Biblical Exegesis: Methods of Interpretation (An

Introductory Overview)
Felix Just, S.J., Ph.D.

Introduction / Definitions:
Exegesis
 careful investigation of the original meaning of texts in their historical and literary
contexts;
 the English word comes from a Greek verb meaning "to lead out of" (Greek "ex" =
"out"; "agein" = "to lead/go/draw")
 the process basically involves asking analytical questions about various aspects of the
texts and their contexts
 the opposite process is called Eisegesis, which means "reading [your own opinions]
into" the text, thus it is not a good idea in biblical studies.

Biblical Criticism / Critical Methods

 various ways of doing biblical exegesis, each having a specific goal and a specific set of
questions; some methods are more historical, others more literary, others more
sociological, theological, etc.
 Biblical "criticism" does not mean "criticizing" the text (i.e. what you don't like or don't
agree with); rather, it means asking "critical" questions, based on "criteria" that are as
clear, careful, and objective as possible.

Hermeneutics
 the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially of scriptural texts
 a branch of theology that deals with the principles underlying biblical exegesis.

Various Methods of Biblical Exegesis / Interpretation:

The following table lists many different approaches or methods of biblical interpretation, as
grouped in the document "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church," by the Pontifical Biblical
Commission (1993).

Various Methods of Biblical Exegesis / Interpretation

A) The Historical-Critical Method Questions Typically Asked:
Composition History Questions  Who is the author of the work? What do we
know about him/her/them?
 Is the attributed author the actual author, or
is the work pseudepigraphic?
 When, where, and under what
circumstances was the work written?

Biblical Exegesis: Methods Of Interpretation (An Introduction Overview)

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REV. FELIX JUST, SJ, PhD
  Who were the original recipients? Where did
they live?
 What words are used, and what range of
meanings do they have?
 What images and symbols are used, and
Traditional Literary Criticism what do they signify?
 What characters appear in the story? What
do we know about them?
 How are the characters related to one
another in the story?
 Are there any significant differences
between various modern translations?
 When were these translations done, using
Comparison of Translations which translation philosophies?
 Which ancient Hebrew or Greek texts
underlie the various translations?
 Has anything been lost or obscured in the
process of translation?
 Are there any variant readings in the ancient
manuscripts?
 Are the variants negligible (mere spelling) or
Textual Criticism significant (affecting meaning)?
 Can the variants be explained as intentional
changes, or as accidental ones?
 How do the literary or historical contexts help
explain the variant readings?
 Does the text have any underlying source or
sources?
 Which version of a source was used, in case
Source Criticism there is more than one?
 What do the sources actually say and mean
in their original contexts?
 How are the sources used (quoted,
paraphrased, adapted?) in the later text?
 What is the literary form or “genre” of the
whole work and the particular text?
 Does the text follow or diverge from the
Form Criticism usual expectations for this genre?
 What is the normal purpose/goal of this
genre?
 In what social context would texts of this
genre have been used?
Redaction Criticism  How has the author used the source(s) in
shaping this text?
 Are there any parallel texts, and how is this
text similar and/or different?

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REV. FELIX JUST, SJ, PhD
  What particular views or theological
emphases does this author show?
 How did the author’s life circumstances
affect the shaping of the text?
 If the story claims to be historical, what really
happened?
 What social, historical, or cultural information
Socio-Historical Criticism can be gleaned from the text?
 What background information is necessary
to better understand the text?
 What was life like for the common people,
not just the ruling elites?
B) New Methods of Literary Analysis Questions Typically Asked:
 What message is the author trying to
convey?
Rhetorical Analysis  Is the author attempting to instruct, inspire,
defend, or persuade the reader?
 What rhetorical techniques does he use to
achieve his goals?
 Who are the characters in the story? What
roles do they play?
Narrative Analysis  What is the plot sequence? What narrative
time is covered?
 What is the author’s and/or narrator’s point
of view?
 What deeper patterns of meaning are
Semiotic Analysis
conveyed by the words and symbols?
C) Approaches Based on Tradition Questions Typically Asked:
 Where does this text belong in the literary
context of the entire Bible?
Canonical Approach
 How is this text related to prior texts and/or
later texts in the Bible?
 How does its location in the Canon affect the
meaning of this text?
 How do traditional Jewish methods of
interpretation read this text?
Using Jewish Interpretative Traditions  Are there any parallel or similar stories in
Rabbinic literature?
 Do Jewish and Christian interpretations of
this text differ significantly?
History of Interpretation  How was this text interpreted by the “Church
Fathers” and in later centuries?
 Is the text interpreted differently by various
churches and denominations?

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  How has the text been interpreted in art,
music, liturgy, and popular culture?
D) Applications Using the Human Sciences Questions Typically Asked:
 What insights from Sociology can help in the
Sociological Approach interpretation of the text?
 What patterns of human social behavior are
evident in the text?
 What models from Cultural Anthropology can
Cultural Anthropology Approach help us understand the text?
 What cultural presuppositions/patterns affect
the interpretation of the text?
 How can the text be interpreted using
Psychological/Psychoanalytical Applications various theories from Psychology?
 Can the text help us understand the human
psyche better?
E) Contextual Approaches Questions Typically Asked:
 Has this text been used for domination of
oppressed people? How?
Liberationist Approach  Can this text be used for the liberation of the
poor/disadvantaged? How?
 Can other texts counteract the detrimental
effects of oppressive texts?
 Does the text evidence gender bias? Was
later interpretation also biased?
Feminist Approach  How is the meaning of the text affected if
read from a feminist perspective?
 What other texts can be recovered and used
to balance out biased texts?

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