introduction for a bible essay

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How to Write an Exegesis

Last Updated: December 19, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 96% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 107,637 times. Learn more...

An exegesis is an essay that focuses on a particular passage in the Bible. A good exegesis will use logic, critical thinking, and secondary sources to demonstrate a deeper understanding of the passage. You may be required to write an exegesis for a Bible study class or write one to broaden your understanding of the Bible. Start by taking notes on the passage and making an outline for the essay. Then, write the exegesis using your interpretations and your research. Always revise the exegesis once you are done so it is at its best.

Starting the Exegesis

• You may also want to read the passage from a number of different translations aloud so you get a better sense of it. Though you will choose only one translation of the passage for the exegesis, it doesn't hurt to look at other translations.

• You should also consider the grammar and syntax of the passage. Notice the structure of the sentences, the tenses of the verbs, as well as the phrases and clauses used.
• For example, you may circle words like "sow," "root," and "soil" in the passage because you think they are important.
• You may also note that the passage ends with "Whoever has ears, let them hear," which is the standard refrain for a parable in the Bible.

• You can also look for articles, essays, and commentaries that discuss the literary genre of the passage as well as any themes or ideas that you notice in the passage.

• Section 1:Introduction
• Section 2: Commentary on the passage
• Section 3: Interpretation of the passage
• Section 4: Conclusion
• Section 5: Bibliography

Writing the Exegesis

• You can also mention the literary genre, such as whether the passage is a hymn or a parable.

• For example, you may have a thesis statement like, “In this Bible passage, one learns about the value of a good foundation for inner and outer growth.”

• For example, if you were writing about Matthew 13:1-8, you may discuss the language and sentence structure of the parable. You may also talk about how the passage uses nature as a metaphor for personal growth.

• You can also discuss the broader context of the passage, including its historical or social significance. Provide context around how the passage has been interpreted by others, such as theological scholars and thinkers.

• If you are writing the exegesis for a class, ask the instructor which citation style they prefer and use it in your essay.

• Your instructor should specify which type of citation style they want you to use for the bibliography.

Polishing the Exegesis

• You can also try reading the essay backwards to catch spelling errors, as this will force you to focus on each word to confirm it is spelled correctly.

• You should also revise the essay to ensure it is not too long. If there is a word count for the exegesis, make sure you do not go over it.

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About This Article

An exegesis is an essay that deconstructs and analyzes a Bible passage. To write an exegesis, first read your chosen Bible passage carefully and take notes on the interesting parts. You should also read other secondary texts about your passage, like theological articles and commentaries, to help you build your argument. To structure your exegesis, start by introducing your passage and providing a thesis statement that sums up your key ideas. Then, expand your argument over the next few paragraphs. Use quotes from the passage and from your secondary sources to strengthen your argument. Finish your exegesis with a conclusion that reaffirms your key points. For more tips, including how to get feedback on your exegesis, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Write Bible Verses In An Essay

• by Samuel Solomon
• June 11, 2023
• 7 minute read

Incorporating Bible verses in an essay can significantly enhance the depth, credibility, and persuasiveness of the message being conveyed.

The Bible is a revered and authoritative text for millions of people worldwide, containing profound wisdom, moral teachings, and spiritual insights.

By including relevant Bible verses, writers can tap into this rich source of knowledge and connect with readers on a deeper level and learn how to write Bible verses in an essay.

The purpose of this article is to provide practical guidance and tips for writers on how to effectively incorporate Bible verses into their essays.

Understanding the significance of context, selecting appropriate verses, and interpreting them correctly are essential elements in successfully integrating Bible verses.

By offering insights and strategies, this article aims to help writers utilize Bible verses in a thoughtful and impactful manner.

1. Understanding the Context

 choose relevant bible verses that align with the essay’s theme or topic:.

When selecting Bible verses to include in an essay, it is crucial to ensure their relevance to the essay’s theme or topic.

The chosen verses should provide valuable insights, support arguments, or reinforce the central message of the essay.

By carefully considering the essay’s focus, writers can identify verses that effectively contribute to the overall coherence and depth of their writing.

Study the verses in their biblical context to grasp their meaning and intended message:

To fully comprehend the meaning and intended message of selected Bible verses, it is essential to study them within their biblical context.

Reading the surrounding verses, chapters, or entire books helps to understand the historical, narrative, or theological framework in which the verses were originally written.

This contextual understanding enables writers to accurately interpret and effectively convey the intended meaning of the verses in their essay.

Consider the historical and cultural background to enhance interpretation:

The historical and cultural background of biblical texts can provide valuable insights into their meaning and significance.

Considering the historical context, such as the time period, societal norms, and cultural practices prevalent during the biblical era, can shed light on the original intent of the verses.

This understanding allows writers to provide a more nuanced interpretation and present the verses in a manner that resonates with contemporary readers.

2. Selecting Appropriate Verses

Identify key themes or concepts that relate to your essay’s subject matter:.

To select appropriate Bible verses, it is essential to identify the key themes or concepts that are relevant to your essay’s subject matter.

Consider the main ideas or arguments you are presenting and determine the specific biblical teachings or principles that align with those themes. By pinpointing the core aspects of your essay, you can then search for verses that directly address or support those themes.

Conduct thorough research to find verses that address those themes:

Once you have identified the key themes, conduct thorough research to find Bible verses that specifically address or explore those themes.

Utilize concordances, Bible study guides, or online resources to search for verses related to your chosen topics. Take the time to read and evaluate different passages to find the most relevant and impactful verses that will enrich your essay.

Seek guidance from biblical commentaries or scholarly sources for deeper understanding:

To gain a deeper understanding of the selected verses and their context, it can be helpful to consult biblical commentaries or scholarly sources.

These resources provide valuable insights, interpretations, and historical context that can enrich your understanding of the verses.

By seeking guidance from reputable commentaries or scholarly works, you can gain a broader perspective and ensure the accurate representation of the verses in your essay.

3.  Introducing Bible Verses

Use introductory phrases or statements to prepare readers for the biblical quote:.

When incorporating Bible verses, it is important to prepare readers for the upcoming quote by using introductory phrases or statements.

