The church has too often lost its way in reading the Old Testament for lack of sound principles of interpretation. When careless habits get us off track, we can lose sight of what the Bible is really saying, derailing our own spiritual growth and even risking discredit to God's word.

We need a consistent approach to give us confidence as faithful interpreters. In Wisdom for Faithful Reading, the trusted Old Testament scholar John Walton lays out his tried-and-true best practices developed over four decades in the classroom. His principles are memorable, practical, and enlightening, including:



- The Bible is written for us, but not to us.

- Reading the Bible instinctively is not reliable andrisks imposing a foreign perspective on the text.

- More important than what the characters do is what the narrator does with the characters and what God is doing through the characters.

- Not everything has a "biblical view."

Along with identifying common missteps, Walton's insights point the way to stay focused on what the Old Testament text communicated to its original audience—and what it has to say for us today. When we submit ourselves to be accountable to the authors' intentions we experience the true authority of Scripture, and faithful reading fuels a faithful life.

Using numerous examples across the breadth of the Old Testament and its genres, Walton equips thoughtful Christians to read more knowledgeably, to pay attention to God's plans and purposes, to recognize good interpretations, and to truly live in light of Scripture. You may never read the Old Testament the same way again.



John H. Walton is professor emeritus of Old Testament at Wheaton College and Graduate School. His many books include The Lost World of Genesis One and Wisdom for Faithful Reading.



List of Figures and Tables



Preface



Acknowledgments

Part I. General Principles

Section A: Introduction



1. One Quest



2. Two Caveats



3. Three Essential Commitments



4. Four Fundamental Concepts for Interpretation



5. Five Principles for Faithful Interpretation

Section B. General Bible



6. A Text Cannot Mean What It Never Meant



7. The Bible Is Written for Us but Not to Us



8. Reading the Bible Instinctively IsNot Reliable and Risks Imposing a Foreign Perspective on the Text



9. Literal Reading Means Being Accountable to the Ancient Author's Literary Intentions



10. We Are Accountable to the Author's Literary Intentions, Which Constitute the Affirmations of Scripture



11. A Genre Discussion Must Precede an Authority Conversation



12. All Translation Is Interpretation



13. Words That Are Roughly Comparable in Two Languages Often Carry Different Nuances



14. In a Hearing Dominant Culture There Are No Books or Authors as We Know Them, and "Book" Is the Last Step, Not the First



15. The Old Testament is Not About Jesus, but It Drives Us to Jesus



16. The Holy Spirit Cannot Be Used as an Appeal to Authority



17. Not Everything Has a "Biblical View"

Part II: Genre Guidelines

Section A: Pentateuch



18. Creation Is More About Order Than Material



19. The Seventh Day Is the Most Important of the Creation Days



20. Covenant IsMore About Yahweh's Presence and Kingship Than About Law, Promise, or Salvation



21. Torah Is More About Instruction That Cultivates Wisdom Than Legislation That Results in Law



22. Torah Is Not Establishing an Ideal Social System but Is Speaking Wisdom into Israel's Social System

Section B: Narrative



23. Reality Is Bigger Than History



24. We Have to Understand a Text Literarily Before We Can Understand It Historically



25. We Cannot Get Behind the Literary Veil



26. More Important Than What the Characters Do Is What the Narrator Does with the Characters and What God Is Doing Through the Characters

Section C: Wisdom and Psalms



27. Wisdom Is the Pathway to Order



28. Proverbial Sayings Are Generalizations, Not Promises



29. Psalms Commends Prayer but Does Not Command Prayer

Section D: Prophecy and Apocalyptic



30. Prophecy Is More About Revealing God's Plans and Purposes Than Revealing the Future



31. Prophecy Is Not Prediction



32. Apocalyptic Is Not Prophecy



33. In Apocalyptic Literature, the Visions Are Not the Message, but the Occasion for the Message



34. Fulfillment Is Distinct from Message

Part III: A Way Forward

Section A: Characteristics of Faithful Reading



35. Reading Scripture Well



36. Five Tendencies to Avoid

Section B: Living Life



37. Living Life in Light of Scripture



Appendix



FAQs



Scripture Index



"Evangelical pastors and church leaders will appreciate John H. Walton's Wisdom for Faithful Reading. Irenic and thoughtful, Walton introduces principles for how to read the Christian Old Testament faithfully. Anyone who reads this book will come away with a better sense of how to read Scripture and an appreciation for its beauty and richness."



"Those who have longed to sit in John Walton's classroom but are unable to do so need look no further. Wisdom for Faithful Reading distills over four decades of his Old Testament research and his reflection on responsible interpretation into a scholarly-yet-accessible volume. Exhibiting his trademark attention to ancient Near Eastern backgrounds, Walton argues for key interpretive principles and the importance of rhetorical strategy and genre in interpreting the Old Testament. His deep respect for biblical authority shines through as he guides teachers and pastors to responsibly interpret the Old Testament in a way that will ultimately equip the church to honor and glorify God."