Narrative Literature

Sidney Gredanus The Modern Preacher and the Ancient Text

Of all the biblical genres of literature, narrative may be described as the central, foundational, and all-encompassing genre of the Bible. The prominence of the narrative genre in the Bible is related to the Bible's central message that God acts in history (188).

Historical narrative has been defined as “a complete prose narrative whose basic structure and style suggests a ‘telling’ of events in chronological sequence (whether or not the chronology is accurate or even clearly spelled out). History takes its form not so much from aesthetic interests, such as dramatic plot and artistic expression, as from the intent to narrate and interpret events as they were presumed to have occurred, and with awareness of cause-effect relations among them.” History writing can quire naturally use dramatic plot and artistic expression, but the author’s interest is more than aesthetic expression, namely, “to narrate and interpret events” (193).

[N]o historical narrative is a transparent windowpane for view the facts beyond; historical narratives are more like stained-glass windows which artistically reveal the significance of certain facts from a specific faith perspective (196).

[O]ne can determine and proclaim the meaning of a specific narrative only in the context of the whole book (and ultimately of the whole Bible), for each part finds its specific meaning only in the context of the whole (213).

Genuine Christocentric interpretation of Hebrew narrative is not dependent on a typological line here and fulfilled messianic prophecy there but on understanding the passage in the context of the universal kingdom history which finds its goal and climax in Christ (221).

Gordon Fee & Douglas Stuart How to Read the Bible for All It’s Worth

Their [biblical narratives’] purpose is to show God at work in His creation and among His people. The narratives glorify Him, help us to understand and appreciate Him, and give us a picture of His providence and protection (74).