Three World of the Text

Apply the whole of ourselves to Apply the whole of ourselves to the text;the text;Apply the text wholly to Apply the text wholly to yourself!yourself!

J.A. Bengel (1687-1752)

•Bengel worded it as an Bengel worded it as an exhortation…with us as the exhortation…with us as the active agents in the interpretive active agents in the interpretive process.process.

However, what if we write it this However, what if we write it this wayway,

Apply the whole of ourselves to Apply the whole of ourselves to the text;the text;And the text will apply itself And the text will apply itself wholly to you!wholly to you!

•This becomes more of a promise relying This becomes more of a promise relying upon an outside agent, the Holy Spirit.upon an outside agent, the Holy Spirit.

•The Bible ceases to be an object or a The Bible ceases to be an object or a container of information; when in actuality it container of information; when in actuality it is the Word which fills us.is the Word which fills us.

•We bring questions to the Bible and the We bring questions to the Bible and the Word in turn becomes our inquisitor.Word in turn becomes our inquisitor.

•E.g., Beethoven’s 9E.g., Beethoven’s 9thth as a music score or as as a music score or as an eventan event

Three Worlds of TextThree Worlds of Text

In present scholarship, we can categorize In present scholarship, we can categorize three different groups of theories, regarding three different groups of theories, regarding the location of meaning the location of meaning

1. 1. World Behind the textWorld Behind the text (Author-centered) (Author-centered)

2. 2. World Within the textWorld Within the text (Text-centered) (Text-centered)

3. 3. World in front of the textWorld in front of the text (Reader-centered) (Reader-centered)

Three Worlds of TextThree Worlds of Text

1.1. World Behind the textWorld Behind the text (Author-centered) (Author-centered)

Meaning is assumed to lie in the author’s Meaning is assumed to lie in the author’s intention formulated in terms of social, intention formulated in terms of social, political, and cultural matrix of the author. political, and cultural matrix of the author.

Questions asked, Questions asked, “What prompted Luke to write “What prompted Luke to write

this?”this?” “What did “What did hehe mean when he mean when he wrote?” wrote?” “What historical situations “What historical situations influenced influenced his work?” his work?”

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

1.1. World Behind the textWorld Behind the text (Author-centered)

Three Critical Approaches associated Three Critical Approaches associated with historical-critical method:with historical-critical method:

• Source criticismSource criticism

• Form CriticismForm Criticism

• Redaction CriticismRedaction Criticism

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

1. 1. World Behind the textWorld Behind the text (Author-centered)

Problem with looking for meaning only Problem with looking for meaning only with this historical approach:with this historical approach:

With the huge amount of attention given to With the huge amount of attention given to the world behind the text . . . The text itself the world behind the text . . . The text itself and the reader was overlooked. and the reader was overlooked.

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

2. 2. World Within the textWorld Within the text (Text-centered)

Emphasis upon the text as the place where Emphasis upon the text as the place where meaning is housedmeaning is housed

Rise of Literary criticismRise of Literary criticism

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

2. 2. World Within the textWorld Within the text (Text-centered)

Problem:Problem:

• Text becomes autonomous,Text becomes autonomous,disconnected from history, disconnected from history,

author, and author, and reader. reader.

• Text becomes a “container” for Text becomes a “container” for meaning, to be conquered meaning, to be conquered

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

3. World in front of text (Reader-centered)

Each reader brings to the text a different Each reader brings to the text a different set of presuppositions, experiences, set of presuppositions, experiences, interests, competenciesinterests, competencies

•Reader “creates” meaning in his/her Reader “creates” meaning in his/her encounter with the textencounter with the text

•Rise of Reader-Response CriticismRise of Reader-Response Criticism

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

3. World in front of text (Reader-centered)

Problem:Problem:

•Meaning can be seen as an invention of Meaning can be seen as an invention of the reader, separate from the intention of the reader, separate from the intention of the author or the historical situation at the author or the historical situation at work in the original writing.work in the original writing.

•Each reading is a new meaning. Each reading is a new meaning. No “stable meaning of a text.”No “stable meaning of a text.”

Three Worlds of the Three Worlds of the TextText

Answer: An Integrated SolutionAnswer: An Integrated Solution

Meaning is a conversation between:Meaning is a conversation between:•NarrativeNarrative World of TextWorld of Text•Real Real World of Reader World of Reader •HistoricalHistorical World of the AuthorWorld of the Author

Interpretation will be impaired when any Interpretation will be impaired when any one world is given exclusive reign while one world is given exclusive reign while neglecting of the other two!neglecting of the other two!

Simple Communication Simple Communication MatrixMatrix

SenderSender Speaker

(or author)

Message Spoken

(or written)

Receiver Listener

(or reader)

Feedback

Biblical InterpretationGodGod

MovesMoves

WriterThinks

WrittenWrittenTextText

ReaderReaderThinksThinks

Space - T

ime B

arrierS

pace - Tim

e Barrier

2. Ask Key Text-Driven Questions

3. Answer Questions Using Textual Evidence and interpretive tools (Word Studies/Cultural

Historical Background, etc.)

1. Observe Text

SpiritSpirit

MovesMoves

Our Task