Types of Literature in the Bible

Types of Literature in the Bible

How many different kinds of literature are included in the Bible, and what are they?

Hebrew 1:1-2a — 1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son…

Many types of literature: There are three major types in Old Testament — Law, prophets and writings, and three major types in the New Testament — Gospels and Acts, Epistles, and Revelation. Within each of these major types may be found examples of one or more of the following types of literature: history/historical narrative, discourse, legal/legislation, poetry, proverbs, prophecy, parable, type, allegory, discourse, diatribe, treatise, apocalypse, etc. [1]

I. Old Testament

1. Law (Torah): While the books of the Law (Gen.–Dt.) include primarily historical narratives and discourse, prophecy and poetry are also to be observed, e.g., The Protoevangelium in Genesis 3:15; Jacob’s “Final Blessings” on his twelve sons in Genesis 49; The Song of Moses in Deuteronomy 32; and Moses’ “Final Blessing” to Israel in Deuteronomy 33.

2. Prophets (Nebhiim): Major and Minor (the Twelve) — Distinct sections of these prophetic books are obviously poetic, e.g., the Servant Songs in Isaiah (Is. 42:1–4; 49:1–6; 50:4–9; and 52:13–52:12), and the psalm of Habakkuk 3. Other sections in the writings of the prophets are historical narrative including discourse. See especially Isaiah 36–39.

3. Writings (Kethubhim): 1) Poetry — Psalms, Proverbs and Job; 2) Five Rolls (Megilloth) — Song of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther, and Ecclesiastes; and 3) Historical — Daniel, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Chronicles. Some of these books are obviously poetic, but there can be no doubt about the prophecies to be found especially in the book of Psalms. Other books in the Writings are classed as Wisdom literature: Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, while the remainder of the Writings are historical. Daniel is unique in the Old Testament just as Revelation is in the New. It is unmistakable within the book when there is movement from historical narrative and discourse to prophecy, and at times to poetry.

II. New Testament

1. Gospels and Acts: These generally historical books include historical narratives and discourses, and also prophecies, and poetic portions such as Luke 1:46–55, 68–79; 2:29–32 (AKA the Magnificat, Benedictus, and Nunc dimittis). [2]

2. Epistles: Pauline, and General (Hebrews, James, Petrine, Johannine, Jude) — Diatribes are included, as in Romans 1–11, and poetry, as in the “hymns” of Philippians 2:6–11, and Colossians 1:15–20, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 1:1–3, and 1 Peter 2:21–25. [3]

Hebrews is in a class of its own. There are earmarks in the book of an epistle especially in ch. 13, but the bulk of the book is more along the lines of a treatise than a letter.

The Pauline epistles are often sub-sub-categorized into the four Prison and three Pastoral epistles, but ecclesiastical and personal may also be considered. The four epistles referred to as “prison epistles” are Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians and Philippians. Epistles written to individuals are Philemon, the three “Pastorals” (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, and Titus), and 2 and 3 John. That is, if “the elect lady” in 2^nd John is understood as an individual, and not a figurative expression for the church. On this issue the comments in The MacArthur Study Bible in favor of the “normal, plain sense,” and “the more natural understanding in context,” as opposed to the “non-literal,” or metaphorical are recommended. [4] What these sub-sub-categories bring into consideration are the circumstances of the author at the time of writing, the general nature of the contents, and the intended original recipients.

3. Revelation: This is in a category of its own. The closest resemblance to the book of Revelation to be found elsewhere in the Scriptures are the prophets of the Old Testament, but none of them compare to this “close of the Canon” book. Notice also that very distinctive letters or epistles are also included in chs. 2–3, and poetry is found in the worship utterances or “hymns” in 4:8; 5:9–10, 12–14; 15:3–4.

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[1] From The Study of the Scriptures, Session 6 (WED 8 APR 2015), presented at Faith Baptist Fellowship Church, Lake Ariel, PA, by John T. “Jack” Jeffery, Pastor, Wayside Gospel Chapel (Greentown, PA).

[2] See on these and others Ruth Ellis Messenger, “New Testament Hymns,” on Bible Hub at https://biblehub.com/library/messenger/christian_hymns_of_the_first_three_centuries/iii_new_testament_hymns.htm [accessed 20 MAY 2020]; from Ruth Ellis Messenger, Christian Hymns of the First Three Centuries, The Papers of the Hymn Society IX, ed. Carl F. Price (New York: The Hymn Society of America, 1942), Ch. III; also on Project Gutenberg at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33160/33160-h/33160-h.htm  [accessed 20 MAY 2020].

[3] Joshua W. Jipp, “Hymns in the New Testament,” on Bible Odyssey at  https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/passages/related-articles/hymns-in-the-new-testament [accessed 20 MAY 2020].

[4] gen. ed. John MacArthur (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), pp. 1976, 1977.