Biblical exegesis: A beginner's handbook [Paperback]

John Haralson Hayes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1982

John Hayes and Carl Holladay have thoroughly revised and expanded this best-selling textbook, adding new chapters on emerging methods of interpretation and the use of computer technology for exegesis. All bibliographies have been updated, and Scripture has been converted to the NRSV. This new edition retains the features of the early editions: a minimum of technical terms, solid introductory guidelines in exegetical methods, and a valuable presentation of exegetical theory and practice. It is ideal for general introductory exegesis courses, introductions to the Old and New Testaments, and introduction to preaching, as well as for pastors and lay leaders.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John H. Hayes is Professor Emeritusof Old Testament at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is the author of numerous books, including Introduction to the Bible, Biblical Exegesis: A Beginner's Handbook (with Carl Holladay), The Jewish People in Classical Antiquity (with Sara Mandell), and Old Testament Theology: Its History and Development (with Frederick Prussner), all published by WJK.

Carl R. Holladay is Charles Howard Candler Professor of New Testament at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, in Atlanta, Georgia. He is coauthor of Preaching the New Common Lectionary Years A-C and Preaching through the Christian Year, A-C. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: John Knox Press; First Printing edition (1982)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804200300
• ISBN-13: 978-0804200301
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,031,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Overview of the Field, April 3, 2007

By 

Jaroslav Melgr "jaroski" (Colorado) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Biblical Exegesis (Revise (Paperback)

This is a great introduction to the discipline of BE. It has a lot of breadth to give a novice a good flavor of multiple facets of BE without going into too much depth and drowning one in technical terms and methodology. Very nice overview for beginners.

In the first chapter, the authors introduce the field itself, provide basic definitions and historical perspectives/evolution of the field. In the following chapters they discuss each of the major techniques or approaches to biblical criticism. Once again, the book isn't trying to be an in-depth, all-encompassing resource, it provides a very high level, but good overview of the field and each individual discipline. Most chapters have thorough and well organized bibliographies for further study of individual topics, which is very useful. Here are the titles of the chapters:

1 Introducing exegesis
2 Textual criticism (the quest for the original wording)
3 Historical criticism (the setting in time and space)
4 Grammatical criticism (the language of the text)
5 Literary criticism (the composition and rhetorical style of the text)
6 Form criticism (the genre and life setting of the text)
7 Tradition criticism (the stages behind the text)
8 Redaction criticism (the final viewpoint and theology)
9 Structuralist criticism (the universals in the text)
10 Canonical criticism (the sacred text of Synagogue and Church)
11 Integrating exegetical procedures
12 Employing the fruits of Biblical Exegesis

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This Should Be on Every Bible Scholar's Shelf, January 8, 2004

By 

R. Kirkham "jrkirkham" (Rushville, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biblical Exegesis (Revise (Paperback)

Actually, this book probably IS on every Bible Scholar's shelf! At least it is on the shelf of most English speaking pastors and seminary graduates. As the name suggests, it offers a beginner's guide to the deeper side of Bible study. It describes a style of Bible study that will bring a clearer understanding of Scripture to anyone who can grasp it. And most people will be able to grasp it. The terms are not overly difficult.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Survey Of The Methods Of Critical Bible Study, February 23, 2008

By 

Robert Curtis "lightplay" (Santa Rosa Beach, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Biblical Exegesis (Revise (Paperback)

Hayes and Holladay give a succinct yet thorough survey of exegesis and Biblical Exegesis in particular. Anyone wanting a basic understanding of the general approaches used in the scholarly study of the Bible will find this book useful. Those of us who want to study the Bible seriously need to have a basic understanding of how to know the words that were used in the original; how to work to understand what the words mean and how they were intended; and how to connect with the historicity and the history of the texts. Biblical Exegesis - A Beginner's Handbook is a fine introduction to these three processes and much more. Very much worth the read.

Robert Curtis
Santa Rosa Beach, Florida