Literary Styles

To better understand the Bible, we have to first learn to recognize the different literary styles used by the biblical authors.

Introduction [00:00-00:36]

Jon: The Bible is a collection of many books telling one unified story from beginning to end. But all those books were written in different literary styles.

Tim: Yeah. Think of it like walking into a bookstore where every aisle has a different kind of literature. There’s history, or poetry, or nonfiction. When you choose an aisle and pick up a book, you’re going to have very different expectations, different things that you’re looking for.

Jon: Right. They’re all literature, but they communicate in really different ways.

Tim: Yes, and so the same thing is true for the Bible. If you don’t pay attention to what style it’s written in, you will miss out on the brilliance of each book.

Jon: So what are the main types of literature in the Bible?

Narrative [00:37-02:26]

Tim: Well first and foremost is narrative. That makes up a whopping 43 percent of the Bible. After that is poetry, which is 33 percent of the Bible. And then there’s what you could call prose discourse, which makes up the remaining 24 percent.

Jon: Nearly half of the Bible is narrative!?

Tim: Yes, and this is no accident. Stories are the most universal form of human communication. Our brains are actually hardwired to take in information through story.

Jon: And stories are really enjoyable. Why is that?

Tim: Well stories train us to make sense of the seemingly random events that happen in life by taking those events and them putting them in a sequence. And then together you can start to see the meaning and purpose of it all.

Jon: And what links this all together?

Tim: Well good stories always have a character who wants something. And then through these characters, the author can explore life’s big questions, like “who are we?” or “what’s really important in life?”

And a good story always involves some kind of conflict.

Jon: Some challenge to be overcome, just like in our own lives.

Tim: And that forces us to think about our own challenges––why there’s so much pain and disappointment in the world––and then what can we do about it. And stories usually end with some kind of resolution, giving us hope for our own stories.

Jon: Since these are Bible stories, are the characters showing me how I should live?

Tim: Yeah that’s not quite the point. Most Bible characters are deeply flawed––you should not be like them. But we are supposed to see ourselves in them, which helps us then see our lives and failures from a new perspective. And without even realizing it, these stories will start to mess with you and change how you see the world and other people and yourself.

Jon: Now there are different types of narrative in the Bible.

Tim: Yeah. There’s historical narrative, but also narrative parables, and short biographical narratives like the four Gospels. We’ll look at all these in later videos.

Poetry [02:27-03:20]

Jon: Okay. Next up is poetry, which honestly I don’t read a lot of.

Tim: Yeah. You’re like most people. But one out of every three chapters in the Bible is poetry.

Jon: Yeah. Why so much poetry?

Tim: Well poems mainly speak through dense, creative language, linking together images to help us envision the world differently. Poems use lots of metaphor to evoke your emotions and your imagination.

Jon: Lots of fancy language, but wouldn’t it be easier just to tell me what I need to know?

Tim: Well think about it. In life, we tend to form mental ruts, and we think in these familiar, well-worn paths that are very hard to get out of through logic or reasoning. And what good poetry does is force you off the familiar path into new territory.

Jon: Sneaky.

Tim: And there is different types of poetry in the Bible. There’s lots of types of songs, or psalms. There’s the reflective poetry of the wisdom books, and then the passionate resistance poetry of the prophets.

Prose Discourse [03:21-04:04]

Jon: Okay. The last big literary type is called prose discourse, and it makes up a quarter of the Bible.

Tim: Yeah. These are speeches, letters, or essays. And the focus here is building a sequence of ideas or thoughts into one linear argument that requires a logical response.

Like hey have you thought about this thing? You should also consider how it connects to this other thing. And if you do, then you’ll see that this is the result. And in light of that conclusion, therefore, you should probably stop doing that one thing so that this other thing will be the outcome.

Jon: So you are persuading me with reason.

Tim: Yeah. Discourse forces you to think logically and consistently and then do something about it. Biblical discourse is found in law collections, in wisdom literature, and the letters written by the apostles.

Conclusion [04:05-04:43]

Jon: Okay, so each book of the Bible has one literary style.

Tim: No. Actually most books have a primary literary style, like narrative for example. But then embedded in the narrative, you’ll come across poems or parables or collections of laws. Every book is a unique combination of literary styles.

Jon: And to read that book well, I need to become familiar with each literary type and how it works.

Tim: Yeah, so you know what to pay attention to and what questions you should ask. But before we look at each type, there’s one more unifying feature of biblical literature that’s really important and really cool. And that is what we’ll explore next.

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6 Literary Genres In The Bible And How We Should Read Them

Robert Sang

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6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

W henever you’re reading the Bible it’s essential to know the kind of genre or type of literature that you are reading. This is particularly important if you’re trying to interpret scripture.

Knowing what kind of literature you are reading helps you to understand and make sense of the text you are reading. If you don’t, that’s how you can end up making certain judgments of the text that are unjustified, or getting the wrong interpretation.

When reading a book of the Bible, we need to understand why the author has written this. Is it written for a particular purpose or audience? Often you’ll find a quick introduction to a book in a study Bible laying out its intention. However, you can also research this online.

What are the different types of literary genres in the Bible and how should we read them?

6 MAIN LITERARY GENRES IN THE BIBLE

1. narrative/ historical.

The Bible contains narrative throughout most of its books. These report accounts or stories of events or people as they encounter God, sin against each other or live out their lives. It records historical accounts of events as well as providing descriptions of what is happening in particular scenes.

Narrative is relatively straight forward to read. However, we need to be able to see the big picture and God’s redemptive work and purpose throughout to see the proper context. Throughout these narratives, there are many examples of God’s people who fell away from God and then returned repeatedly in repentance as God sought to draw them back to him. This is a distinct pattern that occurs time and time again.

When we read, we must see where they went wrong and learn from their mistakes and avoid their pitfalls, while following their examples when they have  done something right.

Within this genre are two sub-genres: law and history.  

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are the first five books of the Old Testament. These are usually referred to as the Pentateuch.

These take the forms of detailed commands and prescriptions on how to live. In particular, these focus on how to worship God and how to act towards our neighbours, which you’ll find in Exodus.

In Leviticus, it really gets down to the nitty gritty. You’ll find detailed instructions on keeping the law, observing various rituals in order to keep a strict adherence, and the consequences for disobeying the law. Some of these might not even seem relevant to readers of the Bible today but written for a specific time and audience. This is one of the questions we must ask when reading the law. Does the writer intend for it to be universally applicable or simply for a particular audience?

Although I’ve listed this under law, this still contains historical narrative and we should read it as such. The reason I’ve put them under this category is because it became common to find Greek and Latin Bibles referring to the first five books of the Bible as the Law.

The Old Testament is full of historical narrative. Genesis and Exodus which describe the beginnings of the people of Israel, their exile in the land of Egypt and Moses giving them the law. You can see a distinct difference between books like Exodus, which largely relates events, and Leviticus, which mostly lays out prescriptions.

Later books such as Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles also expand upon the history of God’s people. Another common feature is genealogies which are long lists of people with unusual names, all forming a long line of descendants.

When you come to the New Testament, Matthew and Luke’s Gospels also include the genealogies of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles relates the history of the early church and God’s power at work through the disciples.

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

The Bible contains poetic literature, often found in the Old Testament in the form of Hebrew poetry. This isn’t purely poetry in the way we might understand it in modern literature today. Hebrew poetry employs various devices to get their point across. These include books like Psalms (which are essentially a bunch of songs) and the Song of Solomon (which is almost like a collection of love letters where two people are expressing their feelings for one another).

There are also parts of other books of the Bible which include poetic elements such as in Isaiah or Jeremiah.

3. Wisdom literature

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

This includes books like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job. Proverbs comprises of many wise sayings that offer advice for different types of situations.

