🔑 Key 6: The GENRE KEY (Part 1) uNLOCKING HOW TO READ EACH BOOK
- Thad DeBuhr
- Nov 23
- 11 min read
Updated: 13 hours ago
Day 8 of 11: STOP Reading the Bible Wrong: Use the 6 Keys to Unlock Context
Imagine you have a complex project, and you try to read the instructions for building a bookshelf as if they were a heartfelt poem. You focus on the rhythm and the flowery language, completely ignoring the numbered steps and diagrams. You would end up with a mess.
This is exactly what happens when we read the Bible without the Genre Key.
The Bible is not one flat book; it's a library of different types of literature, or genres, wrapped up in one single, overarching story. If you read a poem (like the Psalms) as if it were a direct command (like the Law), you will misapply the text every time.
The Question is: How do we follow the rules of the genre we are reading while never losing sight of the one big, unified story?
Before you dig into the story in this lesson, I would encourage you to read through the passage in two different bible translations from this list: NIV, NLT, NASB, ESV, NKJV
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Setting the Scene: Genre is the Rulebook
The Genre Key provides you with the Master Map of the Bible. It teaches you how to identify the type of literature you are reading and understand the specific rules for interpreting that type of writing. This key prevents the misapplication of specialized sections—like taking a verse of emotional poetry and turning it into a rigid, universal law.
Every genre in the Bible has its own rulebook for how it should be read and applied. You must read the text according to the literary rules that the original author used.
The Bible is a Library, Not A Book
To truly grasp the Genre Key, you must start thinking of the physical Bible you hold in your hands as a little library, not a single book.
Walk into any public library, and you immediately see different sections dedicated to different literary genres. Fiction is here, non-fiction is over there, and history is back against the wall. This system of separating and organizing books according to genre is incredibly helpful; it sets your expectations and determines how you read.
As Christians, we have to adopt this same mindset. The Bible is a little library made up of 66 books written by approximately 40 authors over thousands of years, and this little library includes 8 different genres of literature. Once you know this, you can unlock a whole new level of accuracy and enjoyment when reading the Bible.
Here is your new three-step routine for reading success:
The Library Reminder: First, you pick up your Bible and remind yourself: "I'm going to my Bible Library."
The Genre Check: Next, you open it to the book you want to read. Then you pause and ask yourself, "What section am I in? Is this book History, Narrative, Poetry, or Apocalyptic?"
The Rule Review: Once you know what type of book you're about to read, you do a quick brush-up on that type of literature: What is it? How do you read it? What did the author intend when they wrote it?
Only after these quick steps are you actually ready to begin reading. This is called setting yourself up for Bible reading success!
The Eight Genres (Focusing on the First Four Today)
1. Law (Examples: Leviticus, Deuteronomy)
What it is: The rules and instructions God gave the nation of Israel for how to live, govern, worship, and perform duties (like the role of the priests).
How to read it: Read it as a specific contract given to a particular nation (ancient Israel) at a particular time. Don't assume every rule applies directly to your life today without understanding the covenant context.
2. History (Examples: Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Acts)
What it is: Straightforward accounts of real events, wars, kings, and great adventures. The historical record of God working in the world.
How to read it: Read it to understand what happened and why God was leading people through those events. Use outside history (secular sources) to make the events and settings more real.
3. Narrative (Examples: The Gospels, Ruth, Esther, Jonah)
What it is: Stories about people, especially biographical accounts like the four Gospels about Jesus. They tell a crafted story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
How to read it: Focus on the main point or lesson the author is trying to teach through the story. Don't get stuck on minor details, but look for the central purpose and flow.
4. Wisdom (Examples: Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes)
What it is: Practical advice and observations about how life generally works. They are like short sayings that help you live skillfully, but they are not guarantees.
How to read it: Read for general, common-sense life guidance and good moral lessons. Do not read them as guaranteed promises that will always come true, because life sometimes doesn't follow the rule.
(We will cover Poetry, Epistles, Prophecy, and Apocalyptic tomorrow in Part 2.)
Illustrative Example: The Genre of Proverbs
This distinction is crucial. When a reader treats a Proverb (Wisdom Literature) like a divine promise or a mathematical equation, they misread it.
For example, the saying: "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
Misapplied: If you follow the steps, your child is guaranteed to turn out perfect. (This treats it like a Law or a binding promise).
Genre Key Meaning: Proverbs are general, time-tested observations on how life usually works. They are practical wisdom for guiding a child toward the path of human flourishing, but they are not a magical guarantee against human free will or outside circumstances.
You must read wisdom literature as wisdom, not as Law.
The Master Map (The Unified Story)
The second part of the Genre Key is seeing the Bible as one grand, unified story. Every single book, chapter, and verse fits into the Master Map.
