Literary Narrative

One Big Theme?

Welcome back to the HeBelieved podcast with Levi Bailey and Dennis Toll! Following up on our deep dive into the different book orders of the Hebrew Bible, this episode explores the profound meaning hidden within its macrostructure. By examining the "seams" at the beginning and end of major biblical sections, we uncover a massive, overarching narrative that anchors the entire Story of God: Exile and Return. In this episode, we cover: * The Structure of Exile: Drawing on the work of Dr. Hendrik Koorevaar [https://etsjets.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/files_JETS-PDFs_57_57-3_JETS_57-3_501-12_Koorevaar.pdf], we look at how the Hebrew canon frames the biblical story, starting with humanity's initial arrival and subsequent exile from the Garden of Eden in Genesis, and ending the historical core with Israel's exile from the Land in 2 Kings. * Thematic Book Orders: We unpack how the Talmudic ordering of the Prophets and Writings emphasizes this pattern. The Prophets begin with Jeremiah's focus on Babylonian disaster, while the Writings move from Ruth's voluntary exile to the final decree in 2 Chronicles calling God's people to "go up" and return. * Our Current Exile: We bridge this Hebrew Bible theme to the New Testament, exploring how modern followers of Jesus live in the "already-not-yet" Kingdom. Just as biblical Israel experienced physical exile, believers today navigate a spiritual exile in a world that opposes the Kingdom, waiting for the ultimate "Return"—the fullness of Christ's reign and the restoration of a new Eden.

Canon to the Left of Us – The Order of the Biblical Books (Part One)

In this episode, we explore the fascinating world of the Hebrew Bible's ordering of books. Does the order of the books actually matter? We discuss why we must study the text itself—not just the historical events—to uncover the Bible's deep, interpretive meaning. We compare the familiar English order of the Old Testament with the traditional Hebrew Masoretic and Talmudic orders, showing how the arrangement of these books is a story all on its own. This is part one of a two-part series on how the structure of Scripture highlights grand themes like exile, return, destruction, and consolation. What We Explore: * The Text Over the Event: Why reading the specific literary cues of the text is far more important than just knowing the general events. * The Power of Repetition: How repeated words—like the shared deception of "feeling" in the stories of Jacob and Rachel, or the contrast of "good and evil" from Genesis to Joseph—reveal deeper truths in the bigger story. * The English vs. Hebrew Canon: Contrasting our standard Western Old Testament layout (which ends with Malachi's heavy warning) with the three-part Hebrew Bible structure (Law, Prophets, Writings) that Jesus referenced. * From Abel to Zechariah: How Jesus's own words in Luke 11 point to Chronicles being the intended final book of the Hebrew Bible. * Thematic Brilliance: A look at the Talmudic order (Baba Batra 14b), which organizes books for profound thematic reasons rather than strict chronology, intentionally placing books by themes at the seams. Resources Mentioned: Hebrew Bible Canonical Books Chart [https://hebelieved.com/media/HeBelieved_Hebrew_Bible_Canonical_Books_Chart.png]

One Story - The Story Arc of the Bible

In this episode, we challenge the standard narrative arc often used in Christian theology: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation (CFRC). While popular, this framework assumes creation was entirely complete in Genesis 1 and often skips over the essential role of the Hebrew Bible and Israel. Instead, we propose an alternative model that reframes the overarching story of Scripture. What if the ultimate goal of creation isn't just redemption, but communion and relationship? BEEEPR Model: * The Beginning: Why creation was "very good" but meant to be cultivated and grown, not viewed as a static, lost perfection. * The Three E’s: How "The Fall" is better understood through the entrance of Evil, Enmity, and Exile—which act as direct threats to our relationship with God . * The Promise: How the seed of Abraham and God's covenants serve as the means to restore fellowship. * The Biblical MacGuffin: Borrowing a concept from Alfred Hitchcock, we reveal the true driving force behind the entire biblical plot: the relationship between God and humanity. Resources and References Mentioned: * Collin Cornell: God Draws Near: Rethinking the Biblical Theology of Mission (2025) [https://www.amazon.com/God-Draws-Near-Rethinking-Biblical/dp/1540968960] * R. Kendall Soulen: The God of Israel and Christian Theology [https://www.amazon.com/God-Israel-Christian-Theology/dp/0800628837] * Michael Heiser: The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible [https://www.amazon.com/Unseen-Realm-Recovering-Supernatural-Worldview/dp/1577995562] * Willis J. Beecher: The Prophets and the Promise (c. 1908) [https://www.amazon.com/Prophets-Promise-Willis-Judson-Beecher/dp/1428626611]

