Making Sense of the Bible: Literary Type As an Approach to Understanding [Paperback]

Marshall D. Johnson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2002

No book in the Western world has evoked more diverse interpretations than the Bible. One reason for this multiplicity of interpretation is the gap of two thousand years between the writing of the Bible and our time. In Making Sense of the Bible Marshall Johnson bridges this cultural and historical distance. Focusing on the eight major literary forms in the Bible 'wisdom literature, liturgical materials, quasi-historical material, prophetic writings, collections of laws and precepts, apocalyptic literature, letters, and Gospels' Johnson describes each form's central features to give readers a sense of what to expect from each literary form and how to approach it. In order to effectively understand the Bible as it was written, the author contends that readers must be able to recognize the diverse kinds of literature found between its covers. For inquisitive laypeople or students in search of the original meaning of the Bible, this book provides a thoughtful and concise introduction to its literary forms.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

For the most part, literary typology as an instrument of interpretation has been the province of academics. In this brief volume, Johnson shows remarkable success in broadening that use to a wide, nonacademic audience. The author's approach, as suits his project, is not a book-by-book exposition of the Bible but a more synoptic discussion of groups of books by type, e.g., history or prophecy. Thus, Daniel and the Revelation to John appear together, as do Chronicles and Acts. This eminently sensible and attractively written book deserves a broad audience. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (February 28, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802849199
• ISBN-13: 978-0802849199
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #506,241 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book that Makes Sense, December 9, 2002

By 

John T. Farrell (Brooklyn, New York) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Sense of the Bible: Literary Type As an Approach to Understanding (Paperback)

Frank Kermode once remarked that the literary impulse in the Bible was quite as powerful as the religious. At the very least, they are inextricable. And yet, despite the significance of the literary impulse in making sense of Scripture, study of literary typology and analysis of literary form have been largely reserved to the scholarly realm.

Into this void comes Marshall Johnson's useful and knowledgeable book. Marshall introduces general readers to the major types of biblical literature -- wisdom literature, the poetry of worship, historical narrative, prophetic writings, legal collections, apocalyptic literature, letters, and the Gospels. In successive chapters, he fully delineates each type, reviews its background, discusses its distinctive features, explicates several major examples, and includes a final section of how to "read" the particular form. Johnson accomplishes all this in clear, readable, and non-technical prose.

As is often the case with books I wish I had written myself, I have some questions about several of Johnson's choices. For instance, is the Book of Job truly an example of "wisdom literature" or should it be treated separately as a unique type of biblical literature, perhaps as a poetic dialogue? Can Isaiah, a complex blend of historical experience and poetic concerns, be as easily pigeonholed into the category of "prophetic literature" as Marshall believes?

But these are mere quibbles. Johnson's knowledge of the Bible is voluminous, his theology is mainstream, and his perceptions are telling. His overarching goals are to help readers grasp the shape of the Bible as a whole and to become self-aware in their dialogue with the text. To this end, Marshall D. Johnson has written an excellent book, one which I strongly recommend. The highest accolade I can give "Making Sense of the Bible" is that, if I were still teaching my course on "The Bible and Literature" at Drexel University, I'd use it as a textbook.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Making Sense of the Bible, July 10, 2006

By 

Marlo Young (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Making Sense of the Bible: Literary Type As an Approach to Understanding (Paperback)

Making Sense of the Bible has taught me how to recognize diverse kinds of literature that make up the Holy Bible.