Byline: Sister Anna Marie McGuan

Many will ask whether or not the Bible is historical. Since it is a rather complex set of books itself that can be easily misinterpreted and misrepresented, the question that must be asked is: which part?

Bishop Robert Barron is always quick to point out that the best approach to understanding the Bible and how to read it is the same one we take at the library. There are different sections in the library containing different types of books. The same is true in the Bible. There are different sections within the Bible, each section with its own books. There are also diverse literary genres in the various biblical books and sometimes within the same book itself; these are all placed side by side within the one binding of the Bible. Instead of one book, there are 73 for Catholics. Each of those books has its own historical formation and its own story to tell. The important thing to remember is that one does not read every book nor every literary genre in the same way.

For example, the poetry of the Song of Songs is very different from the liturgical and sacrificial instructions of Leviticus. If I tried to read Leviticus as allegorical love poetry, I would not get very far. Likewise, the creation stories and the archetypal imagery and stories of the first chapters of Genesis are not the same as the history of David and Saul and the rise of the Kingdoms of Judah and Israel. They have to be read with different literary lenses, so to speak. Otherwise, I can easily misunderstand the purpose and message of the book.

Again, a common question that comes up in this regard is about the historicity of the Bible, and especially Old Testament. If we apply the contemporary standards of historical writing to the Bible, then it is clear that the Old Testament is not history. However, if we can accept that the biblical authors wrote history in a different way than we do, we can begin to accept the stories as historical, even though they are not written in according to present-day standards. The birth of Samuel, for example, need not be a part of the story of the foundations of the monarchy for the sake of the strict history of Israel. Without it, though, it is hard to explain the deference showed to him by all the people, including Saul and David. The figure of Samuel looms large in the story of the rise of Israel’s monarchy and from a literary point of view, he is hugely important. Perhaps a secular historian would see Samuel as inconsequential to the formation of the monarchy, but in the biblical understanding of history his story is essential

There are other passages in the Old and New Testaments that have a stronger historical flavor, such as the cursory lists of the regnal years of the kings of Israel and Judah with the brief descriptions attached to each king. There are also passages in the Acts of the Apostles where the author gives a detailed account of the places traveled by Paul and himself. He names ancient ports and cities, along with descriptions of their naval adventures. Paul, in his letters, also gives accounts of his experiences as a Pharisee and then as a Christian apostle.

The Gospels, which tell about the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, have sometimes been devalued as historical documents. The fact that they were written around 60-90 A.D., so close to the time Jesus lived, and that they give detailed information about the life, ministry, and death of Jesus should caution us against such a hasty dismissal of their historical value. In fact, reading the opening verses of the Gospel according to Luke can shed some light on what he, for one, was trying to do as he assembled his material and composed his gospel account:

“Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as those who were eyewitnesses from the beginning and ministers of the word have handed them down to us, I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately anew, to write it down in an orderly sequence for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may realize the certainty of the teachings you have received.”

Luke tells us that many people were writing about Jesus’ life, ministry and death. The information about Jesus came from eyewitnesses to the events surrounding his life. Luke decided, after researching and speaking with various people, to write his own “orderly account” so that the reader of his gospel would know the truth about what Jesus really did and taught. That, perhaps, is not history as we normally think of it, but it certainly does not preclude the contents of the Gospel from being historically accurate.

Developing a sensitivity to the diverse literary genres of the Bible can help clear up some of the confusion about the history it records and the stories it contains. It will allow for a fruitful reading of this document that is so critically important to understanding the history of Western civilization.

Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM is Director of Christian Formation in the Diocese of Knoxville.

The Pentateuch or Torah ends with the death of Moses and a bold statement about Israel’s religious future: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live…” (Dt 30:19). With these words, the figure of Moses recedes, and the story of God and Israel moves into the conquest of Canaan, the rise of the monarchy, and the eventual destruction of both the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and the Southern Kingdom of Judah. These stories are contained in the historical books and the prophetic literature of the Old Testament.

The section of the historical books tells these stories in a chronological sequence. Since the books have multiple authors, the styles and sometimes the intentions of the authors differ. For example, the books of Joshua and Judges contain a strong theological interpretation of history. The events that happen are interpreted either as a blessing from God for Israel’s fidelity, or a curse and punishment for their infidelity. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel and 1 and 2 Kings focus on the characters of Samuel, Saul, David, and King Solomon and the kings that follow them. Moral judgment about the characters of Samuel, Saul, David and Solomon is withheld, for the most part. The author lets the characters develop as living men, and the reader is left to meditate on each person’s decisions and actions. Later on, however, the author’s theological and moral opinion usually is expressed in a phrase like this: “And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the Lord more than all that were before him” (1 Kgs 16:30).

These books do relay true historical events, albeit with a theological interpretation of that same history. The authors examine the history of Israel and Judah with an eye to their adherence to the covenant and their worship of the one true God. Their covenant relationship with God ought to influence their day-to-day lives, from the greatest king to the lowliest peasant. It also influences how their history as a nation unfolds. This understanding of history tied to covenant fidelity explains why the Jewish division of the Old Testament places both the historical books and the prophetic literature under “prophets.” Both are looking at the events of history and trying to understand it in relation to God. They do this in different ways.

Unlike the historical books, the prophets do not record the events of the kingdoms in any particular order. Instead, they offer words of warning, admonition, consolation and oracles about the historical experience. One way of reading the prophets is to view them as a commentary on the historical books. The commentary is written from the perspective of God, since the prophet is God’s spokesman. It is not always clear when one is reading how the prophets fit chronologically in the history of Israel and Judah, but there are many resources available where that information can be found. There also are clues in the texts themselves. For example, at the beginning of many of the prophets’ books, there is an introduction like this:

“The words of Jeremiah … to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month” (Jer 1:1-3).

These verses are for the reader to know what the historical circumstances were for this particular prophet. Knowing that helps us understand what the oracles and warnings might be about. Since the prophetic books are written mostly in poetry and the different sections may not fit together in a connected schema, it can be easy to lose the meaning of their messages. The little historical notes help contextualize the words.

More than anything else, the prophets focus on Israel’s fidelity to God and to the covenant. They had promised to worship the one true God, and the prophets remind them over and over that there will be consequences if they do not keep their word. The prophets predict the destruction of cities and kingdoms, as well as the eventual exile of the people from their land. Other common themes include the care of the poor, widows and orphans. The exploitation of peoples is abhorrent in the sight of God.

The prophets also contain passages full of hope, where they look forward to the return of the exiles to the land and the renewal of the covenant. They also point to a future king, a Messiah, who will bring peace.

Sister Anna Marie McGuan, RSM is Director of Christian Formation in the Diocese of Knoxville.