The Four Genres and the Four Figures of Speech, Essay Example

Biblical genres involves the means and the methods with which the bible has been categorized based on the way it reveals its messages to the readers. Like literature books or novels, the bible is categorized into four distinct genres. Besides, there are also figures of speech in the bible that have to be comprehended before making appropriate interpretation of the messages being relayed by each verse. In addition, there are also rules that should be taken into consideration when interpreting the bible. Examples of the genres include domestic code, heroic narratives, legal instructions and revelation as epistles. On the other hand, examples of the figures of speech are Metaphors, Anthropomorphism, Apostrophe, and Irony (Klein, Hubbard & Bloberg 97). The rules of interpretation include definition, usage, background, historical contexts, and logic. This paper explores the four mentioned areas that are given considerations when interpreting the bible.

Based on the genres, narratives are the most basic genre in the Bible. It is where the author of the book is giving description of events. The bible has several events being described to serves as appropriate examples to people so that they can derive the appropriate relevant ideas and inspirations. Description is commonly used in Exodus, Genesis, Ruth, Joshua, Esther, Mathew and Acts. In Genesis, for instance, Moses the author describes creation stating each of God’s creatures and the order of the creation to depict the orderliness and power of the Creator (Klein, Hubbard & Bloberg 101). The creation stories and the fall of man is told as a narrative. Besides, the book also describes the sins of Cain and how he relates to his brother, Abel. The story of the Israelites, Pharaoh and Moses in Egypt in Exodus is another part of narrative as used in the Bible.  Interpretation of this genre requires the rule of logic. For instance, the creation story requires logic for one to understand why certain creatures were created first before others. Legal instruction is a genre involving the use of Mosaic Laws in various instances in the bible. Moses was given the Ten Commandments, which the Israelites were to obey. Later, many prophets and prominent personalities used the Commandments as references reminding their audience of the covenant that their ancestors made with God. The genre is present in Exodus and some parts of the New Testament when Jesus talks of the Mosaic Law and the greatest commandment summarizing all the Ten Commandments (Klein, Hubbard & Bloberg 69) (Klein, Hubbard & Bloberg 97). However, the genre is mainly common in the book of Leviticus, which instructs people how to live. The first five books of the bible are collectively termed as the law books. They require judgment rule for interpretation.

Just like many other Greco-Roman moral writings then last four New Testament letters have some passages with instructions for certain groups of people and their responsibilities at domestic levels. Such genres describes the role of each members of the family. For instance, Colossians 3:18-19 asks Christian women to be subject to their husbands like fitting in the Lord, whereas husbands are instructed to love their wives and never to treat them harshly. Examples of such books are Colossians, Titus, 1 Peter, and Ephesians. The genre requires the application of the Rule of logic for interpretation. Revelation as an epistle is another genre with revelation as the only book. The book has separate proclamations, mainly labeled as ‘letters’. The epistolary character of revelation, which is mainly understood to mean that the seven churches whom John wrote letters to, taken together, act as a representation of the universal church. For easy interpretation of this genre, the rule of dependence upon the Holy Spirit is necessary.

Metaphor is an analogy or comparison where a feature, quality or characteristic of a thing is used to directly in place of another. Literally, metaphors are similes that do not use the words, as or like (Klein, Hubbard & Bloberg 66) They say, for instance that A is B or vice versa while comparing. In Luke 13:32, Jesus referred to Herod Antipas using the phrase “That fox”.  Other examples are in Psalms, Proverbs and other books. In Psalm 21:3; “the Lord is my shepherd” is a metaphor comparing God and Shepherd. Anthropomorphism is defined as a kind of personification ascribing the human characteristics like actions, physical attributes and emotions to God. This style is used to make God more understandable to people. It is literally the language of appearance used in describing God in human terms. For instance in Genesis 6:6, the author writes, “And the Lord was sorry…, and He was grieved in his heart.” Grieving is a kind of emotion attributed to human. In Exodus, God is revealed as angry as the actions of certain Israelites who worshipped idols and other Gods. Anger is only attributed to humans, giving God the same attribute is equivalent to anthropomorphism. Apostrophe refers to indirect form or type of personification in which a speaker addresses inanimate object or him/herself or other people who do not have the ability to respond to the question or statement. For instance, addressing parts of the body such as in Psalm 43:5, “why are you cast down, O my soul?” The soul has no ability to respond. Irony denotes the opposite of expectation. Pilate addressed the Jews telling them, “Behold your King” (John 19:14) while referring to Jesus was not a king to them.

Work Cited

Klein, William; Hubbard, Robert & Blomberg, Craig. Introduction to biblical interpretation. New York; Collins & Sons, 2004. Print.