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INTRODUCCION A LA EXEGESIS BIBLICA

Compendio de Antología sobre la interpretación de la Biblia

Año 2020

Walter F. Morzán

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 Logos Bible Institute
I. GENERAL DATA
Name of the subject: Introduction to Exegesis
Study Cycle: III Cycle
Credits: 3 three)
Teacher: Walter Felix Morzan
E-mail: walfemor@hotmail.com
Cell phone: 3624541702

II. RATIONALE
A. Course Description and Thematic Contents: (two or three lines)
In this course, the constituent elements of a Biblical Exegesis will be studied, so that the student
objectively understands the message of the biblical writer and can develop an exegetical (Christian)
biblical response to contemporary issues that overwhelm post-modern man.

III. SUMILLA
A. Nature of the Subject:
It is a subject that is located in the Bible Curricular Area whose purpose is to give students the necessary tools
for theological reflection based on the biblical text. Exegesis also has the purpose of helping the pastor so that
he can understand and comprehend the objective and clear message of the Holy Scriptures and at the same
time contextualize it in its historical era, so that the word of God is much more relevant and effective.

B. General objectives :
 Apply the main instruments or methods that allow carrying out the exegesis of biblical texts.
 Interpret the Bible by recognizing, rewriting and reproducing its meaning and its message for each one,
today.

IV. COMPETENCES OF THE SUBJECT (Specific Objectives)

A. At the end of the Subject, the LOGOS student must:
1. KNOW how to know the methods used for any type of exegesis
2. KNOW how to know the naked and concrete message of the biblical writer.
3. KNOW how to master the different types of criticism used in an exegesis, such as: historical, genetic
criticism, contextual, textual, literary criticism, etc.
4. KNOW how to learn to contextualize biblical exegesis and do not get trapped in scriptural historicism
5. KNOW HOW TO DO monographic research on the specific topics indicated.
6. KNOW HOW TO DO short essays, reading reports, comparative tables of biblical texts, etc. In
accordance with the writing style recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA)

V. PROGRAMMING OF LEARNING UNITS

UNIT 01- “PRESENTATION OF THE SUBJECT”
1. Definitions of:
a. Exegesis
b. Method
c. Semiotics
2. Historical-critical methods:
a. Textual criticism
b. Philology
c. Literary criticism
d. Criticism and history of forms
e. History of traditions
f. Criticism and history of forms
3. Sociopolitical Analysis
4. Hermeneutics
UNIT 02-
1. Basic tools
a. Hebrew Bible
b. Greek New Testament

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 c. Synopsis
d. Septuagint
e. Dictionaries
f. Concordances
g. Apocrypha
h. Qumran
2. Textual Criticism
a. Definition
b. Examples
c. Witnesses
 Classifications
 Papyri
 Scrolls
d. External criteria
e. Internal criteria
3. Textual criticism of the Old Testament

UNIT 03-
1. What is Literary Criticism
2. Literary Criticism of the NT
a. Samples of literary criticism
b. Extended information
c. Delimitation of thematic units
d. Text integrity
e. Authorship and authenticity of texts
f. Synoptic Gospels
g. Two sources theory
h. Text changes
 Stylistic improvements
 Reduction
 Extension
 Splices
 Change of order, transpositions
 U-turn
 Source reconstruction
i. Importance of literary criticism
3. NT Genres and Forms
a. Styles, genres and forms
b. Genres and forms in biblical literature
c. Great literary genres of the NT
 Gospels
 Acts of the Apostles
 Epistles
 Apocalypse
4. Criticism of the genres and forms of the Old Testament
a. The great literary genres of the OT
 Genre Historical, Prophetic, Wisdom, Juridical/legal, Songs and prayers

UNIT 04-
1. Criticism of tradition in the Bible
a. What is a tradition?
b. What is criticism of the NT tradition?
2. Criticism of the editorial
3. Basic information
4. Criticism of the wording of the AT
5. Structural or semiotic analysis
a. The analysis of manifest structures