These phrases can provide a smooth transition and signal to the readers that a biblical reference is about to be presented.

For example, you can use phrases like “According to Scripture” or “In the words of the Apostle Paul” to indicate that a verse is forthcoming.

Provide context or a brief explanation before quoting the verse:

Before quoting the verse, provide some context or a brief explanation to help readers understand its relevance and intended meaning within the essay.

Share a concise summary of the situation or event described in the verse or provide a brief overview of the biblical narrative from which the verse is taken. This context will assist readers in grasping the significance of the verse in relation to your essay’s argument or message.

Consider using the author’s name and the book and chapter of the Bible for clarity:

To ensure clarity and accuracy, consider including the author’s name, book, and chapter of the Bible when introducing the verse .

For example, you can write “As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:2” or “In the book of Psalms, chapter 23 , David proclaims.” This citation style provides clear attribution and allows readers to locate the verse easily if they wish to further explore the context.

4. Quoting and Formatting Bible Verses

 follow the appropriate citation style (e.g., mla, apa, chicago) for bible references:.

When quoting Bible verses in your essay, it is important to adhere to the specific citation style required by your academic institution or the guidelines you are following.

Different citation styles may have variations in how Bible references are formatted , such as the placement of commas, abbreviations, or italics. Ensure you are familiar with the specific guidelines for citing Bible verses in the chosen citation style.

Quote verses accurately, including chapter and verse numbers:

When quoting Bible verses, accuracy is crucial. Include the chapter and verse numbers to provide a clear reference for readers.

This ensures that readers can locate the verse easily and verify the information. For example, if quoting John 3:16 , make sure to include both the chapter and verse number in the citation.

 Use quotation marks or block quotes, depending on the citation style:

Depending on the citation style, you may need to use quotation marks or block quotes to distinguish the quoted Bible verses from the rest of your text.

Quotation marks are typically used for shorter verses or when the verse is incorporated within a sentence.

Block quotes, on the other hand, are used for longer verses or when you want to set the quoted text apart from the main body of your essay. Familiarize yourself with the specific guidelines of the chosen citation style to ensure proper formatting.

 5.Interpreting and Analyzing Bible Verses

Analyze the meaning and significance of the quoted verse within the essay’s context:.

After quoting a Bible verse, it is crucial to analyze its meaning and significance within the context of your essay.

Consider the verse’s relevance to your argument or thesis and explore its deeper implications.

Examine the words, themes, and ideas expressed in the verse and reflect on how they contribute to the overall message of your essay.

Provide your interpretation and insights, relating the verse to your essay’s argument or thesis:

As the writer, it is important to provide your own interpretation and insights when analyzing Bible verses.

Share your understanding of the verse and its connection to your essay’s argument or thesis.

Explain how the verse supports or strengthens your main ideas and provide a clear explanation of the verse’s relevance within the context of your essay.

 Support your analysis with additional biblical references or scholarly sources, if applicable:

If relevant and necessary, support your analysis of the quoted Bible verse with additional biblical references or scholarly sources.

This can help provide further context, expand on the themes or ideas presented in the verse, and offer a well-rounded understanding of the topic. Use reputable commentaries, scholarly articles, or other scholarly works to support and enhance your analysis, if appropriate.

6. Reflecting on Personal Application

Discuss how the quoted verse relates to your personal beliefs or experiences:.

After analyzing and interpreting the quoted verse, discuss how it relates to your personal beliefs or experiences.

Share how the verse resonates with you on a personal level and explain why it holds significance in your own life. This personal reflection adds depth and authenticity to your essay, allowing readers to connect with you on a more personal and relatable level.

  Share insights or lessons learned from the verse and how it impacts your perspective:

Reflect on the insights or lessons you have gained from the quoted verse and discuss how it has impacted your perspective or understanding.

Share any transformative or enlightening experiences that have resulted from engaging with the verse.

By sharing your personal insights, you invite readers to consider their own perspectives and potentially find meaning or inspiration in the verse as well.

Encourage readers to reflect on the verse’s application in their own lives:

encourage readers to reflect on the verse’s application in their own lives. Invite them to consider how the verse’s teachings, principles, or messages can be relevant and impactful in their own personal journeys.

By prompting readers to reflect and apply the verse’s wisdom to their own lives, you empower them to engage with the material on a deeper level and potentially experience personal growth or transformation.

it is important to emphasize the significance of effectively incorporating Bible verses in essays.

Bible verses carry profound wisdom, moral teachings , and spiritual insights that can add depth and credibility to your writing.

By integrating relevant verses, you tap into a powerful source of guidance and inspiration that resonates with readers on a deeper level.

Incorporating Bible verses effectively allows you to enrich your arguments, strengthen your message, and engage with readers in a meaningful way.

• how to write bible verses in an essay

Samuel Solomon

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• 8. Step Five (continued): Back to our research
• 9. Step Five and a Half: Taking notes
• 10. Step Five (continued): Keep researching
• 11. Step Six: More reading and more research
• 12. Step Seven: Repeat Steps One and Two
• 13. Step Eight: Writing the essay - arranging your material
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13. Step Eight: Writing the essay – arranging your material

Having undertaken the bulk of your reading and research, it is now time to

A Thesis Statement

Here is mine:

Who was Amos, what did he achieve, and why did he do it?

On reflection, I may decide that I do not want my Thesis Statement to be a question so I can recast this as:

A survey of the life of the prophet Amos outlining his achievements and discussing his motivation.

You are not obliged to agree with my thesis statement but if yours is radically different you had better have some good reasons to be able to defend your thesis.

Checking for relevance

Looking for central points.

Look at how your essay can be structured . By now it should be apparent that you have lots of material on some aspects of the essay so use these as your central points (“chapter” sounds too big). Have you found out lots about what it means to be a prophet? Use this as a key point. Or has your research given you plenty of material on the religious life of eighth century Israel? Then focus on this. Always remembering that your essay is about the prophet Amos and that you need to give specific attention to him as well as more general attention to his background. Look at your provisional outline from Step Four.

Now is the time to move everything into its final position.

