preceding verses
up to v.6 actually happened.
Personal study for discussion purposes. Syria fell to the Assyrians in 732 BC, and Israel followed in 722 BC.
Conclusion to a Dual
Fulfillment:
This prophesy was again fulfilled in the New
Testament , this time referring to Jesus Christ,
the Annointed Savior, as the child whose name
is Immanuel, born of a virgin (bethuwlah).

Related Study on the
Virgin Birth of Christ
‘she brought forth’ – appeared twice in the Old
Testament in Isaiah 66 verses 7 & 8 and only once in
the New Testament:
yalad (yaw-lad) “iluwal” – to beget, birth (Isaiah 66:7
& 8)
gennao (ghen-naho) “iluwal”– to procreate (Luke
1:57)
‘she brought forth’ – appeared twice in the New

Testament in Luke 2: 7 & Revelation 12: 5:
tikto (tik-to) “isilang”– to produce (from seed, as
mother, a plant, the earth)
Personal study for discussion purposes. As in “ISINILANG” ng araw ang liwanag and “ISINILANG ang bagong lipunan.
The Apostle’s Creed (as usually recited today) :
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven

and earth: And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the
virgin Mary, ……
Personal study for discussion purposes. In the early versions (Old Roman & 6th century), virgin was CAPITALIZED.
Observations:
The New Testament gave two distinct definitions for
the words ‘she brought forth’ – to procreate
(gennao) as in the natural child delivery of a mother
and to produce (tikto) as from seed.
The Apostle’s Creed gave separate emphasis to
Jesus’s being conceived and His being born of the
Virgin Mary.

Observations:
Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy
sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt
bring forth children;… (Gen 3:16, KJV)
And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou
that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee:
blessed art thou among women. (Luke 1:28, KJV)
How can be Mary cursed in bringing forth Jesus
when God declared her highly favored and blessed?
Interpretation:
From these observations we can conclude that

the ‘Virgin Birth’ of Jesus Christ our Savior was
not a natural birth as we know it common to a
mother giving birth. The Virgin Mary delivered
Jesus supernaturally (un-natural, miracle).

Pointer # 4:
If a certain prophecy does not clearly

state a second fulfillment in the
Scripture, we should maintain all
caution in trying to identify second
fulfillment of that prophecy either in the
New Testament or in our time.
GENRE STUDY 6:
PSALMS
Purpose
To provide poetry for the expression of praise,
worship and confession to God.

Authors
DAVID HEMAN
= 73 psalms = 1 psalm
ASAPH ETHAN
Sons of KORAH MOSES
SOLOMON Anonymous
= 2 psalms = 51 psalms
Total = 150 Psalms

Date written
Between the time of Moses
(around 1440 B.C.) and the Babylonian
captivity (586 B.C.)

Setting
For the most part, the psalms were
not to be intended as narrations of
historical events. However, they
often parallel events in history
such as David’s flight from Saul
and his sin with Bath-sheba.

Key verse
“Let everything that has breath

praise the Lord. Praise ye the
Lord.” (150:6)

Pointer # 1:
Expect the Psalms to help us

(individually and corporately) express
our feelings (joys, fears, anger, etc.)
before God honestly and effectively.
Pointer # 2:
It would not be wise to get a doctrine

from a song.
Not all.
Reading the Psalms
Reflectively and
Meditatively
The different literary devices employed in the
Psalms forces a reader to ponder and
meditate on a statement. They contain a
retarding element that halts the rush of ideas
and makes the reader reflect over the
meaning and symbolism of words.
It is obviously more beneficial to
read one unit of Psalms
reflectively and meditatively than
to read ten in a fast paced manner.
Pointer # 3:
In reading the Psalms meditatively, pay

attention to how the different figures of
speech function in a specific verse.
Mga Uri ng Tayutay
Types of Figures of Speech
pagtutulad pag-uyam
simile sarcasm
pagwawangis pagpapalit-saklaw
metaphor synecdoche
pagsasatao paghihimig
personification onomatopoeia
pagmamalabis pagtanggi
hyperbole litotes
There is probably many ways to
prepare us for an anointed
ministry. One sure way is genuine
fellowship among our peers in that
ministry.
Pointer # 4:
In reading the Psalms meditatively,

consider the first line of a particular
verse as connected in parallel to the
second line following it.
Three Basic Types of
Parallelism in Hebrew
Poetry:
1. Synonymous Parallelism – The idea of the first
line is repeated in the second line. (Ps. 114: 1)
2. Antithetic Parallelism – The idea of the first line is
the exact opposite of the second line. (Ps. 1: 6)
3. Synthetic Parallelism – The idea of the first line is
expanded in the idea of the second line. (Ps. 1: 2)
1. MAGKA-HALINTULAD; 2. MAGKASALUNGAT; 3. PAGPAPALAWAK

GENRE STUDY 7:
REVELATION
Purpose
To reveal the full identity of Christ and to give
warning and hope to believers.