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  Parallelism of members: Synonymous, Antithetical, Synthetic, Parabolic
 Symmetrical structures
 Concentric structures

UNIT 05-
1. Hermeneutics
a. The bases of hermeneutics
b. The hermeneutical process
c. The distance between speaking/listening and the text being read
2. Exegesis
a. Integrator Review

VI. EVALUATION INDICATORS, TECHNIQUES AND TOOLS

The performance evaluation is permanent, taking into account the capabilities expressed in the subject, based on
them the following are presented:
INDICATORS TECHNIQUES INSTRUMENT
Theoretical domain Summaries Rating scale
Linguistic Domain Support (exposition, writing) Checklist
Creativity Rehearsal Rating scale
Group integration Systematic observation Checklist
Punctuality and responsibility Systematic observation Rating scale
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The types of evaluation that are scheduled are:
1. The Support or exposition which is the oral interventions where the student will demonstrate
theoretical, methodological and linguistic mastery as well as leadership capacity.
2. Group Works that are presented as summaries or reports or monographs on the interpretation of
texts.
3. The Science Nuclei, where the student produces his short essays with originality.
4. The Partial and Final Evaluations, which are the verification of the learning achievement of the
theoretical categories developed in the subject.
The evaluation scale will be the following:
1. Attendance and participation (of the 8 classes you can only miss two): 30%
2. Midterm and final papers submitted on time 70%
The minimum grade to pass the subject: seven .

VII. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

 Krüger, René; Croatto, Severino; Míguez, Néstor: Exegetical Methods , Educab Publications, 1996
 Sanchez Cetina, Edesio: Discover the Bible . United Bible Societies. 1998
 Holman Bible Publisher: Textual Bible . Ibero-American Bible Society. 1999
 Free, Godon and Stuart, Douglas: Effective Bible Reading , Zondervan, 2002
 Carson, DA: Exegetical Fallacies. Clie. 2013
 Nelson, Wilton. New Illustrated Bible Dictionary . Caribbean. 1998
 Henry, Mathew: Bible Commentary ,
 Brisebois, Mirelle. Methods to read the Bible better . Pauline Editions. 1983

Biblical Exegesis
When Philip met the Ethiopian official in the desert and approached him, he asked him, "Do you
understand what you read?" (Acts 8:30). "And how can I, if someone does not teach me?" the Ethiopian

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replied. Then Philip proceeded to help him interpret the Scriptures. Since then, many have been looking
for someone to explain the Bible to them.

Some concepts to keep in mind:

HERMENEUTICS: It is the art and science of biblical interpretation. It comes from the Greek
“hemeneuo” which means to interpret or explain. It essentially incorporates all the tools and techniques
that make up the process of biblical interpretation. Includes: exegesis (study of the Bible to understand a
passage in its ancient context) and models for applying a biblical passage to a modern context.
Hermeneutics is divided into:

HERMENEUTICA GENERAL HERMENEUTICA ESPECIAL

Reglas de interpretacion que rigen Reglas de interpretación que rige géneros

cualquier pasaje de la biblia. Estos se
aplican en primer lugar para tratar de
entender e interpretar un texto en
particular de la Escritura.
específicos de la biblia. Incorpora el estudio
de figuras literarias como metáforas,
parabolas, proverbios, hipérbole, símiles y
otros matices interpretativos.

EXEGESIS: It is the explanation of a text based on a careful and objective analysis. It means “to drive
away from.” The interpreter is led to his conclusions by following the text. Exegesis is concerned with
discovering the true meaning of the text, respecting its grammar, syntax and setting.
Exegesis is a hermeneutical task, that is, it has to do with the art of interpreting the written divine word.
It is an action that consists of reading (function of a subject) the biblical text (the object studied) from a
specific historical context (that of the object and that of the subject).
These three elements, united inseparably, form the set that would allow the Word of God to be heard in
a more reliable way (obviously there are other important elements, but they are included in these three
most general ones).

