HOWTO write an exegesis

Notes from David Firth’s lecture

  • Similar but different to writing an essay

  • Coherent explanation of the passage as a whole

  • Writing exegesis comes after doing exegesis

  • Introduction

    • Context, authorship and date of sources should be limited to those relevant to the passage

    • Divergent academic views should be noted and the supported one highlighted

  • Body

    • Most of the words ~75%

    • Comment by logical section not verse

    • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the text and scholarly insights Inc. additional works beyond just commentaries: dictionaries, word studies, atlases

    • Evidence your own conclusion

  • Conclusion:

    • brief ~10%

    • meaning to original readers

    • how passage contributes to message of the whole book

    • (optionally) obvious and coherent link to application today.