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The structure of Biblical books

Julian Spriggs M.A.

III. Interpretation Questions V. Historical background

Different kinds of structure

The authors of books of the Bible used a variety of different structural techniques in the writing of their books to organise their material. There is normally one main kind of structure in each book, but there may be other kinds within that main structure.

Geographical

The structure of the book is based primarily on the geography. Examples are the Book of Joshua and the Book of Acts.

Chronological

Some books are structured based on time and events. Chronology is normally considered to be very important in western writing, but is not so important in Hebrew or more eastern writing. Examples would be the Books of Exodus and Numbers, where the events of the Exodus and wilderness wanderings are described in chronological order.

Biographical

The structure of the book is based on the main characters. Examples would be the Books of Judges and 1 and 2 Samuel.

Topical

The structure of the book is primarily based on ideas or themes, sometimes mixing up the chronology. Examples would be the Book of Jeremiah and the Gospel of Matthew.

Logical

The structure of the book shows a logical progression of ideas and development of thought. Examples would be Paul's letters to the Romans and to the Galatians.

Epistle

The structure of the book shows the structure normally used in Greek letters. This is seen in most of Paul's letters, as well as the general letters, and even the Book of Revelation.

These are the main portions of a Greek letter:
1. The name of the writer, followed by a brief description
2. The name of the recipient(s), followed by a brief description
3. A greeting, "Grace and peace ..."
4. A thanksgiving for the readers and a prayer, which often summarises the main themes of the letter.
5. The main body of the letter
6. Final greetings and news
7. Benediction or blessing

Anthology

This is when the book consists of a collection of material, with not much apparent structure. Examples would be the Psalms and the Proverbs.

Laws of Composition

These are structural techniques used by authors in their writing. Some of these are characteristic of particular authors, showing how they arrange their material. The same laws of composition used in the Bible are also seen in modern books, but are also apparent in music, films and even television dramas.

These laws of composition can be seen on the level of the whole structure of the book, or at a smaller level.

Comparison

Comparison is when two things are seen as being alike in some way. An example is when Paul compares marriage with being under the law (Rom 7:1-6).

Contrast

Contrast is when two things are stated together as opposites. An example is in the Book of Acts when Barnabas who sold a field and gave the money to the apostles is contrasted with Ananias and Sapphira who lied about the value of the property they sold (Acts 4:36-5:1).

Repetition

Words, phrases or even whole accounts can be repeated for emphasis. Some repeated words or phrases become particularly characteristic of that book. Examples are the word 'holy' in Leviticus, God being described as 'the holy one of Israel' in the Book of Isaiah, and Paul's testimony being repeated three times in the Book of Acts.

Principality

This is noting emphasis and de-emphasis, where some topics are given a lot of attention, while others are given less, or very little attention. In the Gospels, particularly in John's Gospel, a greater amount of material is written about the last week of the life of Jesus, compared with the rest of his ministry. In the books of 1 & 2 Kings, some kings are given several chapters, while other kings are dismissed in a few words.

Continuity

Continuity is similar to repetition, but with some variation and development in the theme. An example is the three 'lost' parables in Luke's Gospel (Lk 15), where there is an increase in intensity up to the third parable of the prodigal son.

Climax

Climax is when everything in the book builds to a high point at the end of the book. Examples would be the books of Job, Revelation and Ecclesiastes.

Radiation

Radiation is more difficult to identify, but is found when there is a central point of the book, around which the rest of the book focusses. Examples would be the Book of Philemon which radiates around Paul's appeal for Onesimus (Phm 10), and the Book of Philippians where the whole book radiates around the example of the humility of Christ (Phil 2:1-11).

Interchange

Interchange is when the author alternates between two different topics. He begins with subject A, interrupts by going on to subject B, before returning back to subject A, then to subject B.

An example is in the birth narratives in Luke's Gospel
A. John's birth announced (1:5-25)
   B. Jesus' birth announced (1:26-56)
A. John born (1:57-80)
   B. Jesus born (2:1-20)

Chaism

This is found quite frequently in Jewish writings, and in the Old Testament. This is similar to interchange but the topics are nested. There can be two or more topics, in the form AB BA or ABC CBA, so the second appearance of the topic is in reverse order to the first appearance.