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 TEXTO

PRE - CON -
TEXTO TEXTO

It must be made clear that the hermeneutical subject (who reads the text and the context) is not an
isolated individual, but is really a community. This community is not only made up of those who are
close to us geographically and temporally, but also by others, distant for geographical, historical, social,
cultural, ideological, racial, etc. reasons. Interpreting the Bible is truly a community enterprise.
This hermeneutical subject, in addition to being communal, is characterized by its dependence on the
Holy Spirit (2 P 1.20-21; Jn 16.13). The interpretation of the Word, if it is truly biblical, is the result of a
participation of the community and the divine Spirit.

The exegesis process involves:

Biblical Exegesis: It is the explanation
1. Observation: What does the passage say? of the texts of the Bible, through
2. Interpretation: what does the passage mean? studies, tools, languages, findings,
3. Correlation: How does the passage relate to the rest of the readings, comparisons of ancient
texts, data from history. Exegesis
Bible? wants to be a help to get deeper into
4. Application: How should this passage affect my life? the origin, meaning and message of
the texts .

EISEGESIS: It is the opposite approach to Scripture. It is the

interpretation of a passage based on a subjective, not analytical,
reading. It means “to drive in, (inwards).” The interpreter injects his
own ideas into the text, making it say whatever he wants.
Eisegesis implies:
1. Imagination: What idea do I want to present?
2. Exploration: What passage of Scripture seems to fit my idea?
3. Application: what does my idea mean?

Eisegesis is a mishandling of the text and often leads to misinterpretation. Paul warns us about that error
in 2 Timothy 2:15.
Try diligently to present yourself approved to God, as a worker who does not need to be ashamed, who
correctly handles the word of truth. (NIV 60)

..that correctly interprets the word of truth. (NIV)

…who handles the word of truth with precision. (NASB)

Do everything you can to earn God's approval. Thus, God will approve you as a worker who has
nothing to be ashamed of, and who correctly teaches the true message. (TLA)

BIBLE QUOTES ABOUT EXEGESIS

And they read in the book of the law of God clearly, and they put the meaning, so that they understood the reading. Nehemiah 8:8

And beginning with Moses, and continuing through all the prophets, he declared to them in all the Scriptures what they said about him. Luke 24:27

No one ever saw God; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known. John1:18

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Reading a biblical text is establishing a communication process that is developed from five fundamental
elements:
1. God who inspires: first author who, taking into account the needs of human beings, begins the
communication process.
2. Inspired author (A).
3. Text (T): as a means of transmitting the message.
4. Recipient (D): the one who receives the message.
5. SitzimLeben.
The basic inspired communication process follows the following scheme:

Autor Texto Lector

Inspira Biblico Real
do (A) (T) (L)
SitzimLeben (s)

The content or message of a biblical text (T) is the means used by God to establish the communication
process with the real reader (L) and is established by a particular need of the recipient, which makes it
necessary and essential that the Inspiration places it within the own culture (t) that generated the writing.

The function of the inspired author (A) is to transmit the Eternal message of God in the cultural keys of
the real reader (recipient), allowing the message to be understood, and above all, to have the ability to
make the recipient reflect on himself.
The author transmits his message reaching the recipient in the same cultural context.12 A text written in
the same cultural keys of the author and the recipient does not need any interpretation process.

The books of the Bible, the Inspired Word of God, were written in the cultural and literary contexts
(SitzimLeben) that Inspiration itself chose to transmit its Message. The different contexts chosen are the
vehicle for transmitting the message, not the message itself, but due to the very essence of the human
being it becomes the indispensable element to understand God's plan.

BASIC TOOLS
1) Reina-Valera Bible and other versions.
2) Hebrew Bible Stuttgartensia and NT Greek with critical apparatus.
3) Bible Dictionary.
4) Biblical Concordance (the more specialized, the better).
5) Hebrew-Spanish Interlinear Old Testament.
6) Greek-Spanish Interlinear New Testament.
7) Biblical Maps.

