Biblical Exegesis Course

Lesson 1 • The Canon and Its Formation

Examines how the biblical canon was recognised and stabilised across traditions. Grounds students in the textual boundaries that define the object of exegesis.

Lesson 2 • Defining Exegesis and Its Scope

Clarifies what exegesis means, its goals, and its boundaries within biblical studies. Anchors all subsequent methods in a shared conceptual vocabulary.

Lesson 3 • Presuppositions and Interpretive Stance

Identifies how theological, cultural, and philosophical assumptions shape reading. Students learn to surface and evaluate their own interpretive presuppositions.

Lesson 1 • Bible Translations and Their Methods

Compares formal equivalence, dynamic equivalence, and paraphrase translation philosophies. Students gain criteria for selecting and comparing translations in exegetical work.

Lesson 2 • Introduction to Biblical Hebrew

Covers the alphabet, basic morphology, and syntax of Biblical Hebrew. Equips students to use lexicons and grammars for Old Testament exegesis.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Koine Greek

Presents the grammar and vocabulary of New Testament Greek at a functional level. Enables students to engage Greek texts and commentaries with confidence.

Lesson 1 • Intertextuality and Allusion

Explores how biblical texts quote, echo, and allude to earlier Scripture. Students trace intertextual connections that deepen exegetical understanding.

Lesson 2 • Poetry and Wisdom Literature Analysis

Covers Hebrew parallelism, imagery, and structural devices in poetic texts. Students learn to interpret Psalms, Proverbs, and related literature accurately.

Lesson 3 • Rhetorical and Discourse Analysis

Introduces rhetorical criticism and discourse analysis for epistolary and prophetic texts. Students identify argumentative structure and persuasive strategies in biblical writing.

Lesson 4 • Genre Identification and Significance

Teaches recognition of major biblical genres and their interpretive implications. Genre awareness prevents misreading texts by applying wrong expectations.

Lesson 1 • Social-Scientific Approaches

Applies models from sociology and anthropology to illuminate biblical social dynamics. Students use these tools to avoid anachronistic readings.

Lesson 2 • Second Temple Judaism

Examines Jewish religious life, sects, and literature between the testaments. This context is essential for interpreting the New Testament accurately.

Lesson 3 • Ancient Near Eastern Background

Surveys the civilisations, texts, and customs surrounding the Old Testament world. Contextual knowledge illuminates biblical laws, narratives, and institutions.

Lesson 4 • Greco-Roman World of the New Testament

Describes the political, philosophical, and religious environment of the first-century Mediterranean. Students connect this context to New Testament letters and narratives.

Lesson 1 • Evaluating Historical-Critical Methods

Critically assesses the assumptions, achievements, and limitations of historical-critical approaches. Students develop a balanced, methodologically informed perspective.

Lesson 2 • Redaction Criticism Methods

Studies how editors shaped sources into unified theological compositions. Students trace editorial patterns to understand the final author's theological agenda.

Lesson 3 • Form Criticism and Oral Tradition

Analyses the pre-literary oral forms behind biblical texts and their social settings. Students identify form types and assess their role in shaping the written text.

Lesson 1 • Theological Hermeneutics

Addresses how theological commitments legitimately shape and constrain interpretation. Students learn to distinguish faithful theological reading from distortion.

Lesson 2 • Canonical Criticism Approach

Examines how the final canonical shape of Scripture guides interpretation. Students apply canonical reading strategies to individual texts.

Lesson 3 • Christological Reading of the Old Testament

Examines how the New Testament and Christian tradition read the Old Testament christologically. Students evaluate methods for responsible christological exegesis.

Lesson 1 • Integrating Multiple Methods

Develops a principled framework for combining methods without methodological confusion. Students produce exegetically responsible readings that draw on multiple approaches.

Lesson 2 • Reader-Response Criticism

Analyses how readers and reading communities produce meaning from texts. Students assess the role of the reader without abandoning authorial intent.

Lesson 3 • Feminist and Gender-Critical Approaches

Examines how gender assumptions shape biblical texts and their interpretation. Students engage these methods critically and constructively.

Lesson 4 • Liberation and Postcolonial Readings

Explores how oppressed communities read Scripture from their social location. Students assess the exegetical validity and theological contribution of these readings.

Lesson 1 • Writing the Exegetical Paper

Guides students through the structure, argumentation, and documentation of a formal exegetical paper. Students apply academic writing standards to exegetical content.

Lesson 2 • From Exegesis to Application

Bridges the gap between scholarly exegesis and practical theological application. Students learn to move responsibly from ancient meaning to contemporary significance.

Lesson 3 • The Exegetical Process Step by Step

Presents a systematic workflow from text selection to final interpretation. Students follow each step to produce a coherent, well-supported exegetical argument.

Lesson 4 • Using Exegetical Tools and Resources

Surveys commentaries, lexicons, concordances, and digital databases used in exegesis. Students develop criteria for evaluating and prioritising scholarly resources.