EA Essential - engaging young people with biblical truth

Review

This is a scholarly book aimed at ordinary people. It seeks to equip the ‘ordinary’ Bible reader with essential ‘scholarly’ skills to ensure that we can accurately understand the different parts of the Bible. As the blurb on the back cover says, “A few essential insights into the Bible can clear up a lot of misconceptions and help you grasp the meaning of scripture and its application to your twenty-first-century life.” This book certainly provides us with “a few essential insights”. There seem to be several on every page!

Since this book was first published in 1981 it has become the ‘benchmark’ guide to interpreting the different types of literature found in the Bible. It is a comprehensive and thorough book which aims to be highly readable. The book uses examples throughout - so as well as learning some essential tools of understanding, interpreting and applying the Bible, you will also learn a great deal about specific passages.

This book will certainly get your brain working! It’s not a light read, and will require effort – however, it’s well worth it. This book will not only equip you to understand the different kinds of literature present in the Bible; it will also help you as you apply these life-changing words to your life.

Contents

1) Introduction: The need to interpret

2) The Basic Tool: A good translation

3) The Epistles: Learning to think contextually

4) The Epistles: The hermeneutical questions

5) The Old Testament Narratives: Their proper use

6) Acts: The question of historical precedent

7) The Gospels: One story, many dimensions

8) The Parables: Do you get the point?

9) The Law(s): Covenant stipulations for Israel

10) The Prophets: Enforcing the covenant in Israel

11) The Psalms: Israel’s Prayers and Ours

12) Wisdom: Then and Now

13) The Revelation: Images of judgement and hope