METHODS
Exegetical Methods are sets of tools to understand a text with the greatest possible number of elements:
the text as a unit, the history of that text, its origin and formation, its form, its language, its ideas and
concepts, its message .

You must consider that the Bible is Holy Scripture for the Christian church (and the AT in turn is sacred
writing for the Jewish religion). The Bible is canon, rule, measure, norm. In the Bible the church
receives the Word of God. The methods of exegesis, although they are a basic condition for all serious
exegesis, only constitute the "profane" aspect of biblical reading, since they see the Bible merely as a
historical document. Therefore, in addition to considering these steps, the Bible must be interpreted

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theologically as it is the sacred writing of Christians. And to do this, more steps are needed than
exegetical methods.

Historical-critical methods (the singular can also be used) always start from the text, not from our
interpretation. It is a historical work because it is a study of the biblical text according to the demands of
historiography. They investigate the history of the formation of the text. It is a broad set of research
techniques, which bear the following names: textual criticism, philology, literary criticism, criticism and
history of forms, criticism and history of traditions, criticism and history of writing, and analysis,
exegesis or sociological reading.

The way we will carry them will be as follows:

1. Reading.
2. Textual criticism.
3. Translation
4. Historical and literary location.
5. Literary criticism
6. Genre criticism
7. Criticism of forms
8. Criticism of tradition.
9. Editorial criticism
10. Manifest structures and other analyses.

Although they seem very strange terms, they are intended to help us understand the explanation of
biblical texts through a social-scientific methodology. Here we will see the safest and most reliable way
to read them.

For example, have you wondered about the word hell in the gospel of Matthew? What does it refer to?
What does the full text that contains it talk about? With the tools of this study you will be able to read
Jesus' narratives on the matter with a clarity close to the time in which they were written.
Subsequently, you will be able to carry out the appropriate hermeneutics (interpretation) to extract from
these narratives the diverse messages that can be expressed in various sermons.

METODOS HERMENEUTI
HISTORICOS SEMIOTICA CA
CRITICOS
Crítica Textual
Texto
Texto
Filología
Crítica Literaria
Historia De Las Formas
Historia De Las Tradiciones
Su despues, y
Historia De La Redacción
Lectura Sociopolitica adelante

 Historical-critical methods (MHC) investigate the text and its "behind", its history, its
"archaeology". The MHC form a group because they assume a historical paradigm with a certain pre-
understanding of what an ancient text is: they see it as a source to reconstruct historical processes: the
origin, the formation, the sources for the writing, the historical situation of the text. .

 Semiotics is an exegetical instrument. It is dedicated to the text itself. Take into account the fact
that every text, in addition to its history, also has its own identity and autonomy. Semiotics works with a
literary paradigm: the text itself is a linguistic expression, and as such it must be read as a unit. current
and not as a mere access to its own history.

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SIMPLE GUIDE TO DO AN EXEGESIS

1. Stop reading
All biblical work must begin with a careful reading of the text. This, which seems so obvious, is
something that is easily forgotten, especially when it comes to very well-known - or supposedly well-
known - texts. It is advisable to read the text aloud several times. This allows the text to get inside us, to
become ours. The first readings of the Spanish text must be followed by repeated readings of the
original text, Hebrew for the Old Testament (OT) and Greek for the New Testament (NT).

2. Textual Criticism (CT)

Concept: So far no original of a biblical text has been found, but only handwritten copies. Before the
invention of the printing press in the West by J. Gutenberg in the 15th century all texts were copied or
multiplied by hand. These copies have greater or lesser differences from each other. Intentional changes,
improvements, explanations, special notes and corrections have been made. In addition there were
editions or ecclesiastical recensions. And of course errors were also introduced in the copying. Textual
criticism tries to reconstruct the original text or at least the one that is closest to the original. To do this,
it uses all the ancient manuscripts: papyri, codices from various periods, lectionaries, quotations,
translations.
It is very difficult to really reconstruct the true original text. CT tries to go further, discover, understand
and reverse at least those unconscious and intentional changes to the text, coming from the copying
process.

