Genre in Scripture
Understanding genre helps interpret the Bible accurately—poetry isn’t prophecy, and symbols aren’t literal.
What is
Genre in Scripture
The Bible contains many literary genres—poetry, prophecy, narrative, apocalyptic. TGNN teaches that recognizing genre is essential to rightly interpret the meaning and intent of biblical texts.
Explanation
Reading all Scripture the same way leads to confusion. TGNN emphasizes that the Bible is a collection of writings across many genres, including historical narrative, poetry, prophecy, wisdom literature, parable, and apocalyptic vision.Genre affects how we read a passage. For example, Psalm 18 describes God riding a cloud—but this is poetic, not literal. Revelation describes beasts and dragons—not physical creatures, but symbols within the apocalyptic genre.Ignoring genre leads to false expectations, especially in eschatology. Recognizing genre allows us to read the Bible responsibly, honoring what it is—a layered, literary record of God's work with humanity, fulfilled through Christ.
