Applying Secular Literary Genres to Biblical Interpretation
The application of secular literary genres to biblical interpretation involves understanding the Bible's various forms of communication through lenses familiar from broader literary studies. This approach recognizes that the biblical text employs diverse literary structures and conventions to convey its message, much like other ancient and modern literature.
One fundamental aspect of this approach is recognizing that language itself carries inherent meaning and structure. Every language, and indeed every word within a language, possesses a "signification" or meaning that it conveys to those who understand it [7]. This principle extends to the specific ways language is organized into genres. For instance, parables, a common genre in the Gospels, are understood as stories that typically draw an analogy between an everyday aspect of life and a spiritual truth [3]. To interpret a parable effectively, one must identify this central analogy, consider its historical context, and understand its place within the broader Gospel narrative [3]. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not originally intended should be avoided [3].
The New Testament, particularly certain books like the Epistle to the Hebrews, exhibits a quality of Greek that is considered "somewhat better Greek" than other parts of the New Testament, showing similarities to classical constructions [9]. This observation, while not proving identical authorship, indicates that biblical authors were capable of employing sophisticated literary styles.
Interpreters throughout history have implicitly or explicitly engaged with the literary nature of the Bible. John Calvin, for example, while known for his theological insights, also engaged in "verbal criticisms" of the text, demonstrating an attention to the nuances of language [2]. His commentary on Genesis, for instance, discusses the intentional transition from the literal serpent to the spiritual being who used it, highlighting a symbolic or allegorical layer within the narrative [1]. Similarly, John Chrysostom, an early Church Father, engaged in detailed textual analysis, sometimes noting differences between the Septuagint and Hebrew versions of the Psalms [4, 5]. He also emphasized "comparing spiritual things with spiritual," suggesting an interpretive method that involves understanding biblical texts in light of other biblical texts, akin to understanding a literary corpus [8].
The recognition of different literary forms helps in avoiding misinterpretations. For example, understanding that certain passages might be poetic or prophetic rather than strictly historical can guide interpretation. The prophet Jeremiah, for instance, uses metaphorical language when God declares, "I am married" to Israel, which is understood as God being a "husband" or "lord" to them [6]. This is not a literal marriage but a covenantal relationship expressed through a familiar human institution.
Charles Hodge, one theologian, emphasized that the Bible, particularly when written in Greek, "must be understood as Greek" [11]. He noted that the "usus loquendi" (the custom of speaking) of any language changes over time and across different groups, meaning that Hellenistic Greek has its own distinct usage compared to classical Greek [11]. This highlights the importance of understanding the specific linguistic and literary conventions of the biblical era. Hodge also cautioned against "speculative theology" that dilutes biblical truth with "floods of human speculation," advocating for an interpretation grounded in the text itself rather than imposing external philosophical frameworks [10].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 7.57: truths and mysteries of Holy Scripture.” The meaning of Calvin is, that there was an intentional transition from the serpent to the spiritual being who made use of it. — Ed 197 “ Et les decoit en se masquant de la personne d’autruy .” — French Trans . 198 “ Ipsum vulnerabit .” 199 See the Vulgate. “ Ipsa conteret ,” — She shall bruise. The following judicious note from Professor Lee’s Hebrew Lexicon confirms the criticism of Calvin: — “The attempt that has been made gravely to justify a blunder of the Vulgate, which here reads ips”
- CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 1.5: more recently been subjected. Still his verbal criticisms are neither few nor unimportant, though he lays comparatively little stress upon them himself. 5 5 The reader is referred, for full information on this subject, to a small volume entitled, “The Merits of Calvin as an Interpreter of the Holy Scriptures,” by Professor Tholuck of Halle. To which are added, “Opinions and Testimonies of Foreign and British Divines and Scholars as to the Importance of the Writings of John Calvin.” With a Preface by the Revelation William Pringle. ”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:3: 13:3-9 This parable (interpreted in 13:18-23) addresses the mostly negative responses of the Jewish nation to Jesus and his message. • Parables (Greek parabolē) are stories that usually express an analogy between a common aspect of life and a spiritual truth. To understand a parable, it is necessary to locate the central analogy and understand it in its historical context and in the context of the Gospel text; then the central message can be understood. Speculative allegorical meanings that were not intended should not be found in every element of a parable.”