Embedded Genres in the New Testament: Understanding Their Impact for Interpretation

Recognizing what we are reading--the genre--is crucial for understanding any written work, including the books of the New Testament. However, we may not always realize we use genre categories as we interpret, whether explicitly or implicitly. Embedded genres, or genres within genres, can substantively impact the interpretation of an entire New Testament book.

This short, accessible book by a widely respected scholar and seasoned teacher introduces embedded genres, their impact on New Testament interpretation, and how they contribute to the message of the New Testament authors. Jeannine Brown offers hermeneutical guidance for interpreting embedded genres and explores the hermeneutical questions they raise. She focuses on three case studies of embedded genres that have been contested, underidentified, or underappreciated across the New Testament corpus: the Christ poem in Philippians 2, riddles in Matthew, and the household code in 1 Peter.

Students of the New Testament, pastors, and ministry leaders will value this work.

Jeannine K. Brown (PhD, Luther Seminary) is the David Price Professor of Biblical and Theological Foundations at Bethel Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is the author of Scripture as Communication, The Gospels as Stories, two commentaries on Matthew, and a commentary of Philippians. She coauthored Relational Integration between Psychology and Christian Theology and Becoming Whole and Holy and is a coeditor of the revised Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Brown has also served as a translation consultant for the New International Version, Common English Bible, and New Century Version.