Ordering your points

A. Introduction B. Judah and Israel in the Eighth Century B.C. C. The Call of the Prophet Amos D. The Mission of the Prophet to Israel E. The Book of Amos F. Conclusion G. References

We have not yet said anything about the “Introduction” and “Conclusion” but you need both, so put them in. We can fill in the details later.

“Judah and Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.” is background. The material needs to be covered but not in so much detail that it dominates the essay. Keep to the point!

“B.C.” is a standard abbreviation (for “Before Christ”) but be aware that some prefer the politically correct “B.C.E.” for “Before the Christian / Common Era”. The policy of the British Bible School is to use the traditional and Christ-honouring “A.D.” and “B.C.” although whether or not you use the full points is up to you: AD and BC seem to work just as well without them.

“The Call of the Prophet Amos” could include some background material on the call of prophets in general – but only in so far as it helps us to keep moving towards our goal. If you have found some useful material on the call of prophets in general you could document it within a footnote so you can return to it later without it taking over your essay on Amos.

“The Mission of the Prophet to Israel” needs some background. What was the problem and why did God have to send a Judahite to Israel to address this problem? This section should send us into the text of the Book of Amos for our answers.

“The Book of Amos” might need an outline of the book itself and you may wish to ask who wrote it and when and also how much of the record is historically accurate. Sceptics will be sceptical here but you should be able to find some responses that defend the reliability of Scripture. Again, your arguments may need to be summarised in footnotes to keep your essay manageable.

“References” will list all sources from which you quoted both directly (within quotation marks) and indirectly (as summaries of what was said) as well as all other sources that have helped you.

A logical sequence

B. Judah and Israel in the Eighth Century B.C.

1. Judah: loyal to the House of David

2. Israel and the Sin of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat

3. Israel During the Reign of Jeroboam II

We could say more but too much background is too much.

On a more serious level, it is important to prepare carefully when writing about a complex subject. Your object throughout is to sort your material into a few simply-arranged groups and sometimes your research and preparation will take longer than the writing, which can be disappointing: all that work to produce a couple of paragraphs! But if you can get to the point and keep to the point every word should make a contribution and we, when we assess your essays, look for quality not quantity.

A reasonable conclusion

Make sure your conclusion is a consequence of what you have written. If you write something along the lines of “Amos is therefore one of the greatest prophets in the Bible” are you certain the body of your essay has in fact shown this to be true?

Reviewing headings

Review your title and sub-headings critically. They should identify and not merely describe the subject matter under them. Do not try to be too clever. You are not writing headlines for a newspaper and amusing puns and other types of word play are not appropriate in what is intended to be a serious piece of work. Brevity is desirable but three or four precise and informative words are better one or two vague ones.

Visual aids

Consider what use you can make of visual aids. Maps, timelines, photographs, all can help get your point across but do not use them merely for decorative purposes or filler. A map showing Tekoa in relation to Jerusalem and Bethel is going to be much clearer than trying to describe it. Do not forget that all visuals need a title and if you have taken them from another source you must give appropriate credit.

Checking footnotes

• To give full details of quotations or references given in the text. (Some prefer to include Biblical references within parentheses in the text rather than relegating them to footnotes. This is a matter of personal style.)
• To indicate authorities or sources of additional information.
• To show that you are aware of alternative points of view.

A footnote is made by placing a superscript number 1 after the quotation and the same number at the foot (bottom) of the page with the comment or bibliographic details in a smaller font size if typing or in your usual handwriting but under a ruled line if writing by hand so as to separate the footnotes from the body of the text. For example:

Some doubt the necessity of Bible study but most Christians would disagree. As John Job says:

“The purpose of Bible study is thus that the message of a particular passage should become part of us. This is our objective in the long run with the Bible as a whole. This aim may be achieved, as we have made clear, in a variety of ways, but it can be achieved only with effort.” 2

And at the bottom of the page we see: (see below)

It is worth introducing two Latin phrases that you often meet in footnotes: ibid. and op. cit. Both are in italics as they are foreign words (underline them if writing by hand) and both have full points after them as they are abbreviations. Ibid. is short for ibidem , “in the same place” and is used if the same source is used again directly after the first quote. If you quote from the same source after quoting from another source in between then the author’s surname (or the editor’s name, if appropriate) is given, followed by op. cit. or loc. cit . followed by the page number. Op. cit. is short for opere citato , “in the work cited” and loc. cit. is loco citato , “in the place cited”. Do not worry – you will get used to all this jargon. Here is another good one before you get sick of all this Latin: sic, “thus”.

This common word is used by writers and editors to indicate an apparent misspelling or a doubtful word or phrase in a source being quoted. ‘This dessiccant [ sic ] is useless.’ ‘The meeting was the most fortuitous [ sic ] I ever attended.’ Insertion of sic in these examples absolves the quoter of misspelling the word ‘desiccant’ and misusing the word ‘fortuitous’ and lays the blame – if blame it is – on the source quoted.

(It is not generally considered necessary to give page numbers when quoting from a dictionary as the reader can be assumed to know that these are arranged alphabetically and so the entry for sic comes after sesquipedalian verba (“oppressively long words”) and before sic itur ad astra (“this is the path to immortality”) but I do not suppose that this is a major point.)

< Step Seven: Repeat One & Two    Step Nine: Writing > 

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• Job, John B., Studying God’s Word, 1972:10

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How to Write a Paper on a Biblical or Theological Topic

Writing research papers is an excellent way to learn because it trains you to gather information, interpret it, and persuasively present an informed opinion. The process teaches you a great deal, but it also equips you to contribute to ongoing discussions on a given topic.

Here’s the basic process of writing a research paper on a biblical or theological topic, either for a class or for your own personal research. Start at the top, or skip to what topic interests you most.

• Pick a topic
• Research your topic
• Construct an outline
• Draft your paper
• Revise and refine

Pick a Topic

Choosing the topic you want to research is often easier said than done. But perhaps the best advice to get the ball rolling is to narrow your scope. When your topic is too broad, you’ll likely find too much information (much of it unhelpful). But when your topic is appropriately focused, you can hone in on the information you need to gather and get down to the business of interpreting it.

