A moral and ethical question for theists

[Randy Carson]

CL-

It's important to consider the different types of literature which are found in the Bible, and the following snippet from an article at Catholic Answers describes the NINE different types and how they should be understood:

When interpreting the "literal sense" of the Bible, we must distinguish between the narration and the form of narration, also known as genre. Narration is the telling of things that happened and genre is the style used to tell what happened. In all cultures, many different styles and methods are used to communicate messages.

Scholars have listed nine kinds of literary forms in the narrative literature or historical books of the Old Testament:

1. fable,
   
2. parable,
   
3. historical epic,
   
4. religious history,
   
5. ancient history,
   
6. popular tradition,
   
7. liberal narrative,
   
8. Midrash (commentary), and
   
9. prophetical and apocalyptical narrative
   

(John E. Steinmueller, A Companion to Scripture Studies, 33)

Whatever genre is used, the question that must be considered is what the author asserted or intended to communicate by using this style of narration. The answer to this question will supply the literal sense of the passage.

For example, in Micah 3:2-3, we read, "You that hate good, and love evil; that violently pluck off their skins from them, and their flesh from their homes? Who have eaten the flesh of my people, and have flayed their skin from off them: and have broken, and chopped their bones as for the kettle, and as flesh in the midst of the pot." Does the author mean that the enemies of God’s people were cannibals? No: He is asserting that the enemies of God persecuted the people of God. The passage represents a common Hebraic style of writing employed to assert the reality of persecution and war (see also Deut. 32:42; Ezek. 39:17-18; Rev. 17:6, 16). To interpret this passage without considering the Hebrew genre, one would have to conclude that flesh was actually being eaten and blood actually being drunk.

The principle of affirmation or assertion is the key element in Biblical interpretation. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "the reader must be attentive to what the human authors truly wanted to affirm and to what God wanted to reveal to us by their words" (CCC 109). Furthermore, "in order to discover the sacred authors’ intention," the Catechism states "the reader must take into account the conditions of their times and culture, the literal genres in use at that time, and the modes of feeling, speaking, and narrating then current" (CCC 110). Notice that the Catechism implies there are different modes of narrating, i.e., genres. The reason for the variety of genres is found in Dei Verbum, which states, "For the fact is that truth is differently presented and expressed in the various types of historical writing, in prophetical and poetical texts, and in other forms of literary expression" (12).

Therefore, when we engage in the difficult task of interpretation, the principle of affirmation or assertion, which is connected to genre, must be the guiding principle for the literal sense. The interpretation guidelines for the spiritual sense of Scripture can be found in paragraphs 111-117 of the Catechism.

Some great info and thorough way of explaining it. Thanks for this post!