With books like Ecclesiastes and Job, we need to understand who is speaking or expressing their views. The protagonists are not necessarily always correct in what they are thinking.

For example, Job is often in despair and in anguish about his situation. As such, we need to bear this in mind in his tone and content. His friends aren’t always offering the best advice either.

Ecclesiastes offers a philosophical introspection and contemplation of life. We need to understand that the main protagonist of the story often has two opposing view points or perspectives on life. Sometimes he’s looking at life under the sun, which leads him to despair.  Other times he rises above that and sees life from “above the sun” – ie God’s perspective.

That means that when we read these books, we need to take this into account, otherwise we can simply adopt the wrong conclusions about life or about what is truth.

That doesn’t mean that the books as a whole are not true or the Word of God. The characters here are offering differing or opposing points of views. This acts as a literary device to contrast it with the truth that underlies it all.

4. Prophecy

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

Prophecy in the Bible often takes the form of oracles or visions. In these, the prophet reveals hidden knowledge of God and his plans.

Prophecy appears in many books of the Old Testament. The prophetic Old Testament books are divided into the 4 major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) and the 12  minor prophets (eg Hosea, Obadiah, Micah and others). However, there is also prophecy in the New Testament such as Revelation. This actually belongs in a special category of prophecy known as Apocalypse. Apocalypse contains far more symbolism than the usual prophetic writings. Parts of Daniel fall into this category as well.

In addition, there are several instances of prophecy within a book that is not specifically prophetic. For example, Jesus speaks of numerous prophetic future events in the gospels. He describes how the sun will grow dark, stars will fall from space etc. He also points to the coming of the Son of Man when Jesus himself returns in glory.

Much of prophecy employs language and vocabulary that is symbolic in nature. This makes it not straight forward to interpret. Some of these refer to future events yet to be fulfilled either in our own lifetime or centuries later. Others refer to things which already happened in the distant past, as far as we are concerned. And others still seem to refer to events which may be fulfilled in multiple ways at various points throughout history.

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

Although Gospels contain elements of historical narrative, they go beyond this, making them their own genre altogether. The purpose of the gospels is to proclaim Jesus and to point to him, his teaching and his works.

As Luke writes at the beginning of his gospel in Luke 1:1-4

“1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled [ a ]  among us,  2  just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3  With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  4  so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

John also writes in John 20:30-31

30 “ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  31  But these are written that you may believe [ a ]  that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Scholars often refer to John’s Gospel as a book of signs, as Jesus’ miracles (or signs) point to Jesus as Messiah.

Therefore when we read the gospels, although we read it as a historical narrative, we ultimately engage with it in a way that we may encounter Jesus as well, just like the disciples.

For a creative way to read gospels, check out my  graphic novel version of Luke’s Gospel here .

Within the gospels is the literary sub-genre of parables. 

6. Epistles/ Teachings

6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how to read them

The New Testament contains a number of epistles or letters written by various apostles such as Paul, Peter or John to different audiences. These are usually either churches in a particular region or specific individuals.

These letters contain teaching and doctrine. These explain and elaborate on the truths of the Gospels and other parts of the Old Testament. Paul, for example, will often set things in their proper context to explain how we should understand certain events in the Old Testament.

In Romans, Paul makes reference to the law. He explains that it existed precisely to show that it was impossible to keep. No-one could become righteous through the law itself. It merely existed to act as a measure of how we would ultimately fall short.

In other letters such as those to Timothy or Titus, Paul is speaking words of encouragement, seeking to build others up in the faith. Throughout the letters, Paul also uses many  “one another” statements which you can read about here. 

The Acts of the Apostles provides much of the historical background to these letters, giving us a clue as to when and where they were written.

The epistles are a great place to start reading the Bible to understand Christian doctrine and get an overview of scripture. The writers go into a lot of detail. This makes it easier to understand the text compared to some other parts of the Bible.

It’s important to know the literary genre of the book we’re reading in the Bible. If we neglect this, it can lead to misunderstandings and wrong assumptions. We can also end up applying God’s word in the wrong way.

Which literary genre of the Bible do you find easiest to read and understand? And which one do you find the most difficult?

Leave your comments in the section below. Also, please share if you found this article useful.

Robert Sang

Robert is the founder of Drawing on the Word. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Theology and a Master’s degree in Systematic Theology. He also has a degree in Law and was called to the Bar. Robert previously taught religious studies and was a theology lecturer. He is an artist, musician and writer, and has created a graphic novel version of Luke’s gospel. You can follow him below.

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Anita Ojeda

Wonderful overview, Robert! I’ve never really thought about these categories before, but it sure makes sense. I probably struggle with the law genre the most (because it’s kind of boring).

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Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I also find the law parts rather tedious and tend to skip over that part.

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Rebecca Peterson

Thanks for the easy reference guide! Visuals are always helpful in helping to make concepts concrete in my mind.

You’re welcome. Thanks for checking it out. I also find visuals far more helpful to me which is why I prefer them to only words.

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Aryn, The Libraryan

It definitely makes understanding grow when you take note of genre. It’s also helpful when you find a present day explanation of the old testament laws. Food restrictions, for one. Part of it was to be different, but if you study the list of foods, most if not all have a health reason to avoid them.

Thanks for commenting. Yes, knowing the genre is very helpful in getting a better understanding of the text.

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Shaneen Thompson

This topic is so much deeper and important than I think most people give it credit for! I’ve also been listening to The Bible Project’s series on Biblical literary genres and themes. It’s so important to note that the literary genres and tools that were utilized by the Hebrews and Greeks are not necessarily the same as the ones we use in modern English literature! While we might read a passage a certain way from our modern English lense, the original text actually intended something quite different.

Thanks for reading. There are a number of different ways to categorise these genres, and yes you’re right, the Hebrews and Greeks may have divided things up differently.

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I’d love to read this article, but the print is superimposed on the pictures and most of it is off of the screen. I’ve tried two different devices and both of them do the same. HELP, please!

Hi Rita. Thanks for your comment and for pointing out the formatting error. I’m not sure what happened as it wasn’t originally like this. I’ve fixed the formatting now so it should read normally. I hope you are able to get a chance to read this properly now. Thanks.

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3 types of writing in the bible

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Some Bible questions aren’t easily answered. Find some commonly asked questions about the Bible and Bible translation below. These articles just scratch the surface—we hope these answers spur you on to go deeper in your understanding.

There are lots of different types of writing in the Bible. How are they united?

The Bible is an anthology of so many different literary genres and techniques that the effect may finally threaten to confuse us. But literary unity will emerge if we remember the underlying principles.

The overall framework of the Bible is that of a story. It begins with the creation of the world and ends with the consummation of history and the recreation of the world. The plot conflict is a prolonged spiritual battle between good and evil. The central character is God, and every creature and nation interacts with this mighty protagonist. Every story, poem, or proverb in the Bible fits into this overarching story.

Furthermore, all of the literary parts of the Bible share the defining traits of literature itself. They present human experience concretely, so that we can share an experience with the author and with characters in a story or poem. The literary parts of the Bible all display technical skill and beauty. They also employ special resources of language, so that we are aware that the writers are doing things with language that go beyond ordinary uses.

Finally, despite the diversity in literary genres found in the Bible, the principle of genre itself helps to organize the picture. Virtually anywhere we turn in the Bible, we are aware that the passage or book belongs to a specific literary genre—a genre that follows its own conventions and that requires a definite set of expectations from the reader.

The Bible is a book for all people and all temperaments, from the prosaic, matter-of-fact reader to the person who likes far-flung fantasy and visions. The Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky had one of his fictional characters exclaim, “What a book the Bible is, what a miracle, what strength is given with it to man. It is like a mould cast of the world and man and human nature, everything is there, and a law for everything for all the ages. And what mysteries are solved and revealed” ( The Brothers Karamazov ).