For example, choosing to write a paper on the topic of sanctification is too broad to be helpful. But if you narrow your focus to a specific question about sanctification (for example: How do spiritual disciplines contribute to our sanctification?), you’ll find better direction for your research.

Remember, you don’t have to be an expert on the question you want to find an answer to—that’s what the research process will accomplish. You should, however, have an interest in the question and in finding an answer (or several!) to it.

For more on the process of researching and writing a paper, check out these resources:

• The Craft of Research  – particularly chapter 3
• Writing & Research: A Guide for Theological Students  by Kevin Gary Smith
• Logos Academic Blog:   Work with Librarians to Help Students Write Better Papers

Logos Theological Topic Workflow

The Theological Topic Study Workflow in Logos guides you through the steps of studying a theological topic. It taps into the Lexham Survey of Theology and the built-in Theology Guide to give you the topic’s broader context, basic concepts, and issues associated with the topic. Review the biblical support and go deeper in your theological study by reading relevant sections from systematic theologies.

Research Your Topic

With your topic selected, it’s time to find the resources you’re going to use and dig into them. You may find that one resource offers the best discussion of your topic, but you can’t stop there! Researching well means considering opinions that differ from each other (and probably from your own). It’s in the conversation that emerges from engaging with multiple perspectives on a topic that real insight and understanding emerge.

Start the research phase by reviewing literature and building your bibliography, then consult standard sources and peer-reviewed journals.

1. Conduct a literature review and build your bibliography

The process of conducting a literature review and building a bibliography is an iterative process. It’s not a one-time step but a step you’ll return to repeatedly as you move through your research.

Essentially, in this step, you’re discovering what resources exist and cataloging them. As you begin to read the resources you discover, you’ll likely find references to other works that you’ll then want to read.

Logos Topic Guide

The Topic Guide gathers information from your library about a topic or concept. Using the Logos Controlled Vocabulary dataset , the guide finds topics in your Bible dictionaries and other resources that correspond to the key term you enter.

2. Consult standard sources

Encyclopedias, commentaries, theological dictionaries, concordances, and other theological reference tools contain useful information that will orient you to the topic you’ve selected and its context, but their biggest help to you at this stage will in their bibliographies. Be sure to check the cross-references often.

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, rev. ed.  by E. A. Livingstone and F. L. Cross

The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, since its first appearance in 1957, has established itself as the indispensable one-volume reference work on all aspects of the Christian Church. This Revised Edition, published in 2005, builds on the unrivaled reputation of the previous editions. Revised and updated, it reflects changes in academic opinion and Church organization.

Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity (3 vols.)  by Angelo Di Berardino

The Encyclopedia of Ancient Christianity covers eight centuries of the Christian church and comprises 3,220 entries by a team of 266 scholars from 26 countries representing a variety of Christian traditions. It draws upon such fields as archaeology, art and architecture, biography, cultural studies, ecclesiology, geography, history, philosophy, and theology.

Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (TDNT) (10 vols.)  by Gerhard Kittel, Gerhard Friedrich, Geoffrey William Bromiley

This monumental reference work, complete in ten volumes, is the authorized and unabridged translation of the famous Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament, known commonly as “Kittel” and considered by many scholars to be the best New Testament dictionary ever compiled.

3. Consult peer-reviewed journals

Even if you’re writing on a single text (like John 15:1–8 or Dionysius the Pseudo-Areopagite’s The Divine Names), you need to see what your contemporaries have to say about it to situate your research in its context. This means consulting peer-reviewed journals. As you read, you’ll discover where scholars agree and disagree and how the study of that topic has advanced over time.

Journal of Hebrew Scriptures (11 vols.)

The Journal of Hebrew Scriptures is an academic, peer-reviewed journal devoted to the study of the Hebrew Bible, and provides a forum for critical scholarly exchange. You’ll find hundreds of articles from top Hebrew scholars on trends in Hebrew and Old Testament scholarship, including historical, literary, textual, and interpretive topics.

Construct an Outline

This step is incredibly important, but it’s often overlooked. Start by refining your topic based on your research, then arrange your notes and research materials into a clear outline that will guide you toward a convincing and coherent argument.

See chapters 8 and 9 of  The Craft of Research  for more guidance on constructing your outline.

Draft Your Paper

You are now ready to draft your paper. Your initial focus is to expand your outline into paragraph form as straightforwardly as possible. While your outline will be essential as you draft, you don’t have to stick to it absolutely. You may discover as you write that a different structure or organization will better advance your argument. While you’re at it, add relevant quotations from your research to clarify your points or support your arguments.

Revise and Refine

Notice the word “draft” in the previous step. That word is intentionally selected because, arguably, the most important part of the writing process is in your revisions. Drafting gets the ball rolling, but revising is where you refine and revise your previous drafts, ensuring your argument is clear and forceful.

Before you send your final paper, you’ll want to make sure you’re writing clearly and using the right style. If you are in school, follow the rules of your academic handbook. If not, adopt a common style guide like APA, Turabian, or the  SBL Handbook of Style , and consult online guides like  EasyBib  or the  Chicago Manual of Style   for help. You can also find helpful writing advice in  The Elements of Style .

If there are multiple paragraphs, just add another paragraph tag. If you need more padding, use an additional text block section as you see below.

While this structure is helpful, you may find that some variation of it works better for you. Go with what works because, at the end of the day, a thoroughly researched and well-written paper is what you’re after.

See how Logos can power research and aid you in the writing process.

Logos Staff

Logos is the largest developer of tools that empower Christians to go deeper in the Bible.

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• Research and Course Guides
• Biblical Exegesis

Introduction

Biblical exegesis: introduction.

1. Choose a Passage

2. Examine the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background

3. Perform Exegesis of Each Verse

4. Offer an Overall Interpretation

5. Provide an Application of the Passage

• 6. Finding Books
• 7. Finding Articles
• 8. Citing Sources
• Theological Reflection Papers

This research guide is designed around the basic types of Bible resources available to our students for beginning a biblical exegesis paper .  Many instructors also design their assignments with these basic research resources in mind. Therefore this guide has several sections based on the most common types of Bible tools.

