What is God communicating through the author? What is the author’s point? How might you present the message of the text in an exegesis paper? What will you argue?

Create a new document in your word processor. Type, or cut-and-paste, the biblical text that you previously selected for the biblical exegesis paper to the document. Psalms 1:1-6. Change the line-spacing to 2 and increase the left and right margins to at least 1.5 inches.

Step 2: Following the guidance of Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis, Chapters 3, 4, and 6, carefully read the text in the newly created document. Read it multiple times. Read it slowly. In addition, using your Bible, read the text in its immediate and larger contexts (Gorman, 2010, p. 75).

As you read the text in the newly created document, use underlining (single line, double line, etc.) and/or shapes (circles, boxes, triangles, etc.) to mark names (people and places), personal pronouns, prepositions, verbs, logical connectors (so, therefore, then, etc.), figures of speech, non-routine terms, references to biblical themes, etc.

Also, in the margins, record the questions and observations that come to mind.

Pretend the text is a cut diamond and you are a jeweler assessing its value. Just as a jeweler will study every facet of the diamond, study every facet of the biblical text.

Note: You may print the document containing the biblical text and make your notations by hand, or you may mark the text using the tools available in your word processor.

Also note: For an illustration of what your text might look like after marking key elements and recording questions and observations in the margin, please see the Sample Marked Text posted at the end of the instructions.

Step 3: Reflect on the text selected for the exegesis paper in relation to its immediate and larger literary contexts. How is the text related to the immediate and larger literary contexts? How do the immediate and larger literary contexts inform the message of the text for its original recipients? Additional questions for reflection are found in Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis, Chapter 4 (Literary and Rhetorical Contexts, Canonical Context). You do not need to write answers to these questions. Use them to guide your reflection on the text.

Also, again, in the margins, record the questions and observations that come to mind as you observe the immediate and larger literary contexts.

Note: For the purpose of this assignment, consider the canonical context as a piece of the larger context.

At this point, do not read a treatment of the text in a commentary. The objective at this stage is to observe the biblical text in its literary context.

Tentatively state a thesis for the exegesis paper in a single sentence. What is the text about? What is God communicating through the author? What is the author’s point? How might you present the message of the text in an exegesis paper? What will you argue?

Please heed Gorman’s wisdom:

“An exegesis paper without a thesis indicates that the writer has not come to any conclusion but has simply accumulated a lot of data or ideas. This is really not exegesis nor is it acceptable for paper writing at either the undergraduate or graduate level” (Gorman, 2010, p. 66).

If you need help creating a thesis statement, please consult the Purdue University Online Writing Center’s Tips and Examples for Writing Thesis Statements at to an external site.

 

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