This is an excerpt from The Origin of the Bible by F. F. Bruce, J. I. Packer, Philip Comfort, and Carl F. H. Henry. To read more, you can purchase this book from many Christian bookstores and online retailers, including Tyndale.com: https://www.tyndale.com/p/the-origin-of-the-bible/9781414379326

Ryken, L., et al. The Origin of the Bible. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2020.

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Volume 41 - Issue 2

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A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible

Philip the Evangelist asked the Ethiopian eunuch, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The eunuch did not; he needed someone to explain Isaiah 53:7–8 to him. In the same way, Leland Ryken, the literary evangelist, asks the question, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And Ryken anticipates that many readers of the Bible will answer this question like the Ethiopian eunuch: “How can I unless someone explains it to me?” Ryken’s work, A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible , provides an answer to these sorts of questions. The piece seeks to achieve two purposes. First, Ryken attempts to define and illustrate literary terms that one may hear when the Bible is taught or read in conjunction with biblical commentaries (p. 9). Second, Ryken seeks to introduce and explain the nature, characteristics, and function of literary forms in the Bible so that readers may discover the richness of the text’s content and meaning through the form in which they are conveyed (pp. 9–10). In so doing, Ryken hopes to offer “practical help to the general Bible reader as well as to scholars who teach the Bible” (p. 10).

This practical help is delivered throughout the Handbook , where Ryken discusses literary terms, genres, literary techniques, motifs, archetypes and types scenes, figures of speech, rhetorical devices, stylistic traits, and formulas in alphabetical order. The individual entries operate under the assumption that the content of a text is communicated through forms that are part and parcel of the text’s meaning. And the vast majority of these entries move beyond a definition of these literary forms and a description of their fundamental “ingredients” to an illustration of their use and function through specific biblical texts. In fact, many entries include illustrations from both the Old Testament and the New. The combination of definition, description, and illustration in a clear format and through accessible language is thus a hallmark of the Handbook .

In addition to the general nature and characteristics of the individual entries within the Handbook , it is important to note that many of its entries offer sound advice and open stimulating horizons. For example, on many occasions, Ryken notes that all the elements characteristic of a literary form may not be present in a text (e.g., pp. 74, 90). In certain instances, he identifies the way in which biblical texts mirror and modify elements common to literary genres elsewhere in the ancient world (e.g., p. 81). He includes entries that describe methodological approaches to certain literary forms, such as lyric, parable, personification, and proverbs. And he introduces genres that provide a useful heuristic guide for reading biblical texts. Among these genres, “docudrama” may be the best example (pp. 63–64). According to Ryken, docudrama is a genre of modern visual media which employs a set of stock techniques to convey information about a subject. These techniques include the communication of factual information, interviews with eyewitnesses, quotations from the subject of the piece, and clips of the physical landscapes in which the subject performed important actions, just to name a few (pp. 63–64). As Ryken observes, docudrama would be anomalous in the ancient world, but the techniques used in docudrama are analogous to the techniques used in biblical narrative. Accordingly, this form provides a creative and imaginative framework within which to read certain texts.

While one might question whether Ryken’s work is a complete handbook of literary forms in the Bible, a more important question looms throughout the volume: Are literary genres pure, fixed ontological categories into which readers place texts? Or are literary genres fluid and flexible forms that integrate and gesture to ingredients common to other genres? How one answers these questions will shape the way in which one uses Ryken’s Handbook . If one assumes that genres are pure, ontological categories, then Ryken’s Handbook provides a taxonomy of literary forms into which one may place a text. If, however, one assumes that genres are fluid, then Ryken’s Handbook defines and describes various literary forms that may be integrated and included in a single text. By a single text, I am not referring to an “encyclopedic form,” like the prophetic books, wisdom literature, or the Gospels, each of which includes a host of genres. I am instead referring to a single discourse unit such as the parental discourse in Proverbs 5, which contains elements of both the genre of instruction and the genre of love poetry. In the same way, the discourse in Proverbs 7 seems to intermingle the genre of instruction with the genre of fictional or imaginative literature (see Daniel J. Estes, “Fiction and Truth in the Old Testament Wisdom Literature,” Them 35 [2010]: 387–99). If one approaches these texts in Proverbs from an ontological perspective, they would be divided into units, and thereby slotted into categories that tend to be mutually exclusive. But if one is free from the presupposition that genres are fixed (as form critics have tended to believe), they may be read as discourses that mingle elements of different genres to produce and organize meaning, rather than fit into a specific category.

In this vein, some discussion of genre theory in the introduction to the Handbook would help readers use the volume more effectively. This would provide a framework within which to understand, for instance, how the narrative concerning David and Goliath can be classified as a “coming of age story” (p. 47), a “conflict story” (p. 47–48), and a “conquest story” (p. 49). In addition, a Scripture index would be invaluable for readers who are unfamiliar with many of the literary forms in the piece but are interested in using it as a reference volume for study or sermon preparation.

Despite these comments and questions, Ryken has produced a very helpful Handbook . The volume accomplishes its goal and will benefit many Bible readers and scholars.

Christopher B. Ansberry

Christopher B. Ansberry Oak Hill College London, UK

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Numbering and being glad in our days: a meditation on psalm 90.

Psalm 90 tells us that our lives are ever so brief and it also tells us why...

John Barclay’s Paul and the Gift and the New Perspective on Paul

John Barclay’s Paul and the Gift is one of the most important books on Paul’s theology in years...

The Septuagint and Biblical Theology

This article addresses the question: How does the LXX relate to the Christian Old Testament, and more specifically, what role does the LXX play in Christian biblical theology? The first part of the article is a brief overview of five different approaches to the role of the LXX in a whole-Bible biblical theology...

The Problem of Repentance and Relapse as a Unifying Theme in the Book of the Twelve

This article builds on earlier studies highlighting repentance and return as unifying themes in the Book of the Twelve by developing a pattern of repentance and relapse that emerges from a reading of the Twelve...

The Impassible God Who “Cried”

Modern scholars charge that the traditional view of divine impassibility had been corrupted with Greek philosophy and thus strayed away from Scripture’s testimony of the true God...

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Peter: False Disciple and Apostate according to Saint Matthew

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3 types of writing in the bible

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3 types of writing in the bible

Bible Genres: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?

3 types of writing in the bible

By Orpheus J. Heyward | Bio

Dr. Orpheus J. Heyward is Senior Minister of the Renaissance Church of Christ. He is considered one of the most dynamic and scripturally sound gospel preachers among churches of Christ today. Having received his Masters of Arts in Theology, Masters of Arts in Biblical Studies and doctorate degree in Theological Exegesis, he is a constant student of the Bible.

If you want to understand the Bible better, one of the most important concepts is Bible “genres.” What are the Bible’s genres and why do they matter?

The Bible’s “genres” in the context of biblical hermeneutics mean the kinds of literature of a given book of the Bible. The Bible is rich with a variety of literary genres. Being familiar with the various genres helps us read the text more accurately.

For example, one of the dominant literary types in the Bible is historical narrative, such as Genesis and Acts. The Bible also contains wisdom literature, such as Song of Solomon, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. There are letters written to particular church groups or individuals. Additionally, we have books containing apocalyptic literature, such as Revelation and Daniel. There are books of prophecy and law. There are sermons and parables. Moreover, poetry comprises as much as one third of the Bible.

How Bible Genres Affect How We Read

As we each study the Bible, we must be sensitive with regard to literary genre and understand that each genre cannot be read in the exact same way. Historical narratives primarily report events, while letters address certain occasions. Wisdom literature is practical and encourages seeking virtue and divine favor, while apocalyptic contains vivid language and utilizes signs and symbols.