The Bible's main story can be broken down into three main acts:
Creation/Kingdom Established (The Beginning): God creates the world and establishes His perfect rule (Genesis 1-2).
The Fall/Kingdom Lost (The Long Middle): Humanity rebels and the relationship with God and creation is broken (Genesis 3 - Revelation 19). This is the long middle section where all the history, law, prophecy, and struggles take place.
Redemption/Kingdom Restored (The End): God fixes the broken world through Jesus, leading to a full restoration of creation (Revelation 20-22).
When you understand this map, you can read any Old Testament story and ask: "How does this person/event point forward to the coming redemption (Jesus)?" This prevents you from reading the Old Testament as an unrelated history book and helps you see Jesus on every page.
Applying The Genre Key: Your Decoder Guide
When you encounter a new book or chapter, the goal is always to pause and ask two core questions: "What am I reading? And where does it fit on the Master Map?"
Here is your four-point checklist for making sure you read the Bible correctly every time:
1. Identify the Genre
Before reading, quickly look up or recognize the genre of the text (e.g., Law, Narrative, Prophecy, Poetry, Epistle). This step defines the rules for interpretation.
🛑 Doing it Wrong (The Default Mistake): You open up Psalm 23 and just start reading it as "inspirational thoughts," assuming every line is a literal promise that applies to you today.
✅ Doing it Right (Setting the Rules): You open up Psalm 23 and identify it as Poetry. You know this means you should look for deep feelings and metaphors, not literal commands.
2. Determine the Rule
Ask: "What are the rules for reading this type of writing? Should I look for an emotional truth (Poetry) or a specific historical contract (Law)?"
🛑 Doing it Wrong (Misusing the Rule): You read a Law passage in Leviticus about which animals are "clean" or "unclean" to eat. You decide this rule must apply to all Christians today, ignoring that Jesus changed these rules in the New Testament.
✅ Doing it Right (Context is Key): You recognize the passage as Law and ask: "Is this a specific contract for ancient Israel, or a timeless command for everyone?" You correctly conclude it was a specific contract related to that time and nation.
3. Place it on the Map
Ask: "Does this passage fall in the 'Kingdom Established,' the long 'Kingdom Lost,' or the 'Kingdom Restored' section of the Bible's story?"
🛑 Doing it Wrong (Just a Moral Story): You read the story of David and Goliath and conclude the only lesson is, "Be brave and always stand up to bullies." You miss the grander story entirely.
✅ Doing it Right (Seeing the Big Picture): You place the David and Goliath story in the 'Kingdom Lost' section of the Bible. You now understand it's not just a moral tale; it's a critical moment in Israel's history that shows God is establishing the line of the Messiah.
4. Find the Connection to Jesus
If the passage is from the Old Testament ("Kingdom Lost"), ask: "How does this event or rule show the need for Jesus, or how does it point toward the solution that Jesus provides?"
🛑 Doing it Wrong (Only Seeing the Past): You finish reading the book of Exodus and only see Moses leading people through the desert, leaving the story feeling finished and far away from your life.
✅ Doing it Right (Seeing the Fulfillment): You read Exodus and ask how it points to Jesus. You see Moses rescuing people from slavery, and you correctly conclude that Moses is pointing to Jesus, who is the ultimate Rescuer who saves all people from the slavery of sin. Every Old Testament book points forward to the solution God provides in Jesus!
(Remember to look for Part 2 tomorrow where we cover Poetry, Epistles, Prophecy, and Apocalyptic!)
FEATURED RESOURCE:
Meet Your Resources 📚
How many times have you listened to a powerful sermon or teaching, heard the context revealed, and thought, "That's incredible! How did the pastor know that?"
Often, teachers will say, "Here's this great study method," but they don't give you the rest of the essential information: what reliable resources they use, or how they discovered the rich historical and political intel they are including in their lesson. That changes here.
With this series, we want to be completely transparent. We want to teach you the method (The Six Keys) AND point you directly to the trusted resources we use to teach those keys. These commentaries are your investment in understanding the Worldview Key and applying it to every biblical book.
Your Essential Context Library
1. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament
Overview: This volume is structured like a commentary, moving through the New Testament book by book, verse by verse. It focuses entirely on providing the cultural, historical, and social background needed to understand the text. It helps you see the Honor/Shame conflicts, the Greco-Roman cultural pressures, and the common rabbinic practices that influence the text.
Why it helps with the Worldview Key: It is essentially a Worldview Translator, giving you rapid access to the cultural details behind Paul's arguments or Jesus's parables, making sense of why characters acted the way they did.
2. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament
Overview: The Old Testament counterpart to the New Testament volume. It provides cultural, historical, and archaeological notes on virtually every passage in the Old Testament, explaining the tribal society practices, ancient Near Eastern laws, and the temple's central role in the Hebrew worldview.
