THE MODERN PREACHER AND THE ANCIENT TEXT

Interpreting and Preaching Biblical Literature

by

SIDNEY GREIDANUS

William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company

Grand Rapids, Michigan / Cambridge, U.K.

© 1988 Sidney Greidanus

Published 1988 by

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49505 /

P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K.

www.eerdmans.com

All rights reserved

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Greidanus, Sidney, 1935–

The modern preacher and the ancient text: interpreting and

preaching biblical literature / by Sidney Greidanus.

p. cm.

Bibliography: p. 342

Includes indexes.

ISBN 978-0-8028-0360-3

1. Bible—Homiletical use. 2. Preaching. I. Title.

BS534.5.G74 1988

251—dc19

88-24046

CIP

Unless otherwise noted, biblical quotations are taken from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyrighted 1946, 1952, © 1971, 1973 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and used by permission.

CONTENTS

Foreword

Acknowledgments

List of Abbreviations

CHAPTER 1 BIBLICAL PREACHING

PREACHING THEN AND NOW

Old Testament Prophets

New Testament Apostles

Preachers Today

EXPOSITORY PREACHING

The Category of Expository Preaching

The Necessity of Expository Preaching

Advantages of Expository Preaching

THE FORM OF BIBLICAL PREACHING

Biblical Forms and Hermeneutics

Biblical Forms and Homiletics

Classification of Biblical Forms

CHAPTER 2 HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS

THE HISTORICAL-CRITICAL METHOD

Analysis

Appraisal

A HOLISTIC HISTORICAL-CRITICAL METHOD

Correlation in an Open Universe

Analogy and Unique Events

The Principle of Criticism

CHAPTER 3 LITERARY INTERPRETATION

HOLISTIC INTERPRETATION

Contemporary Atomistic Approaches

Dimensions of a Holistic Alternative

METHODS OF LITERARY INTERPRETATION

Source Criticism

Form Criticism

Redaction Criticism

Rhetorical Criticism

Biblical Theology

The Canonical Approach

HOLISTIC LITERARY INTERPRETATION

Interrelationship of Literary Methods

Ahistorical Tendencies

CHAPTER 4 HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

THE NEED FOR HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

Better Understanding

Objective Point of Control

BIBLICAL HISTORY WRITING

Historical Events

History Writing

Historical Reliability

THE HISTORY OF GOD’S KINGDOM

Creation to New Creation

The Biblical View of History

Creation-Fall-Redemption

Kingdom History and Interpretation

CHAPTER 5 THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

THE NATURE OF THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION

The Idea of Theological Interpretation

Reasons for Theological Interpretation

THE PURPOSE OF THE AUTHOR

The Purpose of the Human Author

God’s Ultimate Purpose

THE BIBLE’S THEOCENTRIC PURPOSE

Theocentric Interpretation

Christocentric Preaching

THE PURPOSE OF PREACHERS TODAY

The Purpose of the Sermon

Application

CHAPTER 6 TEXTUAL-THEMATIC PREACHING

TEXTUAL PREACHING

The Necessity of a Preaching-Text

The Selection of a Preaching-Text

The Purpose of Text and Sermon

TEXTUAL-THEMATIC PREACHING

The Theme of the Text

The Theme of the Sermon

CHAPTER 7 THE FORM OF THE ...

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About The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text: Interpreting and Preaching Biblical Literature

A fusion of biblical hermeneutics and homiletics, this thorough and well-researched book offers a holistic contemporary approach to the interpretation and preaching of biblical texts, using scholarly tools and focusing on literary features. Greidanus develops hermeneutical and homiletical principles and then applies them to four specific genres: Hebrew narratives, prophetic literature, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

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Table of Contents