All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible

by Dean Deppe

Publisher:

Eerdmans

, 2011

Overview

Interpreting the Bible can be frustratingly difficult for the average person. In All Roads Lead to the Text Dean Deppe offers a user-friendly introduction to the “tools of the trade” as he trains readers in eight exegetical methods or paths of inquiry that expert biblical scholars use to interpret Scripture:

• Literary study of genre and style
• Detailed grammatical study of words, phrases, and clauses
• Structural analysis of entire passages
• Analysis of a text’s surrounding context
• Investigation of historical and cultural background
• Exploration into the history of interpretation
• Theological exegesis of themes and content
• The use of spiritual disciplines to apply a text in practical ways to contemporary life

Key Features

• Shows how to read the Bible like a world-class expert
• A comprehensive and practical guide
• Completely interactive with your Logos digital library

Contents

Top Highlights

“Our method leaves these options to the individual; any road can be walked down first or last. Since each path leads to the text, the procedural order is negotiable. However, it is crucial that each path is investigated.” (Page xiii)

“In the final analysis, God is the hero of all the biblical narratives.” (Page 12)

“Logos Bible Software contains a helpful tool to visualize the structuring of pericipes. Under the ‘Tools’ menu and the ‘Passage Analysis’ bar, choose ‘Compare Pericopes’ at the bottom of the screen. Then you can choose which Bible versions you want to compare and easily visualize the pericope delimitation of the various translations. Through discerning the literary devices of repetition and a change in genre, we have discovered how Matthew structures Jesus’ birth narrative as his prologue to the Gospel. The fulfillment of OT prophecies is crucial to the message that Matthew intends to deliver to his audience.” (Page 2)

“Perceptive readers can establish the limits of a pericope under study by noting a number of ‘tells’ in the text. Transition devices like statements of introduction or conclusion are certainly the most obvious as, for example, the use of disjunctive clauses in Hebrew. In narratives, a change in the setting, time frame, or characters regularly introduces a new section. Literarily, the substitution of alternative genres as well as the presence of repetitive grammatical features signal a new beginning. Finally, the reader should always attempt to perceive an alteration of theme.” (Page 1)

“Picturing Jesus as divine is the pinnacle of Johannine Christology.” (Page 4)

Product Details

• Title: All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible
• Author: Dean Deppe
• Publisher: Eerdmans
• Publication Date: 2011
• Pages: 352

About Dean Deppe

Dean Deppe’s life is marked by service in a variety of Christian Reformed churches – inner city, suburban and rural charges. Not only that, but Dean has taught in a variety of settings, including Asian Theological Seminary in the Philippines, Classis Red Mesa, in New Mexico, and now Calvin Theological Seminary. His aim in the classroom is to equip students for a full life of teaching and preaching through his classes on the New Testament. He values conversations with students about goals in ministry and detailed discussions about Jesus’ sayings and teachings. “In the increasing search for meaning in the twenty-first century, we have to open anew a window to the life, ministry, and death of Jesus. This captivating person of the first century who now rules over every inch of his creation is both the target of our study and the Lord who by his Spirit enables us to understand His life and work. I rise up every morning with the excitement of discovering more of the significance of this pivotal figure in earth’s history. I hope that my students will be stimulated to deepen their understanding of this person about whom ‘even the whole world would not have room for the books that could be written’ (John 21:25).” Dean wrote his master’s thesis on The Salt Sayings of Jesus and his doctoral dissertation on The Sayings of Jesus in the Epistle of James. Dean Deppe, native of Grand Rapids, MI is married to Julie Hollemans and has four children. The and The