New Testament professor Dean Deppe provides insight to how genre affects how we read the text:

The determination of genre is crucial to detecting the meaning of a literary text, since like an infrared lens it offers a photo that we do not always observe in normal light….Genres trigger different expectations and thus demand divergent reading strategies.[1]

“Genres trigger different expectations and thus demand divergent reading strategies.”

The goal of the interpreter is to ascertain what the author under the influence of the Holy Spirit is attempting to communicate. If we ignore the literary type, then we become vulnerable to misrepresenting the meaning .

An Example of How Genre Helps Us Understanding Meaning

We need to read only a few words of the following description of Jesus to realize we are no longer reading a biography of Jesus in the Gospels:

Among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. (Revelation 1:13–15)

Considering the Genre

Apocalyptic literature such as we see here in Revelation 1 uses vivid imagery filled with signs and symbols.

As I mentioned, a shocking percentage of the language of Revelation comes to us from the Old Testament. Reading an unfamiliar genre (apocalypse) that borrows its imagery from the less familiar testament (the Old Testament) should invite us to tread humbly and cautiously, so as not to abuse the text.

“Reading an unfamiliar genre (apocalypse) that borrows its imagery from the less familiar testament (the Old Testament) should invite us to tread humbly and cautiously, so as not to abuse the text.”

With all this in mind, how can we best understand this apocalyptic passage undergirded with symbolism?

Walking through the Text

If we take it as a literal picture of the physical description of Jesus, our interpretations could yield rather odd results. Let’s walk through the text.

John describes Jesus in this text as having a robe reaching to his feet with a golden sash around his chest; his hair is white like snow and white wool; his eyes are like fire and feet like burnished bronze; and his voice is like the sound of rushing water and a two-edged sword is coming out of his mouth. Perhaps it’s no wonder why Jesus needed to say in verse seventeen, “Do not be afraid.”

Studying the Symbols

Where do these symbols come from?

  • Robe and sash . The picture of Jesus dressed with a robe and sash echoes how the priests were dressed under the Old Testament law (Leviticus 16:3–4).
  • Hair like wool . Even more vivid is the picture of Jesus as having hair like white wool. This language recalls Daniel 7:9, where the Ancient of Days (God) is described in the same way, having his holiness placed on display.
  • Eyes like fire . Jesus having eyes like fire recalls the language of Daniel 10:6, which reveals the image of a celestial being.
  • Feet like bronze . His feet like bronze recalls the language of Micah 4:13, where Israel is figuratively said to have been given feet like bronze to trample out the enemy.
  • Sword out of mouth . The two-edged sword coming out of his mouth is a symbol of judgment through his word (Isaiah 49:1–2; Hebrews 4:12).
  • Voice as rushing water . His voice as rushing water is imagery of God in Ezekiel 43:1–2.

If we take all this background information under consideration and put it together with the reality that the recipients of this book were under Roman persecution needing encouragement, we arrive at something far more understandable than the incomprehensible image of Christ we started with: Christ is presented as God who is a priest to serve his people, with a sword prepared to judge, and feet that can trample out the enemy . To accent that he is God, he cites the words of Isaiah 44:6 in which Yahweh said, “I am the first and I am the last.”

As this example shows, knowing the genre will help the reader handle the text accurately, according to its literary form.

“Knowing the genre will help the reader handle the text accurately, according to its literary form.”

[1] Dean B. Deppe, All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011), 7.

9 Bible Genres

To further help us understand what genres are, here is a list of common genres in the Bible along with a brief description. This list is from the Real Life Theology Handbook :

Historical Narrative – A lot of the Bible is the people of God telling stories of what God did throughout their history. Because the Bible has so many stories, it’s basically a story of stories .

Law – These are the commands God gave to his people (the Israelites) after rescuing them from slavery in Egypt, both do’s and don’ts. Some commands described what’s good and evil for all time and they aren’t bound to one time or place; others were limited to describing how to run the ancient nation of Israel many centuries ago.

Poetry – This is a way of writing in verse, often using figurative language and evoking strong feeling. Hebrew poetry used a lot of parallelism (parallel lines of poetry), often where the second line restates or reinforces the first line in some way. Poetry is sprinkled throughout the Bible, with some books being entirely poetic. Around a third of the Bible is written in poetry.

“Poetry is sprinkled throughout the Bible, with some books being entirely poetic.”

Wisdom Literature – These are collections of wise sayings and theological reflection given by Jewish sages. These range from short statements which give practical advice for particular situations (Proverbs) to deep explorations of difficult questions, such as why good people suffer (Job) and why life seems futile sometimes (Ecclesiastes). Much Wisdom Literature is written in poetic form.

Prophecy – These are messages from God’s messengers to God’s people, sometimes given when the people were unwilling to listen. Typically, these were messages meant for the prophet’s own generation, but sometimes they were interspersed with predictions of the future (e.g., events such as the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and the coming of the Messiah). It’s been said that God gave these messages to comfort the afflicted—and afflict the comfortable.

Gospels – These are biographies of Jesus, with the name “gospel” meaning “good news.” They narrate Jesus’ ministry, including his teachings and miracles. Each spends a good percentage of its space narrating the events of the final week of Jesus’ life, climaxing in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

“Each Gospel spends a good percentage of its space narrating the events of the final week of Jesus’ life, climaxing in Jesus’ death and resurrection.”

Parables – These are fictional stories told using the stuff of everyday life (a fisherman separating good and bad fish, a farmer sowing seed, a guy getting robbed) to point to spiritual realities. The word literally means “to throw alongside” (para = alongside; bole = to throw). These stories were “thrown alongside” the truth being taught. Jesus taught numerous parables.

Letters – These are letters written by early church leaders such as Paul, Peter, and John to early Christians to help them navigate questions they had and issues their churches faced. Many are written to churches in particular cities, such as Romans (written to the Christians in Rome) and Ephesians (written to the Christians in Ephesus).

Apocalypse – This is a way of describing cataclysmic events using rich symbolism. The word means to “uncover” or “reveal.” Bible books which use the apocalyptic genre are Daniel in the Old Testament and Revelation in the New Testament.

The above article on Bible genres is an excerpt from Orpheus J. Heyward, God’s Word: The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture (Renew.org, 2021). To check out the book, click here .

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Six types of writing in the Bible and why they matter

Dalton Blankenship

I always wanted to read more than I wanted air! My mother showed me that reading could transport me wherever I wanted to go, show me worlds I would never see, and introduce me to people who were long gone, but still worth knowing.

She painted word pictures with her voice. Together we discovered stories could be told in many different ways. As a craftsman uses different tools for each part of a project, storytellers often use different kinds of literature to share stories.

God authored the Bible to share His story and help us understand who He is.

6 Types of Literature in the Bible

When God set Israel apart as His people, He gave them commands for how to live, worship, and govern. The first five books of the Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — are called "the law."   Through the law, God taught His people to focus on Him while revealing blessings for obedience and consequences for disobedience. You might hate reading that stuff in Leviticus about icky skin conditions, but as we read, we can be thankful that Jesus has rescued us from them!   Keeping laws cannot give us eternal life, but reading God’s law gives us insight into His character.

Historical literature relates actual events. Throughout the Bible, God has recorded history through His messengers. He wants us to know the who, what, when, why, and how of His people.   Biblical history records tragedy that occurs when God’s people turn from Him, relying on their own strength. It also tells the stories of redemption — when God’s people got it right — repented, were forgiven, and followed in obedience.   Reading these stories gives us hope. With salvation, we become part of God’s redemption history!