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: sections are numbered throughout: where the division seemed to be inconvenient, the number is given in the margin. In the earlier Homilies a second series of numbers is employed to mark the sections in the translation; this was discontinued as unnecessary, and the Benedictine only retained. In some of the references to the Psalms, where the Septuagint differs much from the Hebrew, the numbers given are those of the Greek. Care will be taken in the Index of Texts to give always the reference to the Psalm and Verse according to the Hebrew reckoning fo”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: he afterwards gives. [The criticism of the English editor is not without some force; yet it seems best to adhere to the text of St. Chrys., as is here done. The proposed alteration does not remove the difficulty, which is merely negative. The rendering in the English edition is: 1 ’s text than to follow the alterations of the English edition—both because the passage is thus much clearer, and because this is professedly a translation of Field’s text, and his critical sagacity must be considered on such a point of higher value.—: 1 ’s text, though con”
- Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 3:14: I am married--literally, "I am Lord," that is, husband to you (so Jer 31:32; compare Hos 2:19-20; Isa 54:5). GESENIUS, following the Septuagint version of Jer 31:32, and Paul's quotation of it (Heb 8:9), translates, "I have rejected you"; so the corresponding Arabic, and the idea of lordship, may pass into that of looking down upon, and so rejecting. But the Septuagint in this passage translates, "I will be Lord over you." And the "for" has much more force in English Version than in that of GESENIUS. The Hebrew hardly admits the rendering though [HEN”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 14:10: There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices,.... "tongues", or "languages", as the Syriac version renders it; that is, as many as there are nations in the world; there may be seventy of them, as the Jews say there were at the confusion of languages at Babel; there may be more or less: and none of them is without signification: every language, and every word in a language, has a meaning in it, an idea annexed to it, which it conveys to him that understands it, and that cannot be done without a voice ordinarily speaking.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 2:13: also--We not only know by the Holy Ghost, but we also speak the "things freely given to us of God" (Co1 2:12). which the Holy Ghost teacheth--The old manuscripts read "the Spirit" simply, without "Holy." comparing spiritual things with spiritual--expounding the Spirit-inspired Old Testament Scripture, by comparison with the Gospel which Jesus by the same Spirit revealed [GROTIUS]; and conversely illustrating the Gospel mysteries by comparing them with the Old Testament types [CHRYSOSTOM]. So the Greek word is translated, "comparing" (Co2 10:”
- CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on John & Hebrews: particular words and constructions, as of the general cast, both of the phraseology and the structure of the sentences; but that this similarity arises, not from the identity of the writers, but from the fact that both wrote in somewhat better Greek than is found in the rest of the New Testament. The grammars of the New Testament Greek continually refer to the fact, that certain classical constructions are found only, or at least more frequently, in these writers than elsewhere. But this does not prove more than that the author of this Epistle, as m”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 12: almost superseded the old Biblical systems. If any man of ordinary 77 culture and intelligence should take up a volume of what is called “Speculative Theology,” (that is, theology presented in the forms of the speculative philosophy,) he would not understand a page and would hardly understand a sentence. He could not tell whether the theology which it proposed to present was Christianity or Buddhism. Or, at best, he would find a few drops of Biblical truth so diluted by floods of human speculation that the most delicate of chemical tests ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 96: could the Gospel be preached to heathen? to the Hindoos, for example, if they were forbidden to attach to the words God, sin, repentance, and a holy life, no other ideas than those suggested by the corresponding terms of their own language? The Bible, so far as written in Greek, must be understood as Greek. But the “ usus loquendi ” of every language varies more or less in different ages, and as spoken by different tribes and nations. Every one admits that Hellenistic Greek has a usage distinguishing it from the language of the classics. ”