Why it helps with the Worldview Key: It illuminates the Hebrew mindset, showing how their life was completely governed by external covenant obligation (their form of honor/shame) rather than personal, internal feelings of guilt.
3. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Set: Old Testament
Overview: A multi-volume, richly illustrated set that digs into the historical, geographical, and archaeological context of the Old Testament. It features photos, maps, and drawings that bring the ancient Near East to life, helping you visualize the agrarian and tribal societies.
Why it helps with the Worldview Key: The illustrations and in-depth articles provide a visual and thematic understanding of the cultural pillars—from village life and family structure to the political hierarchy of the surrounding empires—making the Honor/Shame context tangible.
4. Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary Set: New Testament
Overview: The New Testament companion set, focusing on the Greco-Roman world, the social stratification, and the various Jewish sects of the first century. It provides detailed commentary on the cultural situations behind the Gospels and Epistles.
Why it helps with the Worldview Key: This resource excels at explaining the Greco-Roman cultural clash, detailing the honor-seeking values of Paul's audience (e.g., in Corinth or Ephesus) and making clear why the Gospel message was so revolutionary to people seeking public status.
💡 Budget Recommendation: Best Bang for the Buck
If you are just starting and need to choose the most cost-effective and accessible tools, I highly recommend starting with The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament and The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Old Testament.
These two volumes together provide the most direct, practical, and comprehensive cultural commentary for your budget, making them the best choice for immediately applying the Worldview Key to your daily reading.
A Word on Study Bibles
Most modern Life Application Study Bibles are designed to help you find quick, topical tips for your personal struggles today. While there may be truth in their takeaways, they often guide you toward a quick, modern conclusion without first requiring you to think about the Bible as an ancient text, not written to you today. They prioritize a personal takeaway over the original historical context.
To truly master the method of The Six Keys, you need a study Bible that prioritizes the WHEN and the WHO before the what-should-I-do-today.
To that end, I would strongly suggest you put your life application study Bible on the shelf for this season and go with a resource that focuses on the necessary context instead: the Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible.
The Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible
This excellent study Bible is available in a few different translations, and knowing the difference between them will help you choose the best fit for your style of reading and studying.
To truly master the method of The Six Keys, you need a study Bible that prioritizes the WHEN and the WHO before the what-should-I-do-today.
Choosing Your Best Fit: Translation Guide
This great resource is available in the NIV (New International Version), NKJV (New King James Version), and NRSV (New Revised Standard Version). Here is a breakdown to help you choose:
The New International Version (NIV): This is a very popular and highly recommended choice for new readers. The NIV works to achieve a good balance between being very accurate to the original words and making the text flow naturally in modern English. It's easy to read and understand without losing the seriousness of the ancient message.
Best for: Most new Bible readers who want clarity and easy reading for their initial deep dive.
The New King James Version (NKJV): This version keeps the traditional tone and rhythm of the classic King James Bible but updates the older, confusing language. It works hard to match the original words precisely.
Best for: Readers who prefer a more traditional, formal sound but still want the accuracy needed for serious study.
The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV): This translation is highly valued by scholars and universities for its precise, literal translation of the original languages. Because it prioritizes literal word-for-word accuracy, the phrasing can sometimes feel a little less natural or fluent to a brand new reader.
Best for: Readers who are ready to tackle a slightly more technical reading experience for maximum scholarly precision.
I have the hard copy of this version, but upon recent searches, it does not appear to be available except on Amazon Kindle or E-Book versions.
This resource offers thousands of detailed notes that specifically explain the customs, political situations, and historical backdrop necessary for correct interpretation. It moves you past superficial applications and into the rich, true meaning of the original message.
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES WITH THIS STUDY GUIDE
See viewer comments and questions on screen at the end of the podcast.
🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-daily-bible-podcast-with-pastor-thad/id1838217398
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🎧 Listen on Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/2a5a9f7e-e5b3-4fd6-a523-20da6910774a
🎧 Listen on PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/pw/pbblog-xbsb7-1450dee
MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
Your Jesus Journey is an independent, non-denominational Christian ministry. We're fueled by God's grace and the generosity of our supporters. Our team—led by Pastor Thad and his wife Kaila—is made up of dedicated disciples from all over the United States. Together, we work to help people understand the Bible, find Christian friends, and grow as disciple-makers.
Be sure to grab our free E-Book, "Stop Reading the Bible Wrong: 7 Strategic Shifts that Change Everything." Just click the Free Gift button at the top of our website, and we'll send it to you today!
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To learn more about YJJ, Thad and Kaila, and Your Jesus Journey, check out our ABOUT US section: https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/learn-about-thad-and-kaila-and-the-journey-church-online.
There's lots more to see and learn on our website, from our "what we believe" page to hundreds of blogs. We encourage you to swing on by and take a look around at www.YourJesusJourney.com!
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