Poetry may seem dry as dirt in a drought. But biblical poetry is different than what you’ve read before. The words don’t rhyme!  In Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon, we are front and center observing the spiritual life of each writer.   Pain, suffering, grief, blessing, praise, anger, wisdom, regret, even the unique joys of marriage — these are emotions that all humans experience but don’t always know how to express.   Through poetry, we can often find words to tell our heart’s story. 

4. Prophecy

God chose to speak warning and make promises to His people through His prophets. From Isaiah through Malachi, prophecies revealed consequences for not obeying God’s commands — and announced God’s plan of redemption through the promise of a Savior!   Hearing God’s plans in advance should have helped people change. But most of the time, people wouldn’t listen. Because we have the benefit of Old and New Testaments, we know the prophecies came true.   Fulfilled prophecy helps us believe God can be trusted today because He has always been faithful to keep every promise.

5. Genealogy

Remember those boring, unpronounceable lists of biblical names who begat, or were the son of? You may be tempted to skip them as I have. But don’t! Each name was a person important to God; each list places God’s family in history.

Genealogies also show the importance of Jesus to that history, proving He was both human and divine. Boring? Try reading Luke 3:21-38 with the Star Wars Imperial March in the background, and a drum roll toward the end.   The genealogies of mankind in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 are God's proof that He authored His family story.

6. Narrative

Probably the easiest to read, narratives are woven throughout the Bible in most every book. They simply tell stories of countless, ordinary people doing wonderfully extraordinary things for God. But in each one, we discover they are real people —flawed and sinful people — just like us!   If God can use an uneducated fisherman (Peter), a murderer (Paul), and a teenage unwed mother (Mary), it’s easier to believe He can use us, too!   The Bible is literature, but don’t let that stop you from reading it.    Because the Bible is “living and active,” reading it is the most important way to learn about God and who He is calling us to be ( Hebrews 4:12 ). The Bible is God’s Word, come down from heaven to tell us, through the Holy Spirit, and those chosen to write it: “This is who I’ve been since the beginning. This is who I am and will always be. And I love you!” Who wouldn’t want to read about that?     Need help getting started reading the Bible? Find Bible reading plans and devotional guides here .    

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The Bible - Types of Writing in the Bible!

The Bible - Types of Writing in the Bible!

Subject: Religious education

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

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Last updated

25 January 2022

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pptx, 3.44 MB

In this engaging and informative lesson, students learn about the different types of writing in the Bible, consider how these different writing forms get across key messages, and apply this knowledge in creating their own thoughtful texts. They learn through:

-Recalling and remembering how to reference different sections of the Bible; -Acting as ‘Bible Detectives’, follwing references in order to find different styles of writing; -Analysing how different styles of writing add to meanings/ messages; -Considering important messages and lessons that they have been given in their own lives, and applying knowledge of different writing styles to contribute to a ‘Class Bible’; -Evaluating their ‘Class Bible’ through thought-provoking reflection questions;

This resource pack contains a comprehensive and colourful 17-slide Powerpoint, which guides teachers and students through the learning activities. Challenge activities are provided in order to enrich learning for higher-attaining learners.

A part of the lesson includes using Bibles, so you will need enough for at least one per group in your class.

In the past, I have used this lesson with children from across Key Stage 2 - the key learning is aligned with national expectations for RE, and also the content prescribed by most diocese regions. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide.

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Get this resource as part of a bundle and save up to 63%

A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

The Bible - Big Lesson Bundle!

These engaging and informative lessons provide students with a well-rounded introductory understanding of the Bible. Throughout the sequence of lessons, children understand the structure of the Bible, the content in different sections, and how to find Bible passages through references. Children learn that the Bible can be interpreted from fundamentalist or liberal perspectives. Furthermore, two sections of the Bible are explored in more depth: those relating to the Ten Commandments and the Creation story. The lessons are best taught in the following order: 1. Introduction to the Bible 2. Bible Structure and Referencing 3. Types of Writing in the Bible 4. The Ten Commandments 5. Respect for the Bible 6. Interpretations of the Bible 7. The Creation Story 8. Human Responsibility Each lesson contains a comprehensive and colourful Powerpoint (each of at least 15 slides), which guide teachers and students through the learning activities. Challenge activities are provided in order to enrich learning for higher-attaining learners. Where appropriate, eye-catching and helpful worksheets and templates (in both Word and PDF) are also included. Within most lessons, children are asked questions and set challenges to develop their own personal spirituality. In the past, I have used these lessons with children from across Key Stage 2 - the key learning is aligned with national expectations for RE, and also the content prescribed by most diocese regions. **The resources are suitable for home learning** however the first couple of lessons work best if children have access to a physical Bible. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide.

The Bible Huge Bundle!

**This bundle contains all 8 of the Bible lessons AND the corresponding Bible Knowledge Organiser!** The engaging and informative lessons provide students with a well-rounded introductory understanding of the Bible. Throughout the sequence of lessons, children understand the structure of the Bible, the content in different sections, and how to find Bible passages through references. Children learn that the Bible can be interpreted from fundamentalist or liberal perspectives. Furthermore, two sections of the Bible are explored in more depth: those relating to the Ten Commandments and the Creation story. The lessons are best taught in the following order: Introduction to the Bible Bible Structure and Referencing Types of Writing in the Bible The Ten Commandments Respect for the Bible Interpretations of the Bible The Creation Story Human Responsibility Each lesson contains a comprehensive and colourful Powerpoint (each of at least 15 slides), which guide teachers and students through the learning activities. Challenge activities are provided in order to enrich learning for higher-attaining learners. Where appropriate, eye-catching and helpful worksheets and templates (in both Word and PDF) are also included. Within most lessons, children are asked questions and set challenges to develop their own personal spirituality. In the past, I have used these lessons with children from across Key Stage 2 - the key learning is aligned with national expectations for RE, and also the content prescribed by most diocese regions. **The resources are suitable for home learning** however the first couple of lessons work best if children have access to a physical Bible. All images are licensed for commercial use, and are cited on the final slide.

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4 Kinds of Biblical Literature

3 types of writing in the bible

All Scripture is important. All Scripture is true, but not all Scripture is meant to be read in the same way. Different kinds of literature have different expectations.

You wouldn’t read  The Raven  and angrily reply, “No, the Raven did NOT say that!” You understand that certain literary devices, like personification, are widely used in poetry.

In the same way that you would read Edgar Allan Poe differently than you read Jeff Shaara, you should expect different things from a Psalm than from Acts. Here are the four most common types of biblical literature and what you should expect from them.

Narrative | Story

Narrative tells a story. Sometimes that story is intended to be true, sometimes not, sometimes a little of both. Biblical narrative is the intended-to-be-true kind. You’ll see some redundancy, as certain books cover the same events from different perspectives for different audiences. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, for example, all tell the same story, but have subtly different points of emphasis. The book of Luke, written by a physician, gives a lot of technical detail, while Mark, heavily influenced by Peter’s type-A personality, is action-packed. When you read narrative, it’s important to remember who was writing and for what purpose.

When people read through the Bible from cover to cover for the first time, one of the biggest hangups they face happens in Genesis 5. The story has been humming along nicely and then all of a sudden: a genealogy, a whole chapter comprising nothing but name after name after name. Don’t be discouraged by these passages; instead, let them act as a reminder of the authors’ attention to detail.

Found in : Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Easter, Job, Daniel, Jonah (and in smaller sections throughout most of the prophets), Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts.

Secular equivalents :  Iliad ,  The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire , and  Flag of Our Fathers

Epistle | Letter

Some of the most well-read portions of Scripture are letters written from the early church fathers to believers in other cities. Just like letters that you or I would write today, these ancient letters tend to meander casually from topic to topic without hard-and-fast chapter breaks. The chapter/verse divisions were added later, so these books are best read as single streams of thought. There are exceptions, of course. Romans and Hebrews are quite a bit more systematic than the others. The books of Luke and Acts are crossovers. They are written both as narratives, to tell a story, and as letters, addressed specifically to a Greek man called Theophilus.

