Adapted from R. N. Soulen, Handbook of Biblical Criticism, (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1981), 235-239.
Many students look upon exegesis as just another academic chore. The point of exegesis is, however, to learn as much as possible about a passage of Scripture which interests you. When you are in the parish, you will most likely not have vast amounts of time for exegetical work; but if you are acquainted with the tools and techniques for proper exegesis, you will find that you are able to learn more about a given passage in a shorter period of time. Remember, exegesis is more than a class requirement, it is the quest of the serious study of Holy Scripture. With this perspective, the task takes on truly promising dimensions.
Exegesis means "explanation". Normally the goal of exegesis is to present and defend a translation of a biblical passage. English exegesis strives to compare and contrast scholarly translations in order to determine the most accurate text. The main emphasis of exegetical work is the text. Which words were most likely the original words? Which English words best reflect the meaning of the text? Has the text been changed over time? What are the difficulties in the text? These are the kinds of questions it seeks to answer.
A. Become acquainted with the various types of exegetical tools such as (for English exegesis) concordances, biblical and theological dictionaries, commentaries, monographs and periodicals. Learn how to use cardfiles and bibliographic aids.
B. Select a passage for exegesis. Read the relevant passages until a single passage arouses special interest, either by the power of the ideas or events it records or the questions it evokes. Passages in a double tradition (e.g. J and E, Deutero Zechariah) or a triple tradition (e.g. J, E and P, Trito Isaiah) are challenging because they offer the possibility of tracing the history of a tradition. Select an entire pericope rather than a segment of a pericope, if possible. Usually the paragraph marks in the Hebrew Bible designate pericopes; in poetry a coherent unit of stanzas may be an entire pericope. The length for a pericope is 5 to 10 verses.
A. The Limits of the Passage. Although the paragraph marks in the Hebrew Bible may have set the limits (beginning and end) of your passage, note how this is done. Answer these kinds of questions: Is it clear to you that the demarcation is accurate? Do you agree? If not, how did you choose to begin/end where you did? How does the passage open and close? Is it clearly a self-contained unit? How is it related to what comes before/after it?
B. Authorship. Who is the traditional author of the text? Does this match modern understanding of the authorship? What clues are there to the authorship (historical data in the text, theological outlook)? Is the text a composite or a unity? Where was it written?
C. Date. When did the author live (traditionally and according to contemporary understanding)? How is this timeframe reflected in the text? What are the clues found for dating (reference to Exile, name of kings)?
D. Literary Structure. What is the structure of the pericope? This can best be ascertained by outlining the major ideas or events in the text briefly. The outline should be so constructed as to show the inner movement of the text as well as the relationship of ideas, persons, and/or events within it. In what ways does the structure of the pericope inform your understanding of it? Elements of style may also be clues to structure. What rhetorical features (e.g. chiasm, merismus, inclusio, hyperbole) are used to add to the structure?
E. The Contexts. Textual: How does the pericope function in the context of the book? Is the pericope essentially dependent or independent of the rest of the book? What are the reasons for your conclusion? How does it function with the material before and after? Historical: What were the historical circumstances which may have influenced your pericope? What was happening at the time it was being written? Cultural: Does this passage have precursors or parallels in the ancient Near East? If so, how does it fit into this larger context? Were any of the ideas borrowed? Quoted? Modified? How does it reflect its culture: is it liturgical, social, or prophetic?
F. Verse by Verse Analysis. Stay close to the text: try to discern what it reveals about itself more than what you think about it. Ask: what does the text mean, not what do I think it means. The kinds of questions to ask are those which deal with the following aspects of the text:
Use a concordance to discover other places in the Hebrew Bible where the specific terms and phrases in question are also used. Does the passage at hand employ the terms in their traditional meaning, or are the nuances given to the meaning of the terms not found elsewhere? Be sure that you have the necessary critical tools readily at hand: concordances written for translation(s) with which you are dealing; modern critical commentaries (do not use devotional commentaries); biblical and theological dictionaries (be careful to use recent and accepted critical works); monographs relevant to your passage, and periodical articles. (Consult Old Testament Abstracts, Religion Index One, and Religion Index Two for building a good bibliography.)
G. Graded Word Study. A word study is an in-depth analysis of the meaning of a word in your pericope. Use of Hebrew is expected in your word study. Also consult theological and Bible dictionaries, compare translations, and use critical tools to help you understand the issues raised by a significant word. What is the sphere of meaning for this word? How does this word function in your pericope? How does it compare with other occurrences of the word in the Hebrew Bible? Your verse analysis may contain several word studies, but label one as "Graded Word Study" so that it may be assessed.
H. Genre. What recognizable literary forms or types are present in the passage under study? What is the usual setting for this linguistic form (e.g.: myth, saga, legend, history, novella, tale, fable, coronation psalm, etc.)? What is the typical content and function of the literary form in question? What are its typical elements? Does the text at hand show any divergence from the usual form? What explanation can be given for these divergences?
Can the literary forms identified (the unit as a whole or subunits within it) be placed within an historical time-frame or situation of Israel? What would such a setting be? (Would it be pre-exilic, exilic, post-exilic? In Israel or Judah?) What world empire is in power at the time? Who is being addressed? What was the meaning and possible significance of what is being said in its historical context? In brief: who, what, where, when, to whom, why, how? How can your historical reconstruction be defended?