Author
The Apostle John

Date written
About A.D. 95, from Patmos

Setting
Most scholars believe that the seven churches
of Asia to whom John writes were
experiencing the persecution which took
place under Emperor Domitian (A.D. 90-95). It
seems that the Roman authorities had exiled
John to the island of Patmos. John, who had
been an eyewitness of the incarnate Christ,
has a vision of the glorified Christ. God also
reveals to him what is to take place in the
future-judgment and ultimate triumph of God
over evil.
Special Feature
Written in “apocalyptic” form - a type of
Jewish literature which uses symbolic
imagery to communicate hope to those who
are in the midst of persecution. The events are
ordered according to literary, rather than
strictly chronological, patterns.

Key verse
“Blessed is he that readeth, and

they that hear the words of this
prophecy, and keep those things
which are written therein: for the
time is at hand.” (1:3)

Pointer # 1:
Interpret the symbols and contents of

the book according to how John
intended it to be understood by his
readers.
Pointer # 2:
The main intention of the apocalyptic
writing is to encourage the oppressed
and persecuted that despite the present
experience of suffering and death, God
is still in control of history and will soon
judge His enemies and save His people.
It seldom intends to predict a detailed
and chronological account of the future.
Pointer # 3:
Interpret each vision as a whole. The

details are just added for dramatic effect
or to add more color to the picture so
that what is referred to in the vision will
be easily grasped by the readers.
The Actual Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
time
distance
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Time Prophets do not see both events in this perspective (side view), where
the time distance is clearly distinct.
Almost Actual Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Shifting Reality:
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
EVENTS IN THE
SECOND
COMING
EVENTS IN THE
IMMEDIATE
FUTURE
Thus there are instances where Prophesies intended for the final day of the
Lord’s Second coming are included in the predictions for the immediate
Pointer # 4:
Let us be careful in pushing predictions

intended for the then immediate future
(which is by this time already past and
fulfilled) to our 20th century setting or to
the last days before the Second Coming
of Jesus.
GENRE STUDY 8:
GOSPELS
Purpose
Matthew – To prove that Jesus is the Messiah,
the eternal King.
Mark – To present the person, work, and
teachings of Jesus.
Luke – To present an accurate account of the life
of Christ and to present Christ as the perfect
man and Savior.
John – To prove conclusively that Jesus is the
Son of God and that all who believe in Him
will have eternal life.
Authors
Matthew, Mark, Luke & John
Matthew, Mark & Luke are called Synoptic Gospels; SYN = together + OPTIC= see, thus “SEEN TOGETHER” 3 Gospels mentioned “Kingdom” 20
– 55 times and “LIFE” 3 -7 times while John mentioned “Kingdom” 5 times and “LIFE” 36 times.
Date written
Matthew = Probably between 60 - 65 A.D.
Mark = Between 55 – 65 A.D.
Luke = 60 A.D.
John – Probably 85-90 A.D.
Source: Life Application Bible Probably 55 to 90 A.D. First written “Gospel” by Apostle Paul was Galatians 49 A.D.
Setting : Matthew
Matthew was a Jewish tax collector
who became one of Jesus’
disciples. This gospel forms the
connecting link between the Old
and the New Testaments because
of its emphasis on the fulfillment of
prophecy.
Setting : Mark
The Roman Empire under Tiberius
Caesar. The empire with its
common language and excellent
transportation and communication
systems, was ripe to hear Jesus’
message, which spread quickly
from nation to nation.
Setting : Luke
Luke wrote from Caesarea or from

Rome.

Setting : John
Written after the destruction of

Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and before
John’s exile to the island of
Patmos.

Key verse
“And many other sign truly did
Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in
this book. But this are written that
you might believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you might have life
through his name.” (John 20: 30, 31)

The Different Levels of
The Gospel Formation:
1. LEVEL 1 – The Actual Teachings

and Works Of Jesus
2. LEVEL 2 – The Teachings and
Works Of Jesus Were Made Into
Gospels By The Evangelists
LEVEL 1 – The Actual
Teachings and Works Of
Jesus (30-33 AD)
His main message is that through His
coming, the Kingdom of God also came and
the last days have begun.
IMPORTANT NOTE
The teaching and deeds of Jesus
were preserved and handed over to
the next generations orally.
However, in most cases only the
teachings and deeds of Jesus has
been preserved and not the exact
context or situation that caused
those words to be said.
LEVEL 2 – The Teachings
and Works Of Jesus Were
Made Into Gospels By The
Evangelists (60-90 AD)
Basic questions by the early Christians which
caused the Gospels to be written were:
1. “Is Jesus really God?”
2. “If Jesus is indeed the powerful Son of God,
then why is He allowing his people to suffer?”
POINTERS FOR
INTERPRETATION
Two levels or Points of View:

1. The Level of Jesus
2. The Level of the
Evangelists
THE LEVEL OF JESUS
Pointer # 1:
Consider the main theme or motif of
Jesus in interpreting the gospels. His
main theme is that through his coming,
the Kingdom of God has come, the last
days have begun and everyone must
consider the urgency of the hour and
respond through a radical commitment.
Pointer # 2:
Be aware of some figures of speech that
Jesus employed in His teachings.
In-depth Study on John
14: 1-2
Text:
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in
God, believe also in me. In my Father's house
are many mansions: if it were not so, I would
have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
(KJV)
Personal study for discussion purposes. Read also 2 Cor. 5:1

14: 1-2
‘house’ – residence, abode
‘mansions’ – a staying (place)
‘place’ – location (as a home)

14: 1-2
Observation #1:
The preceding verses talks about Jesus telling
his disciples about his nearing departure and
told Peter that he cannot follow to the place
where He is going at that time; but will follow
afterwards.

14: 1-2
Observation #2:
In the book of Revelations, the apostle John saw no
temple in the Holy City. Also, And the city had no
need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it:
for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is
the light thereof. (Rev 21:22-23, KJV)
No Christian in the New Jerusalem would want a wall
and a roof to shield himself from the glory and the
light of God.

14: 1-2
Interpretation:
From these observations we can conclude that

Jesus’ motif was the heavenly kingdom and the
‘house’ and ‘mansion’ He was referring to was
not a material structure, but a ‘glorious abode or
residence’ for our spirits to dwell in.
Personal study for discussion purposes. Sorry for those interpret these verses as a real earthly mansion.
THE LEVEL OF THE
EVANGELISTS
Pointer # 3:
Interpret the teachings and stories of
Jesus according to how the gospel
writers used them in their context.
Pointer # 4:
Be aware of some literary devices that

the evangelists employed as they
arrange the teachings and deeds of
Jesus.
Pointer # 5:
Comparing how other gospel writers or

evangelists used a specific passage,
helps to interpret the stories.
GENRE STUDY 9:
EPISTLES
Purpose
To identify problems in the church, to

offer solutions, to teach believers how to
live for Christ, to call Christians to faith
and freedom in Christ, to strengthen &
assure & reassure believers, to combat
errors in the church, to give instructions &
advice.

Authors
Paul, James, Peter & John
The author of Epistle to the Hebrews is unknown.

Date written
Paul wrote his 13 Epistles from 49 – 68 A.D.
Hebrews = Before the destruction of the
Jerusalem Temple in 70 A.D.
James = 49 A.D.
Peter = between 62 – 67 A.D.
John = between 85 – 90 A.D.
Jude = 65 A.D.
Source: Life Application Bible. First Epistle was written by Apostle Paul in 49 A.D and the last was written by Apostle John in 90 A.D.
Setting
Contemporary with the book of

Acts of the early church in
Jerusalem and Asia Minor and
Rome.
Source: Personal study on the book of Acts

Key verse
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that ye all speak the same thing,
and that there be no divisions
among you; but that you be joined
together in the same mind and the
same judgment. (1Cor. 1:10)

The Epistles are Responses
to Unique Situations:
An important rule to remember
when studying Epistles is that
most of them were written to
address a specific situation at
hand.
PAULINE CHRONOLOGY 2
Journeys and Epistles A.D. 31 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
Conversion-near Damascus – Acts 9 31\32
1st Missionary Journey– Acts 13:4 45-49
Galatians 49 G
2nd Missionary Journey – Acts 15:40 50-53
1 & 2 Thessalonians 52/53 T
3rd Missionary Journey – Acts 18:23 54-58
1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans 57 C
R C
Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon 62 E
P
Philippians 63 T
Further Travels 63-67
1 Timothy, Titus 67 T
2 Timothy 68 T
Martyrdom 68
Pointer # 1:
Begin your study by identifying the
problem or situation that prompted the
author to write. This can be done by
either personal investigation of the
epistle or by reading the section on
“occasion” in a good book on New
Testament Introduction.
The Epistles are
Prescriptions to Unique
Problems:
A prescription to one patient is