• Backgrounds
• Commentaries
• Journal Articles

Be certain that you fully understand your professor’s instructions for your paper (often an  exegesis  of a text), since there is room in the process for individual variations. Needless to say, always follow your instructor's requirements and advice!

The typical steps involved in doing exegetical work can include the following:

• Establish or orient the context of the pericope in the Biblical book as a whole
• Examine the historical context or setting
• Analyze the text.  This can involve literary, textual, grammatical, and/or lexical analysis
• Critical analysis: employing various critical methods to ask questions of the texts
• Theological analysis
• Your analysis and/or application

A pericope comes from the Greek language, meaning, "a cutting-out".  It is a set of verses that forms one coherent unit or thought, thus forming a short passage suitable for public reading from a text, that usually refers to sacred scripture.

Steps in writing an exegesis paper.

Although your professor may have specific instructions that differ from what this guide presents, here are the basic steps common to most exegesis papers. You may go step-by-step, or jump to the topic of interest to you.

There is an additional thing you need to consider:

* Document Your Sources Correctly (See Citing Materials tab above).

First, Choose a Passage.

Oxford Biblical Studies Online

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Oxford Biblical Studies Online   

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Biblical studies & exegesis.

• Bible Atlas From Credo Reference collection
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• Blackwell Companion to the Hebrew Bible

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Maintained by Biblica. Biblica is the new name for IBS-STL Global. IBS-STL launched a new identity, including a new name—Biblica—to reflect its expanding vision and focus for transforming lives through God's Word. The new name is part of a rebranding process that began with the merger of International Bible Society and Send the Light in 2007. 

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• An Introduction to Theology & Religion Resources
• Bible LITE - Introductory Sources Only the most useful databases, reference tools and books for introductory level Biblical research.
• Historical Jesus Examines the life of Jesus of Nazareth and considers how much the historian is able to reconstruct the life of Jesus using the historical method.
• Moral Theology
• History of the Classical World
• Citing Theological Sources: How to Do A Bibliography

Credit where credit is due:

• Adapted from a Research Guide from Azuza Pacific Univeristy Azuza's guide was created by Dr. Kenneth D. Litwak, Reference Instructor, University Libraries, October, 2008, and posted by Michele Spomer of Azuza Pacific..
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Andy Naselli

Thoughts on theology, how to write a theology essay.

September 19, 2012 by Andy Naselli

Michael P. Jensen.  How to Write a Theology Essay . London: Latimer Trust, 2012. 78 pp.

Each of the twenty chapters (titles in bold below) ends with a bullet-point summary:

1. How not to lose heart before you start

• The topics of theology really matter
• The knowledge of God is not the preserve of the very clever
• Starting to write theology is a challenge that can be fun!

2. What is theology in any case?

• Theology is a species of reason, subject to the Word of God
• Theology is a form of speech
• Theology is evangelical: it about God and his deeds
• Theology is evangelistic: it is an invitation to submit to the Lordship of Christ

3. What is a theology essay?

• An essay is an invitation to persuade
• The object of the theology essay is to say true things about God
• The theology essay deals with ideas and concepts
• It is not merely a summary of Scripture

4. The responsibility of theology

• Theology is answerable to God and must be done with prayerful reverence
• Theology is best done in service to God and his people

5. Choosing the question

• Choose a topic that interests you, but look carefully at the question
• Avoid a topic that is a contemporary church controversy where possible
• Consider what others are doing

6. Analysing the question

• What higher level task am I being asked to do, explicitly or implicitly?
• Am I being asked to find a cause or a purpose, or trace a connection, or describe something?
• What is the measure I am being asked to use, explicitly or implicitly?
• Where is my question located in the context of the ongoing theological conversation?
• Are there any extra features of the question that I have to take into account?

7. Beginning to think about it

• Get your brain moving early on
• What different ways of answering the question are there?
• Do some preliminary quick reading to orient yourself to the topic

8. Brainstorming

• Get everything you can think of down on paper in no particular order
• What thinkers might be relevant? Especially look for potential opponents
• What passages of Scripture might be worth investigating?

9. How to read for theology essays (and what to read)

• Read to gain basic information
• Read to gain nuance and subtlety
• Read to develop arguments
• Read to find stimulating conversation partners and ‘surprising friends’
• Read to find out what the opposition says

10. Using the Bible in theology essays

• You have to read Scripture as a whole to do theology biblically
• Orthodoxy helps you to read Scripture theologically
• Avoid prooftexting and word studies

11. How to treat your opponents

• Treat your opponents with respect
• Avoid cheap shots and caricature

12. Some advice on quoting

• Use quotations sparingly
• The author nailed it
• You want to prove your opponent really does say that
• You are expounding a view to learn from it
• Quote SHORT
• Quote faithfully to the author

13. Types of argument for your essay

• Volume knobs, not on/off switches

14. The classic introduction

• Your introduction should set the scene and frame the question
• Your introduction should state your answer to the question
• Your introduction should give an indication of how you are going to answer the question

15. Why presentation matters, and how to make it work for you

• Presentation does matter
• The essential principle: don’t distract your reader

16. How to write well in a theology essay

• Be a reader of great writing
• Don’t be afraid of metaphors
• Learn the simple rules of English punctuation
• Be clear, and avoid vague words

17. The art of signposting

• Use headings
• Use summative sentences
• Use questions that flow

18. Bringing home the bacon

• Your conclusion should add nothing new
• Make sure you have fulfilled any promises you have made
• If you do have some space, consider the implications of your essay for other areas of theology

19. What to do with it now

• Don’t be shy about thinking of ways in which your essay could have a second life

20. A footnote about footnotes

• Use footnote commentary sparingly
• Don’t hide extra words in your footnotes
• Take care that the footnote relates clearly to the text
• Use footnotes to protect yourself by showing that you have read widely

Related: 10 Issues I Frequently Mark When Grading Theology Papers

Reader Interactions

September 19, 2012 at 9:47 pm

…but there’s more to the book than the summaries! :-)

September 20, 2012 at 1:26 pm

This is a great article. Thanks!

Do you have any thesis ideas in the area of philosophy or apologetics with a theological tone?

