Narrative is the same for New Testament as we learned for the Old Testament lessons back. Narrative is how the story is told; if you imagine that you are reading a fiction book, the way the plot and the characters develop to compel you to read more and more is the product of skillful narrative. Dr. Heiser suggests that you read the New Testament as it is a novel and observe its literary value. This encouragement seems counter-productive if the Bible reader insists upon the inerrancy of the Bible. Belief in the inerrancy is so crucial and first-order necessary in order to expose God’s full Truth in Scripture, that to manipulate the words to a mere story is more likely to harm rather than advance the things of God.
Scholars traditionally approach the interpretation of the New Testament with consideration of its narrative, then apply scholarship upon that foundation. The mysteries and supernatural revelations that God reveals to mature Christian readers are thus disregarded from the start of the interpretation process by scholars. If literal renderings in narrative prose are the first standard, then every inerrant word given by God to raise Christians up to higher levels of understanding will be disregarded. Lost forever in the minds and hearts of Christians forced to accept God’s Words as a literal story remove the opportunity to reach spiritual heights through Scripture as God intends.
Teaching young Christians with the narrative of the New Testament is a critical step in the development of faith. When you tell a child the stories of Jesus’ teachings, you relate to the child’s vocabulary and interest by focusing upon a narrative story with beginning, middle and end. But, teaching with a narrative is not just beneficial for young children; most adults that first come close to Christ as adults prosper well in considering the narratives contained within the Bible. It is only when the Holy Spirit is infused within a believer and provides advanced training that narratives lose a great deal of their value in teaching His things. A good summation of this point is teach narratives to the immature, then move on to deeper places with lessons that examine the fullness of Christ in the Gospels as the maturity of students increase.
It is important to note that narratives will never conflict with the deeper truths revealed through Scripture, and vice versa. That is one of the supernatural characteristics of Scripture that is seldom found in historical writings. Nothing conflicts. The Jesus that makes water into wine, is the same Jesus that uses that narrative to show believers on how God’s grace moves toward the fruits of His only begotten son to prepare the marriage feast of the Lamb. Simple to deep, yet, highly relevant as instruction grows from the same verses. When Jesus heals the blind man in Mark 8:22-26, a narrative is created to teach young folk about the healing of blindness through a miracle at the hands of the Son of God; yet, mature Christians are able to focus and emphasize the deeper revelation of the importance what the man saw during the healing. When he declares, “I see men as trees, walking” this typologically sound concept opens Scripture to a deeper level that has hidden symbolism of men walking like trees. Though this would be less investigated or possibly even left out of the narrative to younger Christians, it becomes a crucial piece of information that is the key to opening up many typological lessons throughout Scripture.
Dr. Heiser points out that it is not the Gospels as much as the Book of Acts that uses strict narrative. The Gospels, though telling short stories throughout, have other genres and subgenres within them. These include “The Divine Man, Comedy, Tragedy, Parable, Miracle Story, Pronouncement Story” which connect with Graeco-Roman world. But the Book of Acts is a record of the early church and tells the story of its development through Peter and Paul in a more often identified narrative form.
As you progress further in Professional Theology studies, you will become more familiar with some of the other narratives and mythology that were present in Graeco-Roman, especially in the time of Aristotle, Plato, Aeschylus, Socrates, and their connection to Augustine’s narrative. Many of these narratives connect to the biblical world, and become critical components to learning about the marketplace that Professional Theologists find themselves navigating. You cannot become a qualified Professional Theology unless you know the narratives of the past that includes philosophy, education, poetry, art, music, politics, cities and the Platonic soul. Some of these philosophies and humanities classes to come will focus a great deal on the narrative, as we unlock the keys that makes Scripture and Theology connect to the lives of men and women.
Bibliography
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Footnotes
Michael S. Heiser, BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources (LOGOS Bible Software), Section 59.
Links
About the Author
Kathy L. McFarland is President and Founder of Becker Bible Ministries, Inc. and the Becker Professional Theology Academy. She is also a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She has received her Bachelor of Science degree in Religious Studies from Liberty University, is on track for the Master of Divinity (Professional Ministries Track) degree from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary & Graduate School in 2016 and will be seeking a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Theology and Apologetics beginning in the fall of 2016. She is the originator of the newest theological movement to encourage Christian leaders to minister within the modern-day marketplace as Professional Theologists. She is also the Curriculum Developer for Becker Professional Theology Academy and a teaching faculty member. Kathy's favorite studies to teach include the connections between Old Testament exegesis, Christian Apologetics, and Bible typology and mysteries.
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