I. History of Redaction. In what ways is the text in question related to the material preceding and following it in either the Torah, Prophets, or Writings? To the Torah (or Prophets, Writings) as a whole? Is it apparent that the content of the text has been affected by its context? (An analysis of parallel passages, if any exist, may help you decide.) Has the text been edited? What is the evidence of this editing? What is the historical or theological significance of the redactional treatment of the traditional material?
This is the more "pragmatic" side of exegetical work. You have just explored a text thoroughly to determine what it reveals about itself. Now it is time to interpret what others have thought and what you think about it.
J. History of Interpretation. What have scholars (and theologians) said about this text in the past? What is its history of interpretation? Compare at least two eras (Rabbinic, Patristic, Medieval, Reformation, Enlightenment, Critical, Modern) to see how opinions may have changed over time.
K. Personal Interpretation. In your own dialogue with the text, what discoveries have you made? How do you read/hear the text? Can you say why you hear it that way? How do you interpret it?
L. Practical Application. How is this text of use today? If you had to preach from it, what would you say? Why is it considered Holy Scripture? This is not a sermon, but could be the groundwork for a sermon or a Bible study including this passage.
Exegetical study and an exegetical paper are not the same, any more than a research paper is identical with all the research that went into it. The following is but one way of writing up the findings arrived at in your study. It is, however, the form you are expected to follow.
Perhaps the most helpful way to write an exegetical paper is by organizing yourself. The following suggested sections for your exegetical passage should be included. Make use of headings! They will help organize your thoughts and make the paper easier to comprehend. At the very least each of the lettered and numbered sections listed below (A., B., C., 1., 2., etc.) should have its own heading in your paper.
The Text. Write your pericope out in full on the first page of the paper.
Points will be deducted for consistently poor grammar, lack of clarity, incorrect spelling, failure to cite sources, failure to give page numbers, failure to use a periodical article or any other serious error. Otherwise your paper will be graded on the basis of its contents: thoroughness, depth and evidence of careful thought, research, planning and organization.
The paper should be typed/computer-printed and should be 15-20 pages. Papers over 25 pages will not be accepted.
Clarity of meaning is essential. To this end, your paper must use the correct collective terms for humanity. In standard written English "man" and "mankind" refer specifically to male subjects and are appropriate in that context only. The collective terms "humanity" and "humankind" are not gender specific and are appropriate for groups of mixed gender. This is not "inclusive language" but the insistence that you write what you mean. Language concerning the Deity is left to the writer's discretion. Points will be deducted from written work when lack of clarity is evident.
A. Definition. The use of another person's words or ideas without proper citation constitutes plagiarism. Even if a passage from a book or an article is paraphrased, it must be cited in a footnote in your paper. Failure to name your sources constitutes plagiarism. Any plagiarised work will receive the grade of F.
B. How to quote a source.
Failure to follow these guidelines on plagiarism could seriously jeopardize your grade. When in doubt, cite your source!
Not all commentaries are intended for exegetical use. Devotional commentaries (Daily Study Bible, Tyndale Commentaries, etc.) are intended for confessional uses; they are for private spiritual development and not academic study. The use of such commentaries, with rare exceptions, is appropriate only in the "Theological Interpretation" section of your paper. Commentaries which are academically based are numerous and are appropriate sources for exegesis. Among these are:
Anchor Bible commentaries: In this incomplete set the level of scholarship is generally high.
Hermeneia: fairly recent series, technical, but very useful.
International Critical Commentaries: technical, some volumes slightly dated, but good, foundational material.
Interpreter's Bible: a 12 volume set, very uneven. Some volumes are quite useful, however; it is worth a look. The New Interpreter's Bible is currently being produced, and it looks promising.
Interpretation series: a new series which focuses on homiletical issues with occasional academic exploration.
New Century Bible Commentaries: academically sound, but understandable to the layperson.
New International Version commentaries: theologically and textually conservative but occasionally insightful.
Old Testament Library: a standard, historical-critical series.
The Women's Bible Commentary: a handy one-volume commentary written by prominent women scholars, the level of scholarship is high.
Word Bible Commentaries: conservative but often academic, a useful set.
Other commentaries are acceptable as well. If you are uncertain about a series of commentaries and their intended use, simply read a page or two of the commentary. If it is primarily exposition, then it is homiletical or devotional. If it seems academic or technical, then it is exegetical.
NOTE: The proper way to cite a commentary in a series is cited in the Student Handbook.
The paper should have at least 10 sources, including at least one periodical article. Old Testament introductions and Bible versions do not count as one of these 10 sources.
A number of useful writing helps are readily available:
The Chicago Manual of Style. 13th edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982. ON PERMANENT RESERVE IN THE LIBRARY.
Barzun, Jacques and Henry F. Graff. The Modern Researcher. 4th edition. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1985.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manuel for Writers. Latest edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Payne, Lucile Vaughan. The Lively Art of Writing. New York: New American Library, 1965.
Strunk, William Jr. and E. B. White. The Elements of Style. 3rd edition. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1979.
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This page was last modified on 2 March 2000.