[…] How to write a Theology Essay Just in case my students begin to think I’m for dumbing down. […]

[…] How to Write a Theology Essay | Andy Naselli […]

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Introduction to the Parables

Other essays.

The parables of Jesus have captivated readers for nearly 2,000 years. Characters like the prodigal son, good Samaritan, or Pharisee and tax collector have become well-known even outside the church. Overfamiliarity, however, can breed misunderstanding. It is often hard to re-create the trauma that some of Jesus’s stories would have caused his original audiences. At times, they seem to conceal truth at least as much as they reveal it (Mark 4:11–12). Parables tended to polarize crowds, drawing some people closer to Jesus while driving others away.

Only about half of the stories in the New Testament Gospels typically termed “parables” have that label attached to them in the text. We have come to recognize them more by their form than by any single word that introduces them. The Greek word parabolē, like the Hebrew mãshãl that it translates, was used for a wide variety of forms of figurative speech. A concise definition of a parable is that it is a short, metaphorical narrative. With or without an explicit comparison, it highlights aspects of the kingdom of God. It presents a series of events involving a small number of characters (people, animals, plants, even inanimate objects), most of which seemed realistic in Jesus’s world. At least one element in most parables, however, pushes the boundaries of plausibility. Along with their contexts in the Gospels, this quality reveals that they are fictional works designed to disclose spiritual truths.

History of Interpretation

The history of the interpretation of Jesus’s parables has been checkered. Critical scholarship has regularly found the stories to be as authentic as anything in the Gospels but has attributed their concluding words of explanation to the early Christian tradition or the Gospel writers themselves. A good parable, like a good joke, needs no interpretation; Jesus as master storyteller would not have explained his tales. The problem with this perspective is that we have hundreds of parables of the early rabbis from Jesus’s time onward, who almost always gave clear interpretations.

For much of church history, the dominant form of interpreting the parables swung the pendulum to the opposite extreme. Commentators viewed them as detailed allegories in which almost every element corresponded to some spiritual counterpart. In 1899, Adolf Jülicher published a massive two-volume German work, Die Gleichnisreden Jesu, on the history of interpretation of each parable. He demonstrated not only the frequency of allegorizing but also the number of contradictory allegorical interpretations of a given passage that had sprung up. He insisted that parables make only one main point and should not be treated allegorically at all.

Most subsequent scholarship has been a reaction to Jülicher: some accepted his views entirely, most modified them a little, and a few have suggested more significant alternatives. To accept him entirely, one had to deny that Jesus could have given the point-by-point explanations of the parables of the sower (Mark 4:14–20) and of the wheat and weeds (Matt 13:36–43). The wicked tenants (Mark 12:1–12) had probably been embellished as well, because it seemed transparently to teach about the coming crucifixion of God’s Son after God had repeatedly sent prophets to try to turn Israel from its evil ways—a clear allegory. Most other parables, nevertheless, could be seen as inculcating a single point: the persistent prayer commended by the parable of the widow and the judge (Luke 18:1­–8), the judgment coming on those who resemble the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23–35), or the inevitability of harvest reflected in the seed growing secretly (Mark 4:26–29).

On closer inspection, however, most of the parables appear more complex. Consider again the prodigal son in Luke 15:11–32. Those who have sought one point from this story throughout church history have offered three quite different clusters of topics. Some have focused on the possibility of repentance no matter how far one has strayed from God; others, on not begrudging God’s generosity to the wayward; and still others, on the amazing grace, love, and forgiveness of the heavenly Father. Must we choose only one of these as Jesus’s sole point, as Jülicher did, and decide on the third option? Interestingly, each of these themes emerges from reading the story from the perspectives of each of its three main characters—the prodigal, the older brother, and the father, respectively. Parables appear to teach one main lesson per main character.

Three-Pointed Parables

Approximately two-thirds of Jesus’s parables have a structure that resembles the story of the prodigal. A master or authority figure illustrates some dimension of God’s reign in the world. This figure could be a king, father, landowner, farmer, slave-master, shepherd, banquet-giver, and so on. A set of subordinates then relates to the authority figure in contrasting ways—servants, sons, tenants, seed, slaves, sheep, guests, etc. Often, but not always, there is a surprise as to which of the subordinates turns out to be the good one to be imitated. When one recognizes that multiple individuals can function as either the good or bad characters, one realizes how pervasive this structure is among Jesus’s parables.

For example, in the parable of the ten bridesmaids (Matt 25:1–13), the bridegroom is the master figure who interacts with both the wise and foolish young women. From his behavior, we learn that God may delay the arrival of the end of this age. Like the wise women, therefore, his followers will be prepared for “the long haul” if necessary. The delay is not forever, though, as the foolish women learn, and when that time comes, people’s destinies are irreversible. Identifying the wise women as followers who are prepared should surprise no one, though the bridegroom’s claim not to know the foolish bridesmaids (25:12) does not fit a normal wedding scenario and points to a second or symbolic level of meaning in the passage.

In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19–31), Abraham appears as God’s spokesman. This time the contrasting subordinates do cause surprise. Most in Jesus’s world would have assumed the beggar was poor as a punishment for sin, while the rich man was rich as a reward for his piety; instead, it turns out to be the reverse. The rich man’s concern for his still-living family members’ need for repentance (16:30) suggests that he knows he had never truly repented before God. That this story has the identical structure as other three-pronged stories of Jesus further ensures that it is indeed a fictional parable, not an account of real people, as has sometimes been postulated.

Sometimes the good or bad subordinates can be subdivided. Just like a good joke often begins with two or three similar individuals, then setting up a contrast with the last one (“A pastor, a priest, and a rabbi all went into a bar . . .”), so too in Jesus’s parables. The sower sows seed in four different kinds of soil, but only the last one produces the crop for which the farmer planted it. The seeds that grow briefly but wither or are choked out and die are thus not less mature followers but no true disciples at all, just like the seed that fell on the path and was eaten by birds. The contrast does not occur until one comes to the final seed, sown in the good soil. The surprise is the astonishing size of harvest for its day that it produces. The “law of end-stress” determines where the emphasis should be placed: on the good seed. The sower is a “comic” parable in the literary sense of the term—a story with a happy ending.

