A richly illustrated collection of essays on visual biblical interpretation For centuries Christians have engaged their sacred texts as much through the visual as through the written word. Yet until recent decades, the academic disciplines of biblical studies and art history largely worked independently. This volume bridges that gap with the interdisciplinary work of biblical scholars and art historians. Focusing on the visualization of biblical characters from both the Old and New Testaments, essays illustrate the potential of such collaboration for a deeper understanding of the Bible and its visual reception. Contributions from Ian Boxall, James Clifton, David B. Gowler, Jonathan Homrighausen, Heidi J. Hornik, Jeff Jay, Christine E. Joynes, Yohana A. Junker, Meredith Munson, and Ela Nuțu foreground diverse cultural contexts and chronological periods for scholars and students of the Bible and art.

This brief and concise handbook will help equip you by gaining a better understanding of the Bible as you learn the rules, science, and art of Biblical interpretation. Hermeneutics is the formal process by which the interpreter employs certain principles and methods in order to derive the author's intended meaning. Indeed, hermeneutics is the science and art of Biblical interpretation. It is a science because it is guided by rules within a system; and it is an art because the application of the rules is by skill, and not by mechanical imitation. In order for a person to properly interpret the Bible, you must be knowledgeable of the rules of hermeneutics in order to be guided into the right interpretation of the Scriptures, and the proper Biblical message. This concise and brief handbook will cover: An Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, The History of Biblical Interpretation, Historical-Cultural and Contextual Analysis, Lexical-Syntactical Analysis, Theological Analysis, Special Literary Methods such as: Similes, Metaphors, Proverbs, Parables, and Allegories; Special Literary Methods such as, Types, Prophecy, and Apocalyptic Literature. The last chapter of this handbook will teach you how to apply the Biblical message, and present a Proposal for the Transcultural Problem. For the beginning Bible student, this is a MUST READ!

Since it was first published nearly three decades ago, The Art of Biblical Narrative has radically expanded the horizons of biblical scholarship by recasting the Bible as a work of literary art deserving studied criticism. Renowned critic and translator Robert Alter presents the Hebrew Bible as a cohesive literary work, one whose many authors used innovative devices such as parallelism, contrastive dialogue, and narrative tempo to tell one of the most revolutionary stories of human history: the revelation of a single god.

Using a combination of literary theory and the tools of biblical criticism, this original and thought-provoking study investigates the book of Judges as an example of the art of editing in the Hebrew Bible. Judges is shown to have been composed in its parts, and as a whole, according to particular integrative principles. The study not only sheds new light on the redaction of Judges, but opens a new window on biblical historiography as a whole. Responding to calls in the scholarly literature for its translation from Hebrew, this publication makes Amit's fine study available to a wider audience.

Poetics, the "science" of literature, makes us aware of how texts achieve their meaning. Poetics aids interpretation. If we know how texts mean, we are in a better position to discover what a particular text means. This is a book which offers fundamental guidelines for the sensitive reading and understanding of biblical stories. - Back cover.

"Methods of Biblical Interpretation is a valuable reference tool for all students of biblical interpretation and a highly useful supplemental text for the seminary classroom, the graduate seminar, and upper-level undergraduate courses."--BOOK JACKET.

Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, now in its third edition, is a classic hermeneutics textbook that sets forth concise, logical, and practical guidelines for discovering the truth in God’s Word. With updates and revisions throughout that keep pace with current scholarship, this book offers students the best and most up-to-date information needed to interpret Scripture. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation: Defines and describes hermeneutics, the science of biblical interpretation Suggests effective methods to understand the meaning of the biblical text Surveys the literary, cultural, social, and historical issues that impact any text Evaluates both traditional and modern approaches to Bible interpretation Examines the reader’s role as an interpreter of the text and helps identify what the reader brings to the text that could distort its message Tackles the problem of how to apply the Bible in valid and significant ways today Provides an extensive and revised annotated list of books that readers will find helpful in the practice of biblical interpretation Used in college and seminary classrooms around the world, this volume is a trusted and valuable tool for students and other readers who desire to understand and apply the Bible.