Tips on Studying the Bible as a Literary Anthology

The Bible is actually an anthology full of literary devices! Studying it with that in mind is a game changer.

For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV

The Bible is an anthology[1]; it is several books, each of which serves a different function, compiled into one larger work. Each book was written at a different time period, and meant to convey a different message. The tone and context varies from book to book, author to author. It's imporant to remember this when reading the Bible. Even more important is the fact that inside each books is a ton of literary devices (e.g., allegories, allusions, archetypes, imagery, metaphors, symbolism, etc.). Recognizing these literary devices can help you understand the Bible on a much deeper level. That is the purpose of this study! Check out a list of literary devices in the image below—throughout the series we're going to touch on a few of these.

References

1. "Anthology". Merriam Webster Dictionary; visited February 2022