An example is found in the Book of Revelation
A. Dragon introduced (ch 12)
   B. Beasts introduced (ch 13)
      C. Babylon introduced (ch 17)
      C. Babylon judged and destroyed (ch 18)
   B. Beasts judged and destroyed (ch 19)
A. Dragon judged and destroyed (ch 20)

Cruciality

Cruciality is where the book has a significant turning point or pivot. This is the point where there is a major change in the focus or content of the book. One example is Peter's confession in the Gospel of Mark (8:27-30), or David's sin with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel (2 Sam 11-12).

Harmony

Harmony is when there is a single major theme of the book, around which the rest of the book fits. An example is the Book of Hebrews, where the whole book centres around the superiority of Christ.

Interrogation

This is when the author asks questions as part of the narrative, then answers them. Examples are in Romans (Rom 6-7), as well as Habakkuk and Malachi.

General to specific

The author begins with a general issue or theme, then focusses on more specific topics. In 1 Corinthians, Paul begins by teaching about wisdom in general terms (ch 1-4), before addressing specific topics raised by the church, which shows their lack of wisdom.

Problem to solution

The author raises a problem, or issue in the church, then gives the solution. An example would be the Book of Galatians.

Theological to application

This is characteristic of Paul, who presents the theological portion of the book, before moving to practical application. It is found in several of his letters, including Romans, but is also noted in the Book of Hebrews.

III. Interpretation Questions V. Historical background

The Bible

Pages which look at issues relevant to the whole Bible, such as the Canon of Scripture, as well as doctrinal and theological issues. There are also pages about the Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha and 'lost books' of the Old Testament.

Also included are lists of the quotations of the OT in the NT, and passages of the OT quoted in the NT.

Old Testament Overview

This is a series of six pages which give a historical overview through the Old Testament and the inter-testamental period, showing where each OT book fits into the history of Israel.

New Testament Overview

This is a series of five pages which give a historical overview through the New Testament, focusing on the Ministry of Jesus, Paul's missionary journeys, and the later first century. Again, it shows where each book of the NT fits into the history of the first century.

Introductions to Old Testament Books

This is an almost complete collection of introductions to each of the books in the Old Testament. Each contains information about the authorship, date, historical setting and main themes of the book.

Introductions to New Testament Books

This is a collection of introductions to each of the 27 books in the New Testament. Each contains information about the authorship, date, historical setting and main themes of the book.

Old Testament History

Information about the different nations surrounding Israel, and other articles concerning Old Testament history and the inter-testamental period.

New Testament History

Articles which give additional information about the history and culture of the first century, giving helpful background knowledge for the Gospels and Paul's travels.

Old Testament Studies

A series of articles covering more general topics for OT studies. These include a list of the people named in the OT and confirmed by archaeology. There are also pages to convert the different units of measure in the OT, such as the talent, cubit and ephah into modern units.

More theological topics include warfare in the ancient world, the Holy Spirit in the OT, and types of Jesus in the OT.

Studies in the Pentateuch (Gen - Deut)

A series of articles covering studies in the five books of Moses. Studies in the Book of Genesis look at the historical nature of the early chapters of Genesis, the Tower of Babel and the Table of the Nations.

There are also pages about covenants, the sacrifices and offerings, the Jewish festivals and the tabernacle, as well as the issue of tithing.

Studies in the Old Testament History Books (Josh - Esther)

Articles containing studies and helpful information for the history books. These include a list of the dates of the kings of Israel and Judah, a summary of the kings of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and studies of Solomon, Jeroboam and Josiah.

There are also pages describing some of the historical events of the period, including the Syro-Ephraimite War, and the Assyrian invasion of Judah in 701 BC.

Studies in the Old Testament Prophets (Is - Mal)

Articles containing studies and helpful information for the OT prophets. These include a page looking at the way the prophets look ahead into their future, a page looking at the question of whether Satan is a fallen angel, and a page studying the seventy weeks of Daniel.

There are also a series of pages giving a commentary through the text of two of the books:
Isaiah (13 pages) and Daniel (10 pages).

New Testament Studies

A series of articles covering more general topics for NT studies. These include a list of the people in the NT confirmed by archaeology.