3. Translation
Another step is the analysis of the lexicon: the terms and concepts; grammar and syntax; the origin and
evolution of concepts (etymology). That is the work of philology, the study of languages.
Now you must make your own translation of the original, first taking into account the literal aspects,
and then another more dynamic one. Between one and the other you have to develop your understanding
of the language. Identify the different meaning possibilities of the terms and the grammatical
possibilities of the constructions.
To understand the language, the terms, the grammar, the syntax, dictionaries, the Linguistic Key,
grammars, and interlinears will help you.
Next, you will read the same text, but now in the corresponding Interlinear (AT or NT) and you will
write down those words that vary in their translation into Spanish. Write down the transcribed words
and their direct translation.
Consider Hebrew to be read from right to left and Greek as our written language. In the final annex are
the alphabets so that you can make transcriptions from the original languages into Spanish, with the help
of the Hebrew-Spanish and Greek-Spanish biblical dictionaries.
It is important to record along with the basic meaning of the terms also some variant meanings. Now
compare your literal translation with the Spanish versions you already have.

4. Historical and Literary Location

The historical location of the ancient documents themselves is not the task of exegetical methods, but of
the introductions to the OT and NT. There the author, recipients, historical situation, unity and literary
structuring of each work are studied.
They account for the context in which the text was generated, which is why they accompany exegetical
methods.
To understand ancient documents it is also necessary to understand the data of the politics, sociology,
culture, economy, and religion of the ancient world. That is, knowing the biblical world.
All exegesis presupposes knowledge of the introductory questions of the OT and the NT. To do this,
read the sections corresponding to the book you are studying, in a good Introduction. Commentaries on
biblical books also usually contain this type of introduction. A more in-depth exegetical study also
requires reading articles and monographs on the topic.

Introduction to Exegesis Page 8

In this stage you will be guided by the introductions to the AT/NT, the introductions to the book in
question; in comments, articles and monographs; in dictionaries and biblical encyclopedias, and high-
level articles in specialized magazines.

It is time to contextualize the work.

Read what the Introductions to the OT and NT say about the book where your biblical text is contained,
the introduction to this book in a commentary, and an article about it in a Bible dictionary. These
readings will help you know the historical framework in which the text emerged. They will provide you
with information about the author, date and place of composition of the book, structuring of the work,
recipients.
Keep in mind that in this field there is some exegetical consensus on some biblical books and less on
others. In general there is less certainty than the comments suggest. Many indications in books are based
on assumptions and circular arguments.
On your exercise sheet you will write down what you researched about the book of the Bible where
your text is, that is:
Author, Date of writing the book, Place of composition of the book, Recipient, Unit of the book,
Structure (Literary outline of the book), Special circumstances (social, political, religious, economic,
natural, meteorological, etc.) and, Other Relevant Data.

5. Literary Criticism (CL)

Literary criticism is dedicated to the anomalies, uniformities and inequalities observed in texts. With
this, it manages to delimit thematic units, investigates integrity, restores the original order that is
sometimes changed, determines authenticity (that is, whether or not a text comes from this or that
author), determines the literary relationship of dependency and discovers written sources. and oral texts.
You will have noticed that most versions divide the biblical text into pericopes and in some they are
classified with titles at the beginning. But there are many texts (located by themes or conceptual ideas
about a topic) that are not well delimited. The CL leads you to define the topics.
CL's work can be done very well with a synopsis. If you do not have this tool, you can place two or
three copies of a good Spanish version (but always the same one) next to each other and compare the
texts.
On your worksheet, delimit the entire text (contextual exploration) where the biblical text of your
sermon is inserted (where the topic begins and where it ends). Write down the opening and closing
quote of the topic.

6. Genre Criticism (CG)

CG identifies the types of literary genres that are involved in the biblical text to understand the
progression and intention of the author from a morphological point of view (its form). Genres are large
literary molds where narratives of various kinds are found to give a certain tone to what the author
wants to talk and say.
On your worksheet, write down the Literary Genre to which your biblical text belongs. Use the tables of
Genres, forms and formulas of the OT and NT.

