LITERARY FORMS
1.
Literary forms are different types of writing. For example, poetry, history and fiction are
three different literary forms. The authors of the Bible used different literary forms, too.
Circle the literary forms found in the Bible.
video
stories
comics
wise sayings
poetry
history
plays
prophecies
laws
parables
letters
census
DVD
songs
Morse Code
genealogy
debate
pictures
contracts
etiology
2. Use the list above to write down the name of the literary forms written below. There may be
more than one right answers
VERSE
PSALM 141:1 I call to you Lord; help me now!
Listen to me when I call you.
LITERARY FORM
_____________________________________
ROMANS 1:1
From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus
and an apostle chosen and called by
_____________________________________
EXODUS 20:16 You shall not accuse anyone
falsely._____________________________________
1CHRONICLES 29:26 David, the son of Jesse, ruled for
40 years. He ruled in Hebron and
in Jerusalem for 7 years.
_____________________________________
ECCLESIASTES 7:9
Keep your temper under control;
It is foolish to hold a grudge.
_____________________________________
3. Use your Bible to look up each citation. Read it and then write down what literary form it is.
CITATION
LITERARY FORM
GENESIS 11:1-10
____________________________________
EXODUS 15:1-5
____________________________________
NUMBERS 26:5-51
____________________________________
LUKE 15:8-10
_____________________________________
4.
How do we understand literary forms in the Old and New Testaments?
1.
First by identifying ____________________ and how the sacred author wanted
his__________ understood.
2.
Looking not just at the words themselves, but what they ________________.
3.
What the words mean can be divided into:
a.
____________-recognizing connection to Christ
b.
____________-how Scripture leads us to act justly
c.
____________-reminders that the sacred word is intended to lead us to eternal life
Exegesis is the _____________ of ________________________. It comes from the Greek
word meaning ________________.