Transcript Exegesis and Historical-Literary Analysis
Exegesis and Historical-Literary Analysis
The New Testament
Document #: TX002213
Exegesis comes from the Greek word exegeomai, which
translates as “to lead out of.”
© Igor Zh/s hutterstock.com
Exegesis is a daily activity!
Shutterstock © advent/s hutterstock.com
What is the speaker trying to communicate?
© Michael D Brown/s hutterstock.com
Should I take these words literally or symbolically?
Should I respond? If so, how?
© YanLev/s hutterstock.com
In what form are these words being expressed: a joke, lecture, greeting, reprimand, demand, story, series of questions, or informative report?
Who? What? When? Why? Where?
© Sashkin/s hutterstock.com
Historical-Literary Method
Method looks at time, culture, feelings, types of writing, etc.
3 General Criteria Pay attention to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture – keeping Christ as the center and heart.
Look at Scripture within the living Tradition of the Church (CCC 113) Be attentive to the truths of faith within the whole plan of revelation (CCC 114) 5 subcategories Source Criticism Historical Criticism Form Criticism Redaction Criticism Textual Criticism
Remember there are two senses of Scripture:
Literal – what the words actually mean
Spiritual – words as signs, such as types for Christ, eternal life, and moral life
Source Criticism
What sources did the writers use?
Where did they get there information?
This is what led to the “Synoptic Problem” – the question of where Mark, Matthew, and Luke got there information
Historical Criticism
What did the writer really want to say? Can the reports about Jesus be traced directly to him?
Linguistic analysis – Jesus spoke Aramaic “Abba” - papa Originality – if the saying is common in Judaism or early Christian beliefs, it may be to say with certainty that it came directly from Jesus. Use of “Amen” to introduce his teachings Convergence – give similar facts or information, but texts do not rely on each other Matthew and Luke both sate that Jesus was born during the reign of Herod Consistency – fits with the whole of Jesus’ teachings or actions His claim to authority that angered religious leaders and led to his death
In literary analysis, some of the questions we ask of the text include:
• What is the form or literary genre of the text?
• How would you summarize the text? Is there a plot? What is the plot?
• What do you notice about the placement or repetition of words?
• What particular words are used? What do they mean?
• What images or symbols are used? How are they used? What is their significance?
• What characters appear in the text, if any? What do you know about them?
• How do the characters interact and relate to one another in the text?
• What primary message is being communicated in this text? What meaning does this text have for us today?
Form Criticism
Distinguish various styles of writings A literary analysis / methodology that enables us to analyze a scriptural text by examining its genre, plot, characters, and symbolism.
There are many different literary forms. Includes: Miracle story: healing or exorcism Miracle story: nature miracle Parable Riddle Hyperbole/exaggeration Controversy Hymn/Prayer Revelation discourse Narratives Letters Apocalyptic writing And more…
Redaction Criticism
Tries to discover the particular theological slant or insight of the writer and how it influenced the arrangement of the material, including the audience for whom it is intended.
Selecting material Arranging chapters Organizing thoughts Editing Compiling and adapting sources Making a single, unified work
Textual Criticism
Since we do not have any of the original writings, we look at the many handwritten copies dating from 150 AD until the invention of the printing press.
Compares minor changes and mistakes the copyists made over the centuries in order to have accurate translations today.