Jesus’s parables can also be tragic, though, with unhappy endings for characters who could have done better. The great dinner in Luke 14:16–24 has a banquet-giver as the authority figure and groups of contrasting subordinates: the originally invited guests who alike made up flimsy excuses at the last minute for not attending, and the replacement guests who came from the “riff-raff” of society. No one would have expected that reversal, and the climax of the parable is the final exclusion of the original invitees.

In another setting, Jesus reuses the main plot of the great dinner parable but expands it. The wedding banquet (Matt 22:1–14) employs a king as the master figure. Again, there are originally invited guests who refuse to come, followed by replacements, but here the latter are much more briefly described. Instead, Jesus adds a segment on a man without a wedding garment who tries to crash the party (22:10–13). The negative example in this parable is thus divided into two groups—those who overtly reject God’s kingdom offer, and those who act like they are accepting it but refuse to come on God’s terms. Both exclude themselves.

Not all three-pronged parables create a triangular diagram, with a master at the top and contrasting subordinates below. Two of Jesus’s parables can be diagrammed with a straight vertical line—a master, a subordinate under him, and one or more subordinates under the first one. The unjust steward (Luke 16:1–9) presents a master, his steward under him, and several debtors under the steward. The master commends the steward’s shrewdness, not his injustice (v. 8a), the steward , sadly, exemplifies greater shrewdness than many believers do (v. 8b), and the debtors help the steward out after he is fired (16:9)—the three points from the three characters are thus expressed sequentially after the story itself (16:1–7).

In the unforgiving servant (Matt 18:23–35), we have three successive scenes: first, the king displays amazing grace and forgiveness toward his servant (18:23–27); second, the lowest-level servant experiences the absurdity of not receiving grace when the servant over him had received so much (18:28–31); and, finally, the unforgiving servant experiences the full anger and judgment of his master (18:32–34),

In one case, the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29–37), the line connecting the three main characters of the story seems to be horizontal. There is no one person in a position of power who interacts with the other two. The “unifying” character is someone in a position of powerlessness—the man robbed and left for dead by the side of the road. Shockingly, the priest and the Levite together form the bad example by not stopping to help, while the Samaritan, just as amazingly, becomes the hero when he helps. There is a good model to imitate (10:37), but the story also teaches how religious duty cannot excuse lovelessness and how even an enemy can become one’s neighbor.

Two- and One-Pointed Parables

In about a sixth of Jesus’s parables, there are only two main characters or elements. Sometimes there is a master and subordinate, without a contrast. Other times, there are good and bad examples, without a master figure. The unjust judge exemplifies the first structure. While it is true from Luke 18:1 that Jesus taught about not losing heart in prayer (from the actions of the widow), verses 6–8 teach us what we should learn from the judge. If even an evil authority can be badgered and frightened into administering justice, how much more will God dispense it to those who ask for it? This “how much more” logic, also known as “from the lesser to the greater,” characterizes a number of Jesus’s parables. Too often, commentators have stumbled over the features of the authorities who do not display God’s attributes, especially when they seem overly harsh, without recalling that the dynamic of a parable is not that its characters match their spiritual counterparts in every respect, but merely in certain key aspects.

The very next parable in Luke, the Pharisee and the tax collector (18:9–14), illustrates the category of a short story with contrasting figures but no overt master. Jesus himself, after completing the story in verses 9–13, renders the verdict on behalf of God, that the tax collector went home “justified” rather than the Pharisee, and then derives the two points from the passage—those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and those who humble themselves shall be exalted (18:14).

In the remaining one-sixth of the parables, then, it seems that Jülicher was correct in affirming only a single point. Pairs of parables like the mustard seed and the leaven (Matt 13:31–33), the tower builder and the king going to war (Luke 14:28–32), and the treasure hidden a field and the pearl of great price (Matt 13:44–46) each have one main character and teach one central lesson. From them, we learn about the surprisingly large growth of the kingdom from tiny beginnings, about counting the cost of discipleship, and about giving up whatever is necessary to be a part of the kingdom, respectively.

The Power of Narrative

It is important to remember that all Jesus’s parables are couched in a narrative rather than didactic form. The power of good fiction is that it grabs one’s attention, sucks one into the plot, and makes one think it is about other people until it is too late. By the time one recognizes a parable’s metaphorical or even, in a limited sense, allegorical form, one has already identified with one or more of the characters and is caught in the trap. The one Old Testament narrative virtually identical in form to those Jesus told is Nathan’s parable of the ewe lamb (2Sam 12:1–10). In a potentially life-and-death move for the prophet, Nathan confronts King David over his adultery with, or rape of, Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah (by sending him to the front lines in battle to be killed). Uriah is like the poor man; Bathsheba, like the ewe-lamb. The rich man obviously represents David, and once David is hooked, he cannot deny that his behavior was as unjust as that of the rich man in the story, whom he has just condemned (12:5–6). The climax of the account comes in verse 7 when Nathan points the finger at David and declares, “You are the man!” David can no longer ignore his sins; fortunately, he repents (12:13; cf. Ps 51).

When Jesus’s parables have lost their shock value in today’s world, they need to be contemporized in order. The Jew robbed and left for dead may need to become a white evangelical man who is helped by a black Muslim woman after the senior pastor and worship leader from the local Reformed church pass him by! Whenever we face a hostile audience, the indirect rhetoric of compelling stories may help at least some people hear God’s Word more favorably.

Further Reading

• Bailey, Kenneth E. Poet and Peasant and Through Peasant Eyes . Grand Rapids:
• Eerdmans, 1983.
• Blomberg, Craig L. Interpreting the Parable . 2 nd ed. Downers Grove: IVP, 2012.
• Blomberg, Craig L. Preaching the Parables . Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004.
• Hultgren, Arland J. The Parables of Jesus . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
• Jeremias, Joachim. The Parables of Jesus . 3 rd ed. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1972.
• Lee-Barnewall, Michelle. Surprised by the Parables . Bellingham, WA: Lexham, 2020.
• McArthur, Harvey K. and Robert M. Johnston. They Also Taught in Parables . Grand Rapids:
• Zondervan, 1990.
• Snodgrass, Klyne R. Stories with Intent . Rev. ed . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2018.

