A literary-theological reading of Scripture, which is often referred to as narrative criticism, focuses primarily on the text. Although possibly surprising to the modern layperson, for several centuries, biblical scholars have not focused on the text as much as the formation of the text by utilizing such tools as redaction, form, source, and historical criticism. Alternatively, as explained by Darrell Bock, narrative criticism focuses on the final form of the text, emphasizes the unity of the text, and views the text as an end in itself rather than a substructure of the content.[1] Osvaldo Padilla explains that narrative criticism can refer to both a literary method and a theological discipline.[2] From a methodological perspective, narrative criticism uses the same tools that literary critics might use to analyze any piece of great literature such as the analysis of plot, setting, and character formation. From a theological perspective, narrative criticism recognizes that the power of a story to communicate truth propositions is as real as the rational propositions issued by theologians.
Several approaches that engage a literary-theological reading of Scripture have been espoused. For instance, Jonathan Pennington provides a basic six step approach: (1) isolating the literary unit, (2) reading and rereading the story, (3) identifying the setting and characters, (4) observing the story, (5) isolating the scenes, and (6) analyzing the narrative.[3] The final step is particularly important, as analyzing the narrative identifies the tension, climax, and resolution, which often contains the main point of the story.[4] Pennington uses Luke 7:1-10 for his example of narrative criticism, but this brief analysis isolates Luke 7:36-50, which is the story of the forgiveness of a sinful woman.
After isolating the unit and reading the story several times, the next step is to identify the setting and characters. The definition of setting would seem to most readers to be straightforward: the background of the narrative. However, James Resseguie explains that the setting not only includes the historical background, but also the physical, socio-cultural, religious, economic, and temporal circumstances surrounding the plot.[5] The physical setting of Luke 7:36-50 is an ancient Pharisee’s house, which is mentioned four times for emphasis. Importantly, Pennington’s steps now begin to amalgamate as it is difficult to isolate each of the six steps without commenting on its impact on the others. For example, the religious setting immediately heightens the tension between the main characters, Jesus, the Pharisee, and the woman, as the reader reflects upon the prior conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees. The prior conflicts also highlight the importance of considering the broader context, which Pennington later adds to the steps of his narrative analysis.[6] Furthermore, Padilla observes that the socio-cultural setting of the dining scene likely evokes the tradition of the symposium, the location of ancient philosophical discussions, which were often locations of eroticism.[7] Specifically, prostitutes would often entertain the men at philosophical gatherings and, in the case of the pericope, the woman loosening her hair and kissing Jesus’s feet may suggest the woman may be aware of the tradition. Once again, the setting heightens the story’s tension as the reader wonders what might happen after a sexually promiscuous woman enters the room with Jesus and one of Jesus’s opponents questions his identity as a prophet. What will Jesus do next?
At this point, when the tension begins to peak, the author also begins to shed light on the message through what scholars often refer to as speech acts. Padilla notes that it is common in Luke-Acts for the Transformative Action to come in the form of a speech act: “Something is said by one of the characters that moves the direction of the story with finality towards one horizon or another.”[8] In Luke 7:36-50, the plot moves from Jesus entering a house to a woman bringing an alabaster flask of ointment to wash Jesus’s feet and then proceeds to a Pharisee verbally attacking Jesus. The plot line builds the necessary tension required to highlight Jesus’s Transformative Action: the telling of a parable. Charles Talbert suggests that verses 39-47 are a form of Socratic interrogation, whereby the interlocutors banter back and forth with questions and answers.[9] In this case, Jesus responds to the question of the Pharisee with a story that ironically puts the lie to the Pharisee’s accusation. In other words, the Pharisee accuses Jesus of not being a prophet, but then Jesus discerns the Pharisee’s thoughts and responds accordingly; thus, He proves His prophetic identity. By utilizing inquiry and storytelling within the narrative, Jesus points the reader to the idea that the woman loved much because she had been forgiven much, but the Pharisee loved little because he did not recognize his need for forgiveness.
At this point, it is not difficult to recognize how a literary-theological reading of the Gospel can aid in teaching and preaching. In fact, so many teaching points are available to the expositor that narrowing the focus may be difficult due to the compressed nature of Luke’s writing. Pennington identifies three categories of questions to ask when teaching the Gospel narratives: (1) what is the fallen condition, (2) how does God in Christ provide a redemptive solution, and (3) what virtue does the text exhort?[10] In its basic form, the narrative of Luke 7:36-50 identifies the fallen condition of the woman’s sinfulness and the fallen condition of the Pharisee’s self-deception. The redemptive “in Christ” solution not only provides forgiveness to the woman, but it also provides the potential for the Pharisee to be freed from self-deception. More specifically, an understanding of one’s “in Christ” reality provides righteousness as a gift from God, thus completely eliminating the need for Pharisaic self-righteousness.
Finally, one of the many virtues exhorted in the text is humility. Without question, the reader is struck by the humility of the woman who appears to humbly recognize her sinful past. However, one is also struck by the lack of humility of the Pharisee, which grates on the reader. Of course, many other lessons could be gleaned from the passage, not the least of which is the power of story and the communication style of Jesus. Luke teaches the reader by telling a story about Jesus. Jesus teaches His listeners by telling a story about a moneylender and two debtors. Luke sets the story within a Socratic environment, while Jesus uses a Socratic form of inquiry to teach. In sum, the narrative itself clearly aids in identifying the message to teach and preach. However, the communication styles used within the narrative, such as inquiry, question and answer, storytelling, irony, and paradox also provide important methodological examples for teaching and preaching the message of Christ.
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[1] Darrell L. Bock, Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 205.
[2] Osvaldo Padilla, “Narrative Criticism in the Gospels and Acts,” Southeastern Theological Review 12, no. 2 (2021): 35.
[3] Jonathan T. Pennington, Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012), 175–76.
[4] Ibid., 176.
[5] James L Resseguie, “A Glossary of New Testament Narrative Criticism with Illustrations,” Religions 10, no. 3 (March 2019): 29.
[6] Pennington, Reading the Gospels Wisely, 208.
[7] Padilla, “Narrative Criticism in the Gospels and Acts,” 51–53.
[8] Ibid., 54.
[9] Charles H. Talbert, Reading Luke: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Third Gospel (Macon, Ga: Smyth & Helwys, 2013), 89.
[10] Pennington, Reading the Gospels Wisely, 221.
Bibliography
- Bock, Darrell L. Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
- Padilla, Osvaldo. “Narrative Criticism in the Gospels and Acts.” Southeastern Theological Review 12, no. 2 (2021): 35–55.
- Pennington, Jonathan T. Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
- Resseguie, James L. “A Glossary of New Testament Narrative Criticism with Illustrations.” Religions 10, no. 3 (March 2019): 1–39.
- Talbert, Charles H. Reading Luke: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Third Gospel. Macon, Ga: Smyth & Helwys, 2013.