Literary Study of the Bible

The most comprehensive and accessible introduction to scriptural art yet written

Literary Study of the Bible: An Introduction approaches each book of the Bible (including several of the apocrypha) with non-sectarian literary questions, exploring the meanings that the Bible reveals when we read it like a poem, narrative, or play. As a unique hybrid of introductory guide, essential handbook, historical survey, and absorbing commentary, this book fills a gap in literary Bible study with its fresh perspectives on the biblical writers' many arts. Readers will engage in wide range of textual approaches and interpretive traditions through this broadly informed, accessibly written text.

Dr. Christopher Hodgkins has taught Literary Study of the Bible for 25 years, over which time he has field-tested the many lenses--of genre, image, language, characterization, plot, and craft--used throughout this book. Tracing the sources, composition, and influences of the Biblical text, this book places the Bible in a tradition of ancient near eastern, Hebrew, and Hellenistic literary art, giving new depth to the way we understand the familiar stories of scripture. Unlike other literary introductions to the Bible, this book uniquely combines these elements:

• Approaches the Bible as a richly collaborative and coherent work of literary art, exploring how earlier books influence the creation and interpretation of later ones

• Provides illuminating commentary supplemented by explanatory textboxes, maps, illustrations, and study questions to enhance interest and expand learning

• Introduces poetic and narrative devices like doubling, juxtaposition, and irony within the context of scriptural art and editorial design

• Gives extensive attention to each biblical book, resulting in the most comprehensive introduction to literary Bible study to date

• Presents these materials through an accessible and lively text permeated with references to both high and popular culture

Literary Study of the Bible will be a welcome addition to personal, school, college, and congregational libraries, as well as an excellent text for students of the Bible in both secular and faith-based settings.

Autorentext

CHRISTOPHER HODGKINS is Professor of Renaissance Literature at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He is author or editor of eight books and many articles and essays, and has addressed audiences across North America and at the Universities of Cambridge, London, Surrey, Edinburgh, Catania, Aarhus, and Paris; at Salisbury and Canterbury Cathedrals; and at the Vatican.

Klappentext
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE INTRODUCTION TO SCRIPTURAL ART YET WRITTEN Literary Study of the Bible: An Introduction approaches each book of the Bible (including several of the apocrypha) with non-sectarian literary questions, exploring the meanings that the Bible reveals when we read it like a poem, narrative, or play. As a unique hybrid of introductory guide, essential handbook, historical survey, and absorbing commentary, this book fills a gap in literary Bible study with its fresh perspectives on the biblical writers' many arts. Readers will engage in a wide range of textual approaches and interpretive traditions through this broadly informed, accessibly written text. Dr. Christopher Hodgkins has taught literary study of the Bible for 25 years, over which time he has field-tested the many lensesof genre, image, language, characterization, plot, and craftused throughout this book. Tracing the sources, composition, and influences of the Biblical text, this book places the Bible in a tradition of ancient near eastern, Hebrew, and Hellenistic literary art, giving new depth to the way we understand the familiar stories of scripture. This remarkable volume:

• Approaches the Bible as a richly collaborative and coherent work of literary art, exploring the ways in which earlier books influence the creation and interpretation of later ones
• Provides illuminating commentary supplemented by explanatory text boxes, maps, illustrations, and study questions to enhance interest and expand learning
• Introduces poetic and narrative devices such as doubling, juxtaposition, and irony within the context of scriptural art and editorial design
• Gives extensive attention to each biblical book, resulting in the most comprehensive introduction of literary Bible study to date
• Presents these materials through an accessible and lively text permeated with references to both high and popular culture Literary Study of the Bible will be a welcome addition to personal, school, college, and congregational libraries, as well as an excellent text for students of the Bible in both secular and faith-based settings.

Inhalt
Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xix

Part I Beginning 1

1 The Dream Was Doubled: Reading Like a Hebrew 3

1.1 Seeing Deep and Whole: Stereoscopic Vision 3

1.2 Tabernacles for the Sun: Biblical Genres 10

2 In the Scroll of the Book: Composition and Canonicity 15

2.1 The Documentary Hypothesis: Its Origins, Assumptions, and Evolution 15

2.1.1 Hypothetical Documents: Divine Names, Disputed Dates, and the Polychrome Bible 17

2.1.2 Toledoth: Generations of Genesis and Torah 22

2.2 New Testament Sources:Qand A 23

2.3 In His Hand Was a Measuring Rod: Community, Councils, and Canons 23

2.3.1 Tanakh, Old Testament, the DeuteroCanonicals, and New Testament Apocrypha 24

2.4 Literary Study of the Bible: A Way Forward 29

Part II The Old Testament/Hebrew Bible/Tanakh 31

3 Hebrew Poetry: Deep Calls to Deep 33

3.1 In the Great Congregation: The Many Voices of Psalms 33

3.1.1 A Pentateuch of Poems: The Five Books of the Psalter 35

3.1.2 Create in Me a Clean Heart: Interior Drama and Psychological Discovery 39

3.1.3 Play Skillfully: Figure and Form 45

3.1.3.1 Figurative Language 45

3.1.3.2 Form: Parallelism Synonymous, Antithetic, Synthetic 46

3.1.3.3 Form: Refrain and Litany 46

3.1.3.4 Form: Juxtaposition 47

3.2 Love Strong as Death: The Song of Solomon 48

3.2.1 Lyric Sequence or Dramatic Narrative: Whose Story? 48

3.2.1.1 Allegory? 51

3.2.1.2 Literal Love Story? 52

3.2.1.3 Earthly Desire and Heavenly Longing 54

4 Wisdom Literature: Understanding Their Riddles 57

4.1 Take Hold of Her: Wisdom and Desire in Proverbs 58

4.1.1 She Calls Aloud in the Streets: Wisdom and Folly Personified 59

4.1.2 Folly Made Flesh: The Loose Woman 60

4.1.3 Wisdom Incarnate: The Good Wife 62

4.1.4 The Beginning of Wisdom: How to Read a Proverb 65

4.2 Enjoy Your Toil: The CounterWisdom of Ecclesiastes 67

4.2.1 Under the Sun: Living by Mortal Light 69

4.2.2 The Wind Whirls About: Cycles and Cynicism 70

4.2.3 Remember Your Creator: The End and the Beginning 73

5 Origin Narrative I: Divine Images in Genesis 77

5.1 Biblical Narrative Style: The Elements 77

5.1.1 Minimalism 77

5.1.2 Wordplay 79

5.1.3 Doubling and Repetition 79

5.1.4 Juxtaposition 80

5.1.5 Deferred Judgment 80

5.1.6 Irony Sad, Happy, Complex 83

5.2 Day of Days: Creation in Stereoscope 84

5.2.1 And It Was Good: The Quiet Polemic Against Creative Violence 85

5.2.2 In Our Image: Man or Manikin? 88

5.2.3 Male and Female: Gendering Genesis 89

5.2.4 Flesh of My Flesh: Biblical Erotics and Marriage 91

5.3 Nakedness and Knowledge: Deception, Folly, Fall, and Curse 93

6 Origin Narrative II: Patriarchy and Its Discontents in Genesis 101

6.1 Arc of the Covenant: The Story of God's Contracts 102

6.1.1 Kinds of Covenant: Bilateral and Unilateral 102

6.1.2 Keeping Covenant: Promises, Conditions, Signs 103

6.1.3 Specific Covenants: Adamic, Noahic, Abrahamic 104

6.1.3.1 Adamic Covenant 104

6.1.3.2 Noahic Covenant 107

6.1.3.3 Abrahamic Covenant 110

6.2 Warts and All: Abraham and AntiPat…