Introduction to Exegesis Page 9

 7. Criticism of Forms and Formulas (CF)

LITERARY GENRES AND FORMS OF THE AT

YO. Historical :
a) Narration (relates historical events).
b) Myth (as a true story to establish something).
c) Legend (edifies, ethical values, miracles, magnifies
characters).
d) Lists (of people, kings, places, objects, records)
others, officials, towns).
e) Annals (not used, but cited in the Bible).
f) Autobiography (Story told by the protagonist of the
events).
g) Novel (invents to say something in a pleasant way)
worthy or funny about realities).
h) Speech (political, religious, testament
II. Prophetic : a) Prophetic sentence (of threat, of
salvation)
III. Other prophetic genres.
Representation , the sapiential discussion ; They imitated
scenes of litigation in a court, funeral lamentation ,
teaching ( torah ), allegory , triumphal song , proverb ,
parable , story of vocation/mission , appearance ,
symbolic actions , promise of salvation , oracle of
protection .
IV. Sapiential . a) Sentence (saying, proverb and
parallelism, numerical sentence, enigma, allegory,
parable).
v. Formulas : curses, blessings, wishes of happiness,
dispute in court, curse, hymn, theophany,
apology or self-defense, narration and legend (these last
seven in Job as subgenres).
SAW. Legal/juridical : Laws (apodictic and casuistic
law) and Contracts (economic and political).
VII. Cultic : Laws about the sanctuary , sacrifices ,
priests , festivals , various rituals , sexual norms related
to the sacred , pure and impure animals , food ,
purification of diseases .
VIII. Songs : (Song of Love and Song of Victory or
Epinicio) and
Prayers (the Lamentation or Elegy), the Psalms (the
Hymn and the Song of Thanksgiving), the Supplication
and the Prayers.
LITERARY GENRES, FORMS AND FORMULAS OF
THE NT
YO. Gospels.
II. Acts of the Apostles.
III. Epistles.
IV. Apocalypse.
v. Shapes . Prophetic sayings, of salvation, of threat, of
Warning, apocalyptic words, Wisdom sayings, Sayings
legal or legislative, Rules for the community, The "I",
Following sayings, Comparisons, comparisons,
imagehyperbola, paradox, metaphor, parabolic genre,
more complete comparison/parable, parable,
exemplification/narration of examples,
allegory, .Grouping and composition of sayings.
Short narratives (paradigms), Dispute dialogues,
Doctrinal dialogues, History of miracles, healings,
exorcisms, revivifications, salvation from danger,
donations, punishment, Christological narratives, The
story of the passion and resurrection, Other historical
narratives; Sacramental texts, stories of the institution of
the Lord's Supper, baptismal texts, Confessions of faith
or creeds, Hymns.
SAW. Formulas :
a) Homology
b) Formulas of faith
c) Doxology
d) Eulogy
e) Formula of blessing
f) Call of the Lord.
VII. Parenthetic material:
a) Catalog of virtues and sins or vices
b) Tables of domestic duties or
c) family morality chart
d) Tables or catalogs of ministerial duties

The CF determines genres, forms, formulas and

the SiL (SitzimLeben, location in life - only for
the NT) of the texts. In doing so, it tries to identify its original objectives and practical applications, and
discovers historical situations and functions of the texts.
Thus, CF reveals processes of transmission of texts and their transmitters: preachers, missionaries,
charismatics, teachers, liturgists. SF illuminates the historical situation between the origins of a saying
or story and its final written fixation. It thus allows a better historical understanding of the texts and the
search for their message.
The forms are the units of which the major genera are composed. It can be said that they are small
genres or literary models.
The formulas for turns or short, expressive and fixed ways of speaking; short confessional and liturgical
units; formulas of faith and doxologies.
On your worksheet, write down the forms and/or formulas implied in your biblical text. Use the tables
of Genres, forms and formulas of the OT and NT included in the final annex.