Found in : Ecclesiastes, Luke, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2 & 3 John, and Jude.

Secular equivalents : There aren’t many. While historians use original sources, journals, and personal correspondence to study history, there are not many examples of correspondence written with intent to share broadly.

Poetry | Art

Poetry is emotion in print. While there is still an element of sharing the truth with a reader, poetry is highly introspective. Especially in biblical poetry, you may see a writer work his way from a carnal mindset at the beginning of a passage, exhibiting emotions like jealousy, anger, bitterness and pride, to a more spiritual point of view at the end. Let these passages be permission for you to struggle with your faith a little—or a lot, like many of them did.

Poetry makes use of many literary devices that you’ll rarely find in other forms of literature. A literary device like parallelism can help you understand an idea by comparing it or contrasting it with another idea.  Psalm 1:3–4  is an excellent example of parallelism.

Found in : Psalms and Ecclesiastes Secular equivalents : The sonnets of Shakespeare,  The Iliad ,  Where the Sidewalk Ends

Wisdom Literature | Advice

Wisdom literature is full of very helpful but very general advice. Many people can become confused when treating wisdom literature like a dogmatic promise. A classic example would be  Proverbs 22:6 . While often claimed as a divine promise, this verse is only intended to be a piece of conventional wisdom. Practically all wisdom literature is intended to be read in this way—generalized truth to which exceptions may occur.

Ecclesiastes, the ultimate crossover, is written as an addressed letter, in metered poetic style, while offering wisdom advice. This book could arguably be included in all three categories. Found in : Proverbs and Ecclesiastes Secular equivalents :  The Art of War ,  The Works of Confucius , and  Think and Grow Rich

So next time you’re reading the Faithlife Study Bible , stop for a moment before you start the work of interpretation. Ask yourself what sort of literature you’re dealing with. What expectations should you bring to the text?”

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Ray Deck III

Born in WV, Ray escaped to North Carolina at a young age. He came to Logos after an 8 year stint at a faith-based nonprofit in New York. When he is not assembling sequences of words, he’s probably running, surfing or shooting skeet, but you should probably go look for him. He has a terrible sense of direction and is probably lost.

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Blog / The Many Genres of Scripture

Mel Lawrenz

The Many Genres of Scripture

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This lesson is part of Mel Lawrenz’ “How to Study the Bible” series . If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here .

Later today I will go to my mailbox, remove its contents, go into the kitchen, and sort the mail. I will be able to tell from the size, packaging, and addresses on the mail which pieces are advertising, bills, and personal mail. This sorting into types helps me discern the value of the different pieces.

There is a large bookstore I frequently visit. I know just where to find histories and biographies, novels and picture books, technical manuals and reference works. Knowing the different genres and where to find them helps me gain what I am looking for.

And when I open the Bible, I know from having studied it for decades whether I am reading a gospel passage, a prophecy, a Psalm, or an epistle. I do not expect Isaiah to lay out the details of the history of Israel as do the books of Kings and Chronicles. I know when I’m studying a Psalm that the forms of a poem or song will help me understand the meaning. And when I read 1 Corinthians I know I’m listening to one side of a two-sided conversation.

One of the most powerful and complex features of the Bible is that it consists of many different types, or genres, of texts.

The major genres of Scripture include the following:

1. Narrative

This includes books of the Bible or sections of books which simply tell the story of what happened. Exodus is an expansive, epic narrative. Ruth focusses on the story of one family. Acts tells the spectacular events of the first generation of Christians, as they were led and inspired by the Holy Spirit. Narrative tells us what happened, according to the purposes of the author. Sometimes there are spiritual lessons from events, and sometimes we are just gaining the context of the history of God’s people.

This is all of Psalms and sections of other books. The power of poetry comes through the use of vivid figurative language (“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” Ps. 42:1 .) Also, ideas are repeated, sometimes with the same words, other times with synonyms (synonymous parallelism). The Psalms and other poetic sections of the Bible communicate ideas, but they especially express emotion. They show life in its fullness.

Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes are collections of wise sayings meant to shape the moral and ethical lives of their readers. They cover many practical topics. The book of James in the New Testament in many ways is like Proverbs in the Old Testament.

4. Prophecy

The four major prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel) and the 12 minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi) are all God’s word to his covenant people, warning them and bolstering them during periods of pronounced spiritual and national danger. They are mostly oracles, later written down. We gain spiritual lessons from them about the disposition of God (e.g., disappointed, indignant, sorrowful, tender, caring), and the condition of the people addressed (e.g., frightened, disobedient, humbled, arrogant). We must read Old Testament prophetic books as God’s challenge to the original audiences, and then we apply the lessons to our day.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are similar to the genres of narrative or biography, but they are more than these. The Gospels are proclamation. The people who wrote them were true believers relating first-hand accounts about the life and teachings of Jesus. And so we read the genre of Gospel as faith documents, announcing a world-changing event centered in the person of Jesus. (The teachings of Jesus we know as parables are their own genre. These unique stories communicate lessons embedded in extended similes and metaphors.)

6. Epistles

The letters of the New Testament were communications to specific individuals or groups for specific and varied purposes. The apostle Paul meant Romans to be an overarching description of Christian faith, whereas 1 Corinthians was occasioned by problems, including a list of questions they had for Paul (“now concerning the matters you wrote about,” 1 Cor. 7:1 ), and the letters to Timothy were to encourage and guide a younger church leader in a challenging spot. Epistles are “occasioned” texts, and so we need to get at the circumstances that led to them being written.

7. Apocalypse

The book of Revelation and parts of the book of Daniel are revelations. Like other prophecies, they proclaim urgent messages to their original audiences, in particular, warning and comfort. To a greater degree than other prophetic books, they employ much symbolic language, which can be understood by studying preceding similar expressions in Scripture.

When we sit down to study the Bible we recognize what genre we are looking at in order to gain a head start in getting at the meaning. If we don’t account for genre we will certainly misunderstand and misapply the truth of God’s word. Genres also show how God’s word is wide and varied and deep, and worthy of a lifetime of study.

Mel Lawrenz trains an international network of Christian leaders, ministry pioneers, and thought-leaders. He served as senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, for ten years and now serves as Elmbrook’s minister at large. He has a Ph.D. in the history of Christian thought and is on the adjunct faculty of Trinity International University. Mel is the author of 18 books, the latest, How to Understand the Bible—A Simple Guide and Spiritual Influence: the Hidden Power Behind Leadership (Zondervan, 2012). See more of Mel’s writing at WordWay .

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3 types of writing in the bible

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Five types of biblical writing

by Amy Ekeh

When we pick up the Bible and begin to read, understanding what we read is a common challenge. As modern readers of ancient literature, we can expect to run into some difficulties! But understanding the Bible becomes much easier when we identify the genre — the type of literature — we are reading. Just as a library has many types of books (mysteries, histories, poetry, humor, travel, and so on), so does the Bible. Knowing what we are reading helps us understand it. Here are some main types of biblical writing.

This one can really get people riled up! Modern readers interpret the word myth to mean “false” or “make-believe.” Those are not words we like to associate with Scripture, nor should we. Myth as a genre is a type of writing that seeks to explain the origins or the meanings of things. Biblical myths are not so much “make-believe” as they are stories of profound spiritual truth.

