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iblical narratives tell the ultimate is everything the inspired author thought story of rescue and redemption of important for us to know according to his fallen mankind through the coming of the purpose in writing. Messiah. It’s important that we understand Interpreting biblical narratives Interpret it in context. The overall meanhow to read and interpret the smaller naring of a Bible book and the immediate conratives in light of the one grand narrative. Char acteristics of biblical text of a specific passage can both be clues to a narrative’s meaning. For example, with narratives Biblical narratives are interpreted history the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6:1–15, it’s with a specific divine purpose. They are not important to remember what John says is the allegories nor are they primarily intended purpose of his entire gospel. “But these are to teach moral lessons or doctrine although written so that you may continue to believe they may illustrate doctrine taught propo- that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you sitionally elsewhere. NarIn biblical narratives, will have life by the power ratives may teach either God is always the of his name.” (John 20:31) explicitly, by clearly stating something, or implicitly, by hero and the history The immediate context of clearly implying something being told is His story. 6:30–31 also gives an important hint about meaning. The without actually saying it. Narratives record what actually happened, crowd demands that Jesus do a sign to help not necessarily what should have happened them believe He is from God. They suggest or what ought to happen every time. Many a miracle similar to what God did in Exodus of the characters in them are far from perfect by providing Israel with bread in the wilderand their actions are too. What people do in ness. From context, we see that the point of narratives is not necessarily a good example the feeding of the 5,000 is to demonstrate that Jesus is the promised Messiah from God for us. At times it is just the opposite. Biblical narratives have limitations. whom we should follow. Look for the setting, key characters, They are selective in what is revealed and incomplete (John 21:25). Not all the relevant flow of the narrative, and major themes. details are always given but what is written Take note of authorial comments inserted in