Literary Narrative

Overview In this episode, Dennis and Levi provide a quick, engaging introduction to the core genre of Scripture: biblical narrative. If you've ever wondered how the Bible tells stories or what you should be looking for as you read, this episode serves as a tease for what is to come. Our ultimate goal is to explore the story of Scripture, piece these narratives together into one grand meta-narrative, and make Jesus known. What We Explore: * The Grand Story: The majority of the Bible is narrative, and even other genres (like poetry and prophecy) advance the meta narrative, or overarching story. * Literary Tools: We discuss essential elements to look for, such as plot, characters, the narrator's voice, and intentional repetition. * Brilliant Editing: We examine how seemingly out-of-place stories, like Tamar in Genesis 38, are actually masterful connections to the larger narrative and the lineage of David. * Experiencing Stories: The wooing of Rebekah in Genesis 24 perfectly illustrates a beautifully crafted story with a happy ending. * Narrative Analogies: We look at parallel storylines—like God calming the storm in Jonah 1 and Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4—that highlight exactly what the text intends to teach us. Resources Mentioned: * The Poetics of Biblical Narrative by Meir Sternberg [https://www.amazon.com/Poetics-Biblical-Narrative-Ideological-Literature/dp/0253204534] * The Art of Narrative Analogy: Identifying and Interpreting Parallel Passages in the Bible by Seth Postell [https://www.christianbook.com/narrative-analogy-identifying-interpreting-parallel-passages/9781540967497/pd/967497?en=google&event=SHOP&kw=academic-20-40%7C967497&p=1179710&utm_source=google&p=1229912&dv=c&cb_src=google&cb_typ=shopping&cb_cmp=1082047678&cb_adg=175624485249&cb_kyw=&utm_medium=shopping&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=1082047678&gbraid=0AAAAAD_dTHYmlN3en9qbMKgjLZPJFEBxu&gclid=Cj0KCQjwv-LOBhCdARIsAM5hdKf5HrxyB6-MZmlYuqOtMdytmDQ-1G7Gd0BvLkhxeIj1HMIaNoXceOQaAjjrEALw_wcB]

The Power of Story

HeBelieved Episode 2: The Power of Story In this episode, we explore why we are "all about the story." While modern Christianity is often defined by Systematic Theology (ST), we look at why the narrative of Scripture is the primary way we are meant to encounter God and shape our worldview. Key Discussion Points * Systematic Theology vs. Narrative: ST is a human response to Scripture—a helpful tool for defining orthodoxy, but a human construct nonetheless. We discuss the risks of elevating "systems" to the level of the text itself. * The Modernist Trap: How the Enlightenment shifted our focus toward scientific dissection of God rather than experiencing the story He told. * Worldview and the Heart: A worldview isn't just an intellectual exercise; it is a "heart commitment" that connects our limited, physical experience to the transcendent Creator. * The Goal of the Narrative: Scripture explains how we came to be, why we are here, and where we are going. It isn’t a textbook; it’s a story that shapes our reality. Resources Mentioned * The Literature of the Bible [https://www.amazon.com/Literature-Bible-Leland-Ryken/dp/0310324114] by Leland Ryken * The Art of Biblical Narrative [https://www.amazon.com/Art-Biblical-Narrative-Robert-Alter/dp/1541609271/ref=sr_1_6?adgrpid=189237650071&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.22P66Yx5JvzyPqe9sQpJAzBmcLB_rQZrW8jmmSLDvkU0qVJxsVhQ6g3KYlwaV1JuX_HIga8oCgz7p8Bt8zWlQ5M79r5ajitmlkD-H6KZk5DevYkM8wW-u3wfNkWtuXnjSaxsaNmjbnya2G_goTUt8RC2GFxhScmYlao9m6jiAAr-er-1TCIvCKS3W9liVKIbABM0kg7GS-B9PQtUxCEleYqyNzztSgSZPl4MeHafVaM.qUY-VKCvlKqjj5thBygzBVSkmaxSJyO1yI8YineITAM&dib_tag=se&hvadid=792885122044&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9023960&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=2018525462760900186--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2018525462760900186&hvtargid=kwd-332240042836&hydadcr=2899_13892064_2445780&keywords=robert+alter+art+of+biblical+narrative&mcid=aa5a8588274a3cb8bf9dd93c38098aa6&qid=1773922917&sr=8-6] by Robert Alter * Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative [https://www.amazon.com/Poetics-Interpretation-Biblical-Narrative-Berlin/dp/1575060027] by Adele Berlin Summary Scripture is story, and story is powerful. While Systematic Theology is a helpful tool for defining orthodox limits, we must be careful not to let it replace the narrative as the Bible presents itself. Ultimately, the story of Scripture is intended to shape our own stories and our relationship with the Creator.