The creation accounts in Genesis 1—3 are good examples. In calling these stories “myths,” we are simply saying that they are not to be read literally (for example, we do not have to believe that God literally created the universe in seven days), but are to be read for their spiritual truth (i.e., God is the creator of all things). The fact that there are two creation accounts placed back-to-back in the first chapters of Genesis with some conflicting information (for example, in the first account, God creates humans last; in the second account, he creates them first) provides further clarity for us that the writers and assemblers of the ancient Scriptures were looking for spiritual, not historical, accuracy.

The Bible is full of beautiful poetry. Some of it is dropped into books in the form of songs or hymns, while some whole books of the Bible (such as the Book of Psalms or the Song of Songs) are poetry. Being mindful of the genre we are reading can help us get into the spirit of the text. For example, when we are reading the Psalms, it is important to remember that we are reading poetry of the human heart offered as prayers. We are not reading doctrine or a “how-to” guide.

When the psalmist writes, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:2), we do not have to conclude that God ever abandons people. When the psalmist cries out in regard to his enemy, “Blessed the one who seizes your children and smashes them against the rock” (Psalm 137:9), we need not be horrified. As poems, the Psalms express emotion, struggle, joy, and love. They are cries of the human heart — whether in agony or ecstasy — offered to God.

3. BIBLICAL HISTORY

While the Bible certainly contains a great deal of history, it is best called “biblical history.” While modern history values precision, chronology, and information, biblical history primarily values meaning and ideals. It tells a historical story, but with a purpose that is far deeper than chronology and facts. Rather than simply answering the question “What happened?” biblical history wants to answer the question “What does it mean?” The Acts of the Apostles, which tells the story of the early Church, is an excellent example of a biblical history

A Gospel is a particular type of writing that proclaims the good news about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. As in a biblical history, its primary purpose is theological. Each author gathered, selected, and arranged various stories, sayings, and traditions about Jesus for his particular audience in order to highlight various aspects of the life of Christ. The purpose of a Gospel is not primarily to inform (as in a modern biography), but to elicit faith. It is a proclamation about a living person. It calls forth a response from the reader or hearer.

5. APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE 

This final genre is especially challenging. Apocalyptic literature is a genre that originated in the Jewish community around the second century B.C. and flourished within Judaism and Christianity until around the second century A.D. The apocalyptic worldview emerged out of persecution (first of Jews, then of Christians). Apocalyptic literature comforts a persecuted community by encouraging its members to patiently endure and remain faithful to God in times of trial.

In a great cosmic battle at the end of time, God will triumph over all evil and oppression. Apocalyptic literature is highly symbolic and not intended to be read as a literal prediction of the future. Although apocalyptic literature often utilizes strange and even frightening imagery, its primary message is one of encouragement and hope for God’s faithful ones. The Book of Revelation is a prime example of apocalyptic literature in the Bible.

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Literary Styles in the Bible

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In the Bible, understanding literary genres or literary styles is key to interpreting what you’re reading. You’ll miss out on a lot, or even draw incorrect conclusions if you treat a poem like a narrative or vice versa! Narrative makes up half the Bible, and this makes sense because it is the most common form of communication. By assembling these seemingly random events into a sequence, we are able to see the meaning and purpose of the events and realize that they aren’t random at all. Poetry/wisdom literature in the Bible falls into three main categories: poems/songs (Psalms, Song of Solomon), wisdom (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job), and prophetic (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other Hebrew prophets). All of these sub-genres have different tones and goals. These are speeches, letters, or essays that form an argument requiring a logical response from the audience. This literature is found in the Law of Moses (“torah”), the wisdom literature, and the letters written by the Apostles, like Peter, Paul, and John.
  • Initial reactions to this topic? What jumped out at you?
  • Think of things like satire websites or “fake news.” Why is it important to understand context when you are reading, hearing, or seeing something? Share an example or story if you have one.
  • Give an example of how context helped you understand a confusing Bible passage, or how context changed a view you previously held.
  • “In life, we tend to think in familiar, well-worn paths.” Explain how you’ve seen this to be true in your own life. How have you seen people break out of vicious cycles or pointless ruts?
  • How can the Bible’s different types of literature and genres reach all of us right where we are?
  • Is there a step you need to take based on today’s topic?

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The 5 Types Of Writings Used In The Bible

3 types of writing in the bible

The Five Types Of Writing Used In The Bible Are

Epistle/Letter

Epistles were personal correspondences written to a particular party. They were written for a particular church or individual, and often addressed several topics. These letters were written with a familiarity of the areas or problems being discussed and with an apostolic tone of authority. We find value in these epistles in that they provide us with timeless truths on difficult issues that still arise today. Some of the Epistles are Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 1 &2 Timothy, etc.

If You Are To Spend One Day With One Bible Character, Who Would It Be?

Genealogical

Genealogies, in the Bible, are lists that document a family lineage. These lists of names cover many generations (sometimes even skipping generations), showing lines of descent over many centuries at times. They provide us with an important historical record that is sometimes used to prove who someone is. In the case of Christ, it demonstrates his lineage according to prophecy. Genealogies are found in Genesis 5, Matthew 1, Luke 3, etc.

Historical Narrative

Historical narratives are factual accounts, written in prose, of what happened at a certain time and place, and involve people, nations, and events. The writers of these historical records often did not make judgments on what was happening. They only reported what actually occurred, both good (healings, miracles, etc.) and bad (murder, theft, etc). With that being the case, when making judgments, historical narratives must be viewed and interpreted in the full light of Scripture. Historical books are Joshua, Ruth, Esther, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, etc.

Recommended:  Amazing Bible Facts And Statistics ►►  A Brief History Of Bible Translations

Parables are a unique style of communicating stories, and are used to illustrate a single point. They were often used by Jesus in the Gospels. There are also a few parables in the Old Testament (Trees making a king, Judges 9:7-15; The Parable of the Ewe Lamb, 2 Samuel 12:1-4, etc.). Although parables always had a message, they were often designed to prevent some people from correctly understanding what was being said at the immediate time (Mark 4:10-12). Some parables in the New Testament can be found in Luke 18:9-14, Pharisee and Tax Gatherer and Luke 10:30-37, The Good Samaritan.

List Of All Books Of The Bible And Their Authors

A prophetic utterance in the Bible means “to foretell or proclaim.” The prophets acted as God’s spokesmen, prophesying His message (which was usually a warning and a call to righteousness). Almost every book of the Bible contains some kind of prophecy. Often times, a prophecy had immediate relevance to the people to whom it was given. But many prophecies have two fulfillment, the initial fulfillment shortly after they were given and a longer term fulfillment. Because of that, when we read prophecy it is important to consider how the original readers would have understood it. By placing prophecies in this context it prevents the mistake of looking for modern “fulfillment” which were never intended. Some prophetic books would be Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelation.

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3 types of writing in the bible

In the realm of religious literature, the Bible stands as one of the most influential in human history. Its words have shaped the beliefs and practices of millions worldwide. But amidst its teachings, a fundamental question persists: Who wrote the Bible ?

Who is responsible for the different patterns of numbers in the Bible ? Who curated the different books of the Bible ? Read on to learn about a few different theories regarding the Bible's authorship.

Theory No. 1: The Verbal Dictation Theory

Theory no. 2: moses wrote the bible, theory no. 3: several people wrote the bible, crediting william tyndale.

According to this theory, God wrote the Old and New Testaments — or at the very least, God communicated his message through human agents. Under the verbal dictation theory, the Holy Spirit guided several prophets and historical figures as they wrote God's word.

Catholic priest Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco offers a related but slightly different twist on the divinely inspired hypothesis:

Divine inspiration is not the only hypothesis. Another theory is that Moses wrote the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament and the Hebrew Bible). A belief initially held by biblical scholars in the sixth century C.E., this theory fell out of favor by the mid-17th century .

