- BibleWorks 7
- Eerdmans' Dictionary of the Bible
- Brown's Introduction to the New Testament
- LaSor et al's Old Testament Survey.
I'd like to have more, but to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you go to exegesis with the library that you have.
After prayer, I begin by opening up a Word document and taking notes. This is the typical result (the odd characters on the first page come from my pdf converter getting confused about Hebrew). I start by looking at the passage in its broader context, and then outlining it from the English. Next, I open up BibleWorks and examine the Greek and Hebrew, picking apart key phrases and words and seeing how they are used elsewhere in the Bible. Then I ask a set of exegetical questions. The books come next: I look at relevant entries in my Bible dictionary and Testamental handbook. Finally, I provide my interpretation and describe how it can be used homiletically.
And that's how I'm doing it now as a total noob. It takes about two hours.
What is your process for sermon exegesis?
3 comments:
Wow. I'm more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants sort of exegesis. It depends on the text, and how many ideas I have about it myself before starting to write. But usually, I read my own notes (at this point, my lectionary notes on things are three years old, and I can't remember what I thought about a text!), and for a good commentary I use Chris Haslam's notes online (http://www.montreal.anglican.org/comments)
I also use the Process and Faith lectionary notes online fairly regularly. I don't actually use any print resources, at least not very often. Most of my resources come linked through The Text This Week.
I'm not a pastor, nor studying to be one, but when I have to prepare a devotional, or when we're reading at bible study, I usually look up stuff at blueletterbible.org as it has hypertext lexicon/concordance as well as the Greek/Hebrew root words for passages (ex : here )
I also like to refer to Asimov's Guide to the Bible for the historical perspective.
(Yes, I know he was an "atheist" or a "secular humanist" depending on who you ask, but he knew his history, and he loved the Bible as a piece of literature, history, and as a moral guide, even if he didn't believe in God. Moreover, he frequently answers questions that I have or have had about certain passages without offending my logical side, and without reducing everything to generic statements("Harumph, well you see, ultimately this passage is about how it's a symbol of God's love for us..." - translation - "I don't know" ) A brief review here )
Brain Russell would skin me alive if I did less.
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