Narratives are another name for a story. But, Professional Theologists must be careful to never use the word “story” when teaching the things of God from Scripture. Modern-day usage of the word story might designate in some minds that a story is a fiction or fantasy piece that is not real. Narrative is the correct terminology when teaching the “stories” from the Bible.
However, modern-day stories allows us to understand the full concept of narratives written within Scripture. Stories have a beginning, a middle, and an end. They have a climax that keeps the reader reading, and they have a resolution or a conclusion that satisfies the reader’s journey, and signals that the story is over. If a story were placed in the middle of a legal document, most readers would have no problem differentiating the legal document from the story document. The stock elements contained within the stories have characters, places, events, plots and subplots in a structure that carries the stories forward. Legal documents also have a beginning and conclusion, but plots and subplots are left for the fiction writers. So, put a story in the middle of a legal document, and it is easily discovered.
Dr. Heiser teaches his students to read the different narratives in Scripture as if they are reading a novel, especially those narratives that are easily identified as complete units of stories [1]. This prepares students minds to receive the narratives with anticipation of purpose. As modern-day stories develop characters, places, and events to carry them forward, a reader will anticipate what will happen next, and eventually conclude the possible end of the story before the story ends. A well-written story leads the reader on a path that satisfies the journey by guiding the reader to conclusion, before the story ends. Modern-day, well-written stories always end with purpose, and that purpose is usually obtained by a reader before the end is reached.
Of course, there are exceptions like the mystery that turns on a dime, and ends in a way the reader did not predict. What happens then? Usually the reader will frantically search earlier parts of the story to connect the ending, assuming that it was the reader’s neglect in following the story line, and certain that the author led the path correctly to the point.
Narratives in the Bible have paths. The stories that are told are God’s Truth. But, in narrative format readers can be certain that they are presented in Scripture with a purpose that is captured within the narrative, with a beginning, middle, and end. Players, places, and plots are written in a way to guide the reader of Scripture narrative to the exact place God wills. Narratives are in Scripture to teach, and it is utilized often in the Old Testament to teach Israelites the things they need to know about the God they serve. God moved the author to choose the words that best captured the attention of His People. The author was guided to lead the Israelites in the narratives to the correct conclusions so that God’s teachings could penetrate their hearts together that would one day support the full revelation of God in the New Testament.
Bible readers receive good understanding through reading the narratives and receiving the teachings from the narratives in the manner they were written. Narrative criticism became the focus on interpreters in the 1980s for the Old Testament, the book of Acts, and the Gospels [2]. Scholars studied the hypothetical response of a corporate group of people to a biblical story, and attached extra scrutiny and interpretation to the narrative elements, including method, theme, words and phrases, characters, setting, plot and conflict, point of view, symbolism, and irony [3]. Basically, narrative criticism looks for more interpretative material than just the literal words because the narrative presentation is always written to teach the things of God to His people.
One specific area examined in narrative criticism are the names within narratives of the Old Testament. Hebrew names all have meaning; they often play a significant role in fully understanding the “story” as it unfolds[4]. The construction and meaning of biblical names, especially in the Old Testament, play a very significant role in the deeper understanding of Scripture. Sometimes the text explains the significance of a name, other times, the linguistic meaning of the name can be determined; and occasionally the meaning of the name seems to not fit with the underlying theme or message of the narrative. That determination is always one of the attempts made by scholars utilizing the process of narrative criticism.
Narratives are really good for examining what life was really like during the time of the telling, and the perspectives, values, aspirations, and self-identity of those that construct them [5]. They reflect the reality of the author’s world that convey particular ideas within the boundaries of the narrative. Historical criticisms look to the real events that are reported; narrative criticism seeks insight into the construction of biblical stories that trigger experiences of life, even when the meaning is elusive. Narratives “define a community’s sense of itself and its place in the world” [6] with deep symbolism with plots and subplots that capture the imagination of Old Testament peoples.
An interesting and highly instructive filter has been created by Dr. Heiser for the examination of Judges 19-21, with different color codes for the North and South Kingdoms and the narrative of violence that takes place. Take a couple of deep looks on this narrative examination technique explained in Lecture 40, “Illustrating Characterization in the Old Testament Narrative” and incorporate color-coding in difficult narratives to sort through the sometimes complex settings and conclusions.
Bibliography
Barry, John D. , Mark D. Futato, et al. . Faithlife Study Bible. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012.
Hawk, L. D. Literary/Narrative Criticism Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003.
Heiser, Michael S. BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources: LOGOS Bible Software.
Seal, David, with John D. Barry. Biblical Criticism The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012.
Footnotes
[1] Michael S. Heiser, BI101 Lecture Introducing Biblical Interpretation: Contexts and Resources (LOGOS Bible Software), Lecture 39.
[2] David Seal, with John D. Barry, Biblical Criticism, The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).
[3] Ibid.
[4] John D. Barry, Mark D. Futato, et al. , Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2012).
[5] L. D. Hawk, Literary/Narrative Criticism, Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 539.
[6] Ibid, 450.
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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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