8. Criticism of Tradition (CTrad)

As a tradition, exegesis understands a clear and closed set of ideas, symbols and representations about
God, the world, faith, an event, hope, anthropology, soteriology, etc.
Traditions are always related to specific human groups, places and times. Thus there were peculiar
traditions of the priestly groups, the Levites, prophets, the poor, the royalty, the apocalyptic groups, the
people in their national representation, the followers of different messianic expectations and of specific

Introduction to Exegesis Page 10

messiahs, the righteous, the Pharisees, the Yahwist. , the elohist, the itinerant preachers, the
charismatics, the evangelists and many others.
Tracing these traditions can be done from an analysis of the key concepts, with the help of theological
dictionaries and a concordance that allows you to quickly locate terms, texts and evolutions from the OT
to the NT.
Trace the traditions surrounding your biblical text and write them down on your worksheet.

9. Editorial Criticism (CR)

The CR analyzes the texts as a product of their respective authors, investigating their work on their
sources. The final goal of the CR is the description of the theology and the historical and ecclesiastical
situation of each author.
The CR is dedicated to analyzing the work of an author as an editor: the changes, adjustments,
omissions, additions, new structuring and the general composition of his work. From these elements he
tries to discover the fundamental theological lines of the work and describe its message.
For this step you must start from the framework of the story (beginning and conclusion), and pay
attention to all the editorial changes introduced by the author of the book such as favorite words,
repeated phrases, etc. The material for this analysis is provided by ready-made literary criticism.
You will be able to use again the concordance, the synopsis, the statistics, theological dictionaries,
scientific comments and, in general, all information about the theology of the biblical book under study.
Regarding comments, it is not advisable to use so many, but rather limit yourself to to two good ones
(but not just one). Once again, the contributions of specialized articles and monographs must be
mentioned.
Write down on your worksheet those important observations from the writing of the text or book that
contains it, to observe the behavior of the author and his theological intentions.

10. Manifest Structures (EM)

Depending on the objectives of the analysis, sometimes the research focuses on this methodology, but
always with knowledge of the historical-critical aspects.
A more complete exegesis, on the other hand, deepens the study of structures in close connection with
editorial criticism (and this, as you already know, depends on the results of the previous steps).
For this approach, the best tool is practical knowledge: each new exercise will make the next one more
enjoyable.
To facilitate your understanding with an example of Psalm 34:14, we indicate the manifest structure of
this text. Your own examination must then look at the center of the symmetry:

Chiasmus
Chiasmus comes from the Greek letter ji , whose shape resembles the X of the Latin alphabet (X), and is
due precisely to this crossed or opposite arrangement of the even elements. Chiasmus is therefore a
cross-ordering of the elements or parts of a sentence or a unit of text, whose contents correspond.
When it comes to four elements, we are facing a chiasmus. When there are more than four, but always
in an even and parallel number, we speak of a chiasmic structure. When the number of elements is odd,
it is called a concentric structure.

By placing letters on the elements of a chiasmus and marking the repetitions with an apostrophe, the
figure can be seen more clearly:
Psa 34:14
Guard your tongue from evil
ab
b' a'
and your lips tell lies.

This is how the a - b - b' - a' scheme is obtained, as the basic form of the chiasmus. Developing the
scheme vertically makes it even more easily identifiable:

Guardian from evil

b your tongue,
b' and your lips

Introduction to Exegesis Page 11

 to tell lies

Make the manifest structure of your biblical text to know if there is symmetry and know the emphasis in
the center of it.

11. Other analyzes

At this stage you can complete your study of the text with other approaches: phenomenology and the
history of religions, sociopolitical reading, feminist analysis, psychoanalytic reading or some other
orientation that interests you. The religious-historical and phenomenological comparison seeks
analogies, developments, dependencies and differences between biblical texts and themes and similar
traditions of the environment.

Introduction to Exegesis Page 12