Old Testament Narratives

Chapter 5 Notes of How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth

Over 40% of the Old Testament is narrative, meaning it's stories. They are purposeful stories retelling the historical events of the past that are intended to give meaning and direction for a given people in the present. The consist of your typical characters, plot, and plot resolution. The story being told can be seen of three levels:

Third (top) level - the metanarrative, or the whole universal plan of God worked out through His creation (e.i., creation, fall, sin, need of redemption, Christ incarnation and sacrifice)
Second level - the story of God's redeeming a people for His name (e.i., call of Abraham, enslaving of Israel, exile)
First level - the individual narratives that make up the other two levels (e.i., Joseph, Jacob, Esau)

Often the struggle is not what are narratives, but what they are not. Here are a few examples:

- Narratives are not allegories or stories filled with hidden meanings
- Narratives are not intended to teach moral lessons, but are given to show the progress of God's history of redemption
- Narratives are not lessons to follow; Just because someone did something in a Bible story doesn't mean you either have the permission or obligation to do it too