2 doubtlessliving.com What would you think if I told you that you were an alien? Not the extraterrestrial kind but the biblical kind. To be an alien, in the biblical sense, is to belong to another land. It’s the idea that our ultimate citizenship belongs to another Kingdom, to another King.

The Bible consistently teaches that Christians are sojourners, traveling from one world to the next. God has given His Word to His traveling pilgrims and in it we discover: – how to travel, – where to travel, and – the ways in which we can bring others along on the journey. But the Scriptures must be interpreted correctly in order for it to make sense. 3 doubtlessliving.com

Today we will explore four different genres of Scripture that help us interpret God's Word responsibly. By focusing on these four styles of writing, we can acquire the principles and guidelines needed to understand not only a particular passage of Scripture but also how that passage fits into the overarching narrative of God's plan of redemption. 4 doubtlessliving.com

Interpreting Historical Narrative doubtlessliving.com 5 Genesis 30:1-6

Dangers of Misinterpreting Historical Narrative What would be some improper interpretations of applications of the passage we just read? What’s the difference between description and prescription? How can confusion of these lead to faulty and even dangerous conclusions? 6 doubtlessliving.com

Historical Narrative Principles to Keep in Mind There are three primary kinds of context for a story that need to be understood for historical narrative. 1.Immediate context—words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs immediately surrounding the text. 2.Remote context—the chapters and sections surrounding the text. 3.Historical context—the historical setting in which the biblical text was written. 7 doubtlessliving.com

8 Proverbs 22:6 Interpreting Wisdom Literature Proverbs 26:4-5

Wisdom literature must be interpreted in accordance with its purpose–misinterpreting it can point us in the wrong direction, away from a life that honors and glorifies God. For example, interpreting the proverbs as promises is a critical mistake that can fuel legalism, moralism, and disillusionment. While a proverb is generally true; it is not a fail-safe promise in every situation. Dangers of Misinterpreting Wisdom Literature 9 doubtlessliving.com

Wisdom Literature Principles to Keep in Mind 1.Proverbs are general truths that are not to be interpreted as true all the time in every situation. 2.Wisdom literature incorporates poetry and figurative language. 3.Negative illustrations teach just as much as positive ones. 4.The psalms should be interpreted within their categories and subheadings. 5.God is involved even in the nitty-gritty of everyday life. 10 doubtlessliving.com

11 Joel 2:28-32 Interpreting Prophecy

Before the genre of prophecy is applied to our lives it must first be contextualized. It is important to seek our what a prophet originally intended to say to his own generation (forthtelling) before exploring what the prophet said about the future (foretelling). Dangers of Misinterpreting Prophecy 12 doubtlessliving.com

Prophecy Principles to Keep in Mind 1.Seek to discover the original message of the prophet in his immediate context. 2.Expect figurative language. 3.Be aware of themes in prophecy, such as a call to the covenant, to social justice, and for faithfulness from the remnant of God’s people. 4.Do not assume that all prophecy has been fulfilled. 5.Test modern-day prophesies against the truthfulness and coherency of Scripture. 13 doubtlessliving.com

14 Galatians 1:1-7 Interpreting Letters

In essence, the churches of Galatia thought that simply obeying the law was enough. They did not understand that God desires more than outward obedience, He desires inward transformation that results in outward obedience. Their misunderstanding led to their disobedience. Misunderstanding & Disobedience 15 doubtlessliving.com

The genre of letters cannot be understood rightly until it is properly contextualized because some teachings in the Bible are culturally mandated to specific audiences. Paul’s teaching that a women’s head should be covered is a good example—he was really talking about modesty not hair length because the prostitutes of his day identified their self by displaying their long hair in public. Dangers of Misinterpreting Letters 16 doubtlessliving.com

Letters Principles to Keep in Mind 1.Seek to discover who wrote the letter. 2.Seek to discover to whom it was written and why. 3.Investigate the historical context of the audience of the letter. 4.Consider the structure, sections, main points, and the themes of the letter. 5.Determine whether the passage is culturally mandated. If so, seek to understand the principles behind the passage, and apply them to your own circumstances. 17 doubtlessliving.com

Jesus is Our Guide Do you remember the story about the two men traveling by foot from Jerusalem to Emmaus? What happened? This story helps to illustrate that God’s people were never meant to walk in this world alone. We are pilgrims who require God’s guidance. When it comes to interpreting the Word of God, Jesus does not leave us to ourselves. He joins us in our pilgrimages— He escorts us to eternity—and shows us how to correctly read the Scripture. We can rightly interpret Scripture by allowing Jesus to be our God through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. 18 doubtlessliving.com