The Bible is a collection of not only sixty-six books, but also several types of literature written by different authors. Recognizing these various forms of biblical literature helps us understand the truth God has revealed to us.
The various forms of biblical literature are:
Law
- (Leviticus, parts of Exodus and Deuteronomy). The Law reveals God’s perfect standards of righteousness and often describes man’s part in our eternal covenant. Failure to meet this standard results in punishment. Jesus wonderfully kept the Law, yet received the wrathful punishment for sin on our behalf.
The first five books are usually collectively referred to as the Law (or Torah) because Moses wrote them, and the Jews use Moses and the Law interchangeably. However, when referring to types of writing, most of the Torah fits into the next category.
Historical Narrative
- (Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua - Esther, about half of Daniel, Acts). This writing style simply tells us what happened. While there are many historical and cultural cues to wrestle with (because we're reading about ancient cultures), the text reads like any good story with characters and plots — except that they’re not fiction.
Poetry
- (Job, Psalms, Song of Solomon). Hebrew poetry is like any other poetry in that it employs an abundance of imagery and metaphors. However, there are also language and context issues to consider, such as referencing of names and common expressions of the day.
Wisdom
- (Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). Wisdom literature is generally just good advice. These are principles that are in the reader's best interest and will fairly often result in a positive outcome, though not guaranteed. These sayings ultimately point us to Jesus, the embodiment of wisdom.
Prophecy
- (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, parts of Ezekiel and Daniel, Hosea - Malachi). Prophetic literature is both
foretelling
(what’s going to happen in the future) and
forthtelling
(usually God commanding Israel to repent). Foretelling can also be two-fold, meaning it happens in the near future
and
in years to come, such as Ezekiel 37, which deals with the re-establishment of Israel following the Babylonian captivity (around 530 B.C.) and following World War II (1948). (*Note: MOST prophecy - especially concerning Jesus, the Messiah - has been fulfilled. The only remaining prophecy deals with the end times.)
Gospels
- (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). These are simply the historical narrative of the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Though they need little explanation, they should not be skimmed over like a familiar story, but deeply mined for their beauty and richness. When we take the time and energy to study the Gospels in-depth, we gain a much fuller understanding of the Jesus who is, not the one we may have formed in our mind.
Epistles
- (Romans - Jude). These are letters written to various individuals and churches for several reasons. They are mostly written by the Apostles Paul, Peter and John. James and Jude were half-brothers of Jesus, and no one knows for certain who wrote the book of Hebrews. These letters are foundational teachings for all church theology and doctrine.
Apocalyptic
- (Revelation, parts of Ezekiel and Daniel). This is prophetic literature that specifically deals with the end times. The Greek word
apocalypso
means “uncovering” or “unveiling”. It is God revealing to us - in some form - what is to happen in the last days, when all things are fully accomplished and man is completely restored to the “very good” image-bearing perfection experienced in Genesis 1. Most of the language is figurative and difficult for even modern scholars to agree on, but we have a decent grasp on most of the imagery.
Some of the Bible’s genres overlap between books. For example, the wisdom literature (Proverbs and Ecclesiastes) also contains poetry, and the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) contain history and parables. Each genre must be interpreted according to its own genre to gain a full understanding of the written text. Each genre offers rich ways of engaging with the text. For example, the poetry books should be actively read as poetry, taking notice of poetic devices.
No matter which literary genre an individual is reading, God inspired each word. Second Timothy 3:16–17 says, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
It is quite remarkable that God chose to speak in so many different styles and to use numerous literary techniques. God knew that people were able to understand and appreciate various writings, and that we would enjoy engaging e with texts and deciphering meaning. The Bible contains foreshadowing, common themes, allegory, and patterns. Scripture is rich with literary devices, all unifying God's message of love to humankind.