This theory had some inconsistencies. For example, Moses dies by the end of Deuteronomy, the fifth book. The Jewish Talmud addresses this gap by explaining that Moses' successor probably wrote the parts Moses couldn't write .

Regardless, by the time most scholars moved past the Moses theory, they also began to question whether one person could have actually written the text.

The New Testament, which chronicles Jesus's life, attributes authorship to eyewitnesses, apostles and early church leaders. Many modern scholars, drawing upon historical evidence and textual analysis, propose that multiple authors wrote the Bible over centuries.

The process of compiling and editing the sacred texts was gradual, involving different communities and cultural influences. For example, the texts attributed to figures like King David and Solomon may have been compiled from various sources.

William Schniedewind's "Who Really Wrote the Bible: The Story of the Scribes" digs into this possibility :

Though William Tyndale did not write the Bible, he did play a big role in some of the most memorable phrases through his translation work. According to a Washington Post article:

This article was created in conjunction with AI technology, then was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.

Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article:

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  3. The Bible

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  4. How to Read the Bible: Biblical Writing Styles

    3 types of writing in the bible

  5. 6 Literary Genres in the Bible and how we should read them.

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COMMENTS

  1. Biblical Literary Styles Bible Intro

    Narrative [00:37-02:26] Tim: Well first and foremost is narrative. That makes up a whopping 43 percent of the Bible. After that is poetry, which is 33 percent of the Bible. And then there's what you could call prose discourse, which makes up the remaining 24 percent. Jon: Nearly half of the Bible is narrative!? Tim: Yes, and this is no accident.

  2. What kinds of writing styles are used in the Bible?

    The books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes contain many such sayings that deal with a variety of aspects of daily living that can be used as a general guide. Writing styles in the Bible: Epistle/Letter, Genealogical, Historical Narrative, Law/Statutory, Parable, Poetry, Prophecy, Proverbial/Wisdom Literature.

  3. 6 Literary Genres In The Bible And How We Should Read Them

    1. Narrative/ historical The Bible contains narrative throughout most of its books. These report accounts or stories of events or people as they encounter God, sin against each other or live out their lives. It records historical accounts of events as well as providing descriptions of what is happening in particular scenes.

  4. Your guide to biblical genre

    Biblical books in this genre: Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts. What they tell us about God: He's involved in human lives and human stories and works in and through human experience.

  5. Biblical literature

    biblical literature, four bodies of written works: the Old Testament writings according to the Hebrew canon; intertestamental works, including the Old Testament Apocrypha; the New Testament writings; and the New Testament Apocrypha.

  6. IV. Literary Forms in the Bible

    In this section, we will take a brief look at the literary forms found in the pages of Scripture, including figurative language, narrative history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic literature, gospel, oratory, and epistle. Figurative Language The Bible abounds in figurative expressions.

  7. PDF The Bible as literature

    genre is a kind or type of writing. Throughout human history, there has been general agreement that some genres are literary and others are expository or informational. At least 80 per cent of the Bible is packaged in the form of literary genres. The four major ones are narrative or story, poem, vision and epistle. However, the actual number of

  8. Biblical literature

    Since scribes either copied manuscripts or wrote from dictation, manuscript variants could be of several types: copying, hearing, accidental, or intentional. Errors in copying were common, particularly with uncial letters that looked alike.

  9. Biblical genre

    Biblical genre. A Biblical genre is a classification of Bible literature according to literary genre. [1] The genre of a particular Bible passage is ordinarily identified by analysis of its general writing style, tone, form, structure, literary technique, content, design, and related linguistic factors; texts that exhibit a common set of ...

  10. There are lots of different types of writing in the Bible. How are they

    There are lots of different types of writing in the Bible. How are they united? The Bible is an anthology of so many different literary genres and techniques that the effect may finally threaten to confuse us. But literary unity will emerge if we remember the underlying principles. The overall framework of the Bible is that of a story.

  11. PDF Writing Styles of the Bible

    Writing Styles Narrative: Narratives tell a story in a straightforward way, recounting some event or story of an important person in Israel's history. Law: The Law, mostly contained in the first five books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch, are writings that communicate how to best love God and each other. The Law is

  12. Writing Styles of the Bible & Why They're Important to Understand

    Episode 3 shows how reading the Bible wisely requires that we learn about the ancient literary styles used by the biblical authors. These writers expressed t...

  13. A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible

    In so doing, Ryken hopes to offer "practical help to the general Bible reader as well as to scholars who teach the Bible" (p. 10). This practical help is delivered throughout the Handbook , where Ryken discusses literary terms, genres, literary techniques, motifs, archetypes and types scenes, figures of speech, rhetorical devices, stylistic ...

  14. Bible Genres: What Are They and Why Do They Matter?

    The Bible's "genres" in the context of biblical hermeneutics mean the kinds of literature of a given book of the Bible. The Bible is rich with a variety of literary genres. Being familiar with the various genres helps us read the text more accurately. For example, one of the dominant literary types in the Bible is historical narrative ...

  15. What kinds of literary techniques are used in the Bible?

    Philemon 1:10-11, "I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains, who once was unprofitable to you, but now is profitable to you and to me.". [ Onesimus means "profitable or useful."] Examples of literary techniques in the Bible: Chiasm, Acrostic, Alliteration, Allusion, Anthropomorphism, Apostrophe ...

  16. Article

    6 Types of Literature in the Bible. 1. Law. When God set Israel apart as His people, He gave them commands for how to live, worship, and govern. The first five books of the Bible — Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy — are called "the law." Through the law, God taught His people to focus on Him while revealing blessings for ...

  17. The Bible

    In this engaging and informative lesson, students learn about the different types of writing in the Bible, consider how these different writing forms get across key messages, and apply this knowledge in creating their own thoughtful texts. They learn through: -Recalling and remembering how to reference different sections of the Bible;

  18. Origins of the Written Bible

    Ancient Worlds Origins of the Written Bible In the modern era, we take for granted that the Hebrew Bible is a text—written words, displayed in chapters and verse. Yet biblical scholar William...

  19. 4 Kinds of Biblical Literature

    Here are the four most common types of biblical literature and what you should expect from them. ... by Peter's type-A personality, is action-packed. When you read narrative, it's important to remember who was writing and for what purpose. When people read through the Bible from cover to cover for the first time, one of the biggest hangups ...

  20. The Many Genres of Scripture

    1. Narrative This includes books of the Bible or sections of books which simply tell the story of what happened. Exodus is an expansive, epic narrative. Ruth focusses on the story of one family. Acts tells the spectacular events of the first generation of Christians, as they were led and inspired by the Holy Spirit.

  21. Five types of biblical writing

    Here are some main types of biblical writing. 1. MYTH This one can really get people riled up! Modern readers interpret the word myth to mean "false" or "make-believe." Those are not words we like to associate with Scripture, nor should we. Myth as a genre is a type of writing that seeks to explain the origins or the meanings of things.

  22. Literary Styles in the Bible

    Poetry/wisdom literature in the Bible falls into three main categories: poems/songs (Psalms, Song of Solomon), wisdom (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job), and prophetic (Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other Hebrew prophets). All of these sub-genres have different tones and goals. These are speeches, letters, or essays that form an argument requiring a logical ...

  23. The 5 Types Of Writings Used In The Bible

    The Five Types Of Writing Used In The Bible Are Epistle/Letter Epistles were personal correspondences written to a particular party.

  24. Who Wrote the Bible? 3 Theories for Biblical Authorship

    "Here, after all, is the man who gave us such phrases as 'Am I my brother's keeper?' who made Christ speak an English of sublime simplicity — 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' — and who established prose rhythms that stir us to our very marrow: 'But the serpent was subtler than all the beasts of the field which the Lord God had made, and said unto the ...