Exegesis

Ross Woods, 2020

These are the basic questions of exegesis. The order is not important, except that some of the first questions must be answered first, and the last must be done last. Most of these steps are relevant to the study of any document.

When you're through, look at the whole and check that it is consistent, and revise until it is. In this sense, the method is holistic that than strictly linear.

1. Read the whole passage.
2. What is the context?
   1. See the preceding passage
   2. See any references to past events
3. When and where was it written?
4. What is the historical context?
5. Who are the people involved?
6. What caused it to be written?
7. What was the writer's purpose in writing?
8. What is the structure of the whole document?
9. What is the structure of the passage?
10. Where are the places that are mentioned?
11. What is the genre? (E.g. history, personal letter, exposition, poetry, apocalyptic.)
12. Are there any notable vocabulary or language features (e.g. hyperbole, simile, metaphor, parable)?
13. Are there any particular cultural factors?
14. Compare versions
15. Identify difficulties* in the text and explore solutions.
16. Compare commentaries
17. What is specific to their situation and what is a wider principle that still applies?
18. What conclusions can you draw about the meaning of the text?
19. What is the message for us today?

* Textual difficulties include:
      • things that don’t seem to make sense
      • things that appear to be contradictory, inconsistent, improbable, or unrealistic.