More theological topics include the Kingdom of God and the Coming of Christ.

Studies in the Four Gospels (Matt - John)

A series of articles covering various studies in the four gospels. These include a list of the unique passages in each of the Synoptic Gospels and helpful information about the parables and how to interpret them.

Some articles look at the life and ministry of Jesus, including his genealogy, birth narratives, transfiguration, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the seating arrangements at the Last Supper.

More theological topics include the teaching about the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete and whether John the Baptist fulfilled the predictions of the coming of Elijah.

Studies in the Book of Acts and the New Testament Letters

A series of articles covering various studies in the Book of Acts and the Letters, including Paul's letters. These include a page studying the messages given by the apostles in the Book of Acts, and the information about the financial collection that Paul made during his third missionary journey.

More theological topics include Paul's teaching on Jesus as the last Adam, and descriptions of the church such as the body of Christ and the temple, as well as a look at redemption and the issue of fallen angels.

There are a series of pages giving a commentary through the text of five of the books:
Romans (7 pages), 1 Corinthians (7 pages), Galatians (3 pages), Philemon (1 page) and Hebrews (7 pages)

Studies in the Book of Revelation

Articles containing studies and helpful information for the study of the Book of Revelation and topics concerning Eschatology (the study of end-times).

These include a description of the structure of the book, a comparison and contrast between the good and evil characters in the book and a list of the many allusions to the OT. For the seven churches, there is a page which gives links to their location on Google maps.

There is a page studying the important theme of Jesus as the Lamb, which forms the central theological truth of the book. There are pages looking at the major views of the Millennium, as well as the rapture and tribulation, as well as a list of dates of the second coming that have been mistakenly predicted through history.

There is also a series of ten pages giving a detailed commentry through the text of the Book of Revelation.

Inductive Bible Study

These are a series of pages giving practical help showing how to study the Bible inductively, by asking a series of simple questions. There are lists of observation and interpretation questions, as well as information about the structure and historical background of biblical books, as well as a list of the different types of figures of speech used in the Bible. There is also a page giving helpful tips on how to apply the Scriptures personally.

Types of Literature in the Bible

These are a series of pages giving practical help showing how to study each of the different types of book in the Bible by appreciating the type of literature being used. These include historical narrative, law, wisdom, prophets, Gospels, Acts, letters and Revelation.

It is most important that when reading the Bible we are taking note of the type of literature we are reading. Each type needs to be considered and interpreted differently as they have different purposes.

Geography and Archaeology

These are a series of pages giving geographical and archaeological information relevant to the study of the Bible. There is a page where you can search for a particular geographical location and locate it on Google maps, as well as viewing photographs on other sites.

There are also pages with photographs from Ephesus and Corinth.

Early Church Fathers

These are a series of pages giving biographical information about some of the more significant early church fathers, such as Irenaeus, Origen and Tertullian, as well as some important groups and events in the first centuries of the church.

Artifacts in the British Museum relevant to Biblical studies

These are a series of pages describing artifacts in each gallery of the British Museum, which have a connection with the Bible.

Biblical Archaeology in Museums around the world

A page with a facility to search for artifacts held in museums around the world which have a connection with the Bible. These give information about each artifact, as well as links to the museum's collection website where available showing high resolution photographs of the artifact.

There is also page of photographs from the Israel Museum in Jerusalem of important artifacts.

Historical documents

These are a series of pages containing historical documents which give helpful information for Biblical studies. These include Hittite suzerainty treaties with a similar structure to the Book of Deuteronomy, different lists of the New Testament books and quotations from Josephus and other ancient writers.

Life Questions

These are a series of pages looking at some of the more difficult questions of Christian theology, including war, suffering, disappointment and what happens to those who have never heard the Gospel.

How to Preach

These are a series of pages giving a practical step-by-step explanation of the process of preparing a message for preaching, and how to lead a small group Bible study.

Information for SBS staff members

Two pages particularly relevant for people serving as staff on the School of Biblical Studies (SBS) in YWAM. One gives helpful instruction about how to prepare to teach on a book in the SBS. The other gives a list of recommended topics which can be taught about for each book of the Bible.