Do Genres Matter in the Bible? Giving an Answer

Better Bible Reading Podcast

Do Genres Matter in the Bible? Giving an Answer

Although the Bible doesn't self-identify as a library of sorts, it does come with the basic communication to the reader that a particular book should be understood on its own terms of genre. For example, there are cues throughout the text of scripture to demonstrate genre to the reader:

"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1.1 ESV) This communicates that this book is "gospel" and is told to us by way of recounting and tracing the origins of this gospel. In literary terms, we can call this gospel narrative.

"Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thess. 1.1 ESV) This comes in the form of a letter or epistle and is thus categorized as epistle.

Genre as a way to categorize and identify literature is an extension of the study of context. Genre seems to identify the occasion for writing by the author of the text and signals to the reader their intent of communication. This of course has great impact on those who study the Bible. I can understand 2 Thessalonians much better if I can identify "If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat" (2 Thess. 3.10) as a straightforward truth in an epistle. If I am unaware of where this verse comes from when isolated from its genre, I may be tempted to spiritualize the phrase or suppose that it is a proverbial saying.

This becomes essential when preaching the Bible. Consider for example the great argument over Acts 2 during Pentecost. Suppose a pastor decides to preach on this text; how he applies and communicates the truth of speaking in tongues after the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles will likely correlate to how he views Acts in terms of its genre. Is Acts meant to be descriptive to the congregation for information, prescriptive for emulation, or somewhere inbetween? Of course the whole idea of preunderstandings and denomination affiliations plays a role in this as well, but to see Acts' own genre may in fact help to settle the issue. Viewing the introduction to Luke/Acts demonstrates that the genre of the book is that of a historical account to inform and encourage the reader. In other words, the genre is identified largely in descriptive terms. A pastor's knowledge of this will influence how he preaches the text.

I remember as an associate pastor preaching on Isaiah 1 about two years ago to a congregation in my hometown. I wanted to communicate the practical implications for our people to hear some of the sobering warnings that God had to say to His people. But being able to teach that chapter faithfully required me to understand that Isaiah is a prophetic genre, but one that also reflects heavily upon the historical genre of 1 Kings/ 1 Chronicles.

Genre is certainly a means to better understanding of the Bible in the personal, congregational and practical dimensions of life!

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