4.0 out of 5 based on 1 reviews. – Customer review on 23/04/2006

This is a very helpful volume from three Denver Seminary professors. Conservative Evangelical in its outlook, but willing to engage with the latest in biblical scholarship (this is an updated and revised edition). The authors explain the distance between the world of the bible and contemporary society - a distance of time, culture, geography - and explain the need to approach interpretation wisely and carefully. I enjoyed its history of biblical interpretation, considering the allegorical methods of early fathers & the Alexandrian school, through to the more literal understanding of the Reformers, and beyond.

The goal of biblical interpretation, according to the authors, is to "grasp the meaning that the biblical author intended to convey to the original audience." Their treatment of interpreting specific genres is in-depth, with great examples, e.g. in interpreting Old Testament narratives, we look at a portion of Gideon's story from the book of Judges that proves very insightful. Still pretty intense for the lay-person, but a good text to have for ministers or Bible students.