How to Read the Bible : History, Prophecy, Literature--Why Modern Readers Need to Know the Difference and What It Means for Faith Today

Millions of people read the Bible. Many try to live their lives according to its words. But, do they understand what they're reading? As Steven McKenzie shows in this provocative book, quite often the answer is, No. McKenzie argues that to comprehend the Bible readers must grasp the intentions of the biblical authors themselves what sort of texts they thought they were writing and how they would have been understood by their intended audience. He examines several genres that are typically misunderstood, offering careful readings of specific texts to show how the confusion arises, and how knowing the genre produces a correct reading. For anyone who takes reading the Bible seriously and who wants to get it right, this book will be both heartening and enlightening.