This is the seventh installment of our class based on How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth. In this session, we looked at chapter 5: The Old Testament Narratives: Their Proper Use.

Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties, we are unable to publish the audio from this class. However, the text and the outline are included here for your personal study.

In our class this week, we started by considering the prominent role of “Bible stories” in God’s revelation of Himself. Next, we considered how we can read Old Testament narratives at three levels:

• The “Wide-Angle” View: At this level, you read the story with the whole of the Bible’s storyline in mind. You see the narrative as one tiny part of the grand story that starts in Genesis and ends with Revelation.
• The “Field Glasses” View: Here, you focus in on a section of the larger story. It’s not a detailed view that gives you precise insights into individual stories, but it bridges the gap between the details and the big picture. For example, the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) can be thought of in terms of this level.
• The “Telescopic” View: The telescopic view focuses in tightly on specific details. You can’t see the wide-angle view, nor can you see the ebb and flow of a larger story that’s going on, but in exchange, you get more information. Again, using the Joseph story as an example, his interaction with Potiphar’s wife would be something you can see at the telescopic level.

With that as our foundation, we went on to consider the book of Esther. We reviewed the ten principles for reading Old Testament narratives (see the outline or p. 106 in Fee & Stuart) and discussed how they apply to our reading of Esther. Esther is interesting for this purpose because it is the one book in the Bible that never mentions God: how is it, then, that it is included as part of God’s redemptive story? Feel free to use the comments to discuss how you might answer that question.

Next week (March 11), Eric will cover chapter 6, Acts: The Question of Historical Precedent.