obviously not the same
prescription to other patients
with different illness.
Pointer # 2:
If the problem being discussed in the
epistle is similar to our problems today,
we can use what has been prescribed to
them for our situation.
If their problems before is different from
our problem now, we cannot directly
apply the prescription given to them for
our specific situation. We have to
extract the principle first and apply such
principle to our situation.
Pointer # 3:
If the teachings in the epistle pertain to
the central core of teachings in the Bible
(i.e. the goodness of God, the sin of
mankind, redemption in Christ, the
Second Coming, etc…) and moral
principles (adultery, homosexuality,
greed, etc…), these teachings are
absolute and binding for all culture for
all time.
Pointer # 4:
Before making conclusions regarding a

specific subject in the epistle, study and
compare other passages that discuss
the same subject either in the same
letter or other letters of the same author.
The Epistles pursue an
argument in logically
arranged paragraphs:
To prove a particular point, Paul
expresses his thoughts in long
paragraphs (sometimes in long
sentences*) and relates these
paragraphs to his over-all
argument.
*Eph. 1: 3-14 is one long sentence in Greek text
3 Useful questions in the
study of these paragraphs:
1. What are these paragraphs?

2. What’s the point of the
paragraph/unit?
3. How does this paragraph relate to
the other paragraphs or units in the
same section?
Pointer # 5:
Identify the immediate context where a
single passage belongs. Identify it’s
section context and connect the
thoughts of the various units of that
section, including the immediate context
of your passage.
GENRE STUDY 10:
ACTS
Purpose
To give an accurate account of the

birth and growth of the Christian
church.

Author
Luke (a Gentile physician)
Written to Theophilus
The author of Epistle to the Hebrews is unknown.

Date written
Between A. D. 63 and 70
Source: Life Application Bible.

Setting
Acts is the connecting link between

Christ’s life and the life of the
church, between the Gospels and
the Epistles.
Source: Life Application Bible.

Key verse
“But ye shall receive power, after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you: and ye shall be witnesses
unto me both in Jerusalem, and in
all Judaea, and in Samaria, and
unto the uttermost part of the
earth.” (1:8)

The Book of Acts as
Narrative:
Often, a story or a narrative is told to
make only one central point. Although
a narrative may consists of other
episodes or smaller narratives within
the main story, all of these
component parts “…can work
together to impress upon the reader a
single major point.”
Pointer # 1:
In interpreting narratives, begin by

identifying the central point of the
story.
Pointer # 2:
The individual episodes or smaller

narratives in the main story were
not designed to speak to the reader
by itself. They must be interpreted
as how they contribute in
highlighting the main point of the
narrative.
The Central Point of the
Book of Acts:
1. The role of the Holy Spirit in
Acts.
2. The work that Jesus started
progressed and continued to
reach the Gentile world.
3. A more detailed outline

Genre Study

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GENRE STUDY:

1. category of artistic works: one of the categories,

2. paintings of household scenes: painting

Understanding the Bible isn’t for the:

Douglas Stuart (PhD, Harvard University) is

22 Weeks from 08 September 2012

Condemnation God’s Presence

MIDDLE LEVEL: The story of Israel

MIDDLE LEVEL: The story of Israel

To teach people how to be

Source: Life Application Bible

Solomon wrote most of this book, with

Source: Life Application Bible

Solomon wrote and compiled most of

Source: Life Application Bible

This book of wise sayings, a textbook

Source: Life Application Bible

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of

Source: Life Application Bible

Proverbs are generalizations of

Proverbs are not divine formulas for

In identifying the “broader principles”

To spare future generations the

Source: Life Application Bible

Source: Life Application Bible

Solomon’s subjects in particular,

Source: Life Application Bible

Probably around 935 B.C., late in

Source: Life Application Bible

Solomon looks back on his life,

Source: Life Application Bible

“Let us hear the conclusion of the

Source: Life Application Bible

1. Solomon’s personal experience (1:1 to 2:26)

2. Solomon’s general observation (3:1 to 5:20)

3. Solomon’s practical counsel (6:1 to 8:15)

4. Solomon’s final conclusion (8:16 to 12:14)

Source: Life Application Bible

1. To record the events of Israel’s

Source: Life Application Bible

Source: Life Application Bible

1450 – 1407/6 B.C.

Source: Life Application Bible

The region presently known as the

Source: Life Application Bible

Source: Life Application Bible

Source: Life Application Bible

700 – 430 B.C.

Source: Life Application Bible

During the divided Kingdoms of

Prophets are sent by God to remind them of

Study the background of Israel’s

Divided Kingdoms – 930 BC; 1Kings 12:16

3 speeches: vs. 1-3; 4-17; 18-27

1. Prophetic Oracle Structure

Identify the beginning and ending of a

Time event is clear

Time event is clear

Previous studies showed the divided kingdom as a

Personal study for discussion purposes.

Prophetic (ch.8) and Woe Oracle Structure

Personal study for discussion purposes.