This essay is part of the The Gospel Coalition Bible Commentary , edited by Phil Thompson. This essay is freely available under Creative Commons License with Attribution-ShareAlike, allowing users to share it in other mediums/formats and adapt/translate the content as long as an attribution link, indication of changes, and the same Creative Commons License applies to that material. If you are interested in translating our content or are interested in joining our community of translators,  please reach out to us .

Exegetical Papers: 1. Choose a Passage & Create a Thesis Statement

• Introduction & Overview
• 2. Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background
• 3. Perform Exegesis of Each Verse
• 4. Offer an Overall Interpretation
• 5. Provide an Application of the Passage
• 6. Finding Books
• 7. Finding Articles
• Turabian Citation Style
• ATLA Search & Video Tutorials
• Formatting Theses and Dissertations in Word 2010
• Quick Links & Databases
• Web Resources
• Online Reference Sources
• Scholarly vs. Non-scholarly Materials
• Avoid Plagiarism

What is your favorite passage in Luke's Gospel?

Jeremiah by Holly Hayes is licensed under a Creative Commons License .

Luke 4:16-21

• Online Concordance
• Online Bible Concordance Site: Biblegateway.com

WWW Button by Stuart Miles is licensed under a Standard License .

Concordances

A Bible concordance is a verbal index to the Bible. A simple form lists Biblical words alphabetically, with indications to enable the inquirer to find the passages of the Bible where the words occur.

Bible Concordances

Commentaries

I n-depth commentaries that treat a Book of the Bible chapter by chapter, are ideal for research. The only problem: there are so many commentaries! Here are some excellent ones.

• More Good Commentaries

These commentaries are in the RWWL library circulating collections.

• Abingdon New Testament Commentaries
• Calvin's Commentary
• Feminist Companion to the Bible
• Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching
• New Te stament Commentary 
• The New International Commentary on the New Testament
• The New International Commentary on the Old Testament

What's on this page?

• Choosing a Passage
• Creating a Thesis Statement
• Definition of Concordance

One Volume Commentaries

• Bible Concordances - Print
• Recommended Commentaries
• Gospel Parallels

Choose a Passage for Your Exegesis Paper

If your professor has assigned you a specific passage for your paper, you can skip the rest of this page. Otherwise, you need to choose a passage:

• From an appropriate place in an acceptable version of the Bible
• Of reasonable size
• With identifiable boundaries

Your passage would naturally come from the section of the Bible that your class covers. This guide will assume that your class includes the Gospel of Luke and you have decided to choose a passage from there. You can choose a passage you like, or that features a concept in which you are interested.

Suppose you are interested in studying the story of Jesus' Transfiguration. That is in Luke 9:28-36. So you could write your paper on that passage. Alternatively, you could write on a passage that contains a theme you want to study. Suppose you want to learn about Jesus' attitudes towards money, but you do not know where in Luke's Gospel to look for a passage about money. You can solve this by using a concordance.

A concordance is a tool that lets you look up a word, and see that word in its context in every place it occurs in the Bible. Since English versions of the Bible differ sometimes in how they translate words, you need to pick a concordance that matches your Bible version. (This assumes you are not working directly from Hebrew or Greek, which have their own concordances.) So, if you use the New Revised Standard Version , you could use  Concise Concordance to the New Revised Standard Version  (Call Number BS425 C655 1993 ).

Next, you need to determine if the passage is of reasonable size. Suppose you have to write a paper that is ten to twelve pages long. That would be about the right size for a passage that is around eight to fifteen verses long, depending upon the genre of the passage. An argument from Romans would probably take more space to interpret than a story in 1 Samuel, though this may not always be true. If you choose a passage that is too short, your paper will probably be too short, e.g., writing on John 3:16 would be a fairly short paper. On the other hand, Luke 1:1-80 is far too long. You could spend thirty pages on that and not be done. It depends in part upon the complexity of the passage. For this LibGuide, let's choose a simple narrative passage: Luke 1:26-38, the announcement to Mary of the coming birth to her of Jesus while she is a virgin.

In order to decide the number of verses to choose, you need to validate that you are doing a complete passage, not starting or stopping in the middle of a narrative or argument. In the case of Luke 1:26-38, you can tell that v. 26 is an appropriate beginning for this short narrative (called a pericope in biblical studies) because v. 26 provides a statement that indicates a new event is happening at a point later in time than 1:5-25. In Luke 1:26 it is stated that the angel Gabriel, six months after promising Zechariah that John would be born, was sent to Nazareth in Galilee by God. At the beginning of Luke 1:39, we again read about a transition to a new location, as Mary leaves to go visit her cousin Elizabeth. That makes Luke 1:38 the end of the announcement to Mary by Gabriel. This is fifteen verses, which is about the most you should consider doing for a typical exegesis paper. Shifts in time ("and it came to pass"), shifts in location ("went up to Jerusalem"), and shifts in topic ("There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in the Messiah Jesus") all indicate the beginning of a new narrative pericope or a new topic. Look for those as you seek the beginning and end of your passage.

You could verify the boundaries of your passage by finding a Bible that divides the text into paragraphs and seeing how it divides this passage. You should plan, however, to describe why you have chosen a particular set of verses and not more or less. The paragraphs are only the view of one modern editorial team, not part of the Bible itself. The chapters and verses in modern Bibles were put in many centuries after all the books of the Bible were written.

Go to the next tab above to learn how to examine the Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background of your passage.

Create a Thesis Statement

"Defining the Thesis Statement

What is a thesis statement?

Every paper you write should have a main point, a main idea, or central message. The argument(s) you make in your paper should reflect this main idea. The sentence that captures your position on this main idea is what we call a thesis statement.

How long does it need to be?

A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should present the topic of your paper and also make a comment about your position in relation to the topic. Your thesis statement should tell your reader what the paper is about and also help guide your writing and keep your argument focused.

Questions to Ask When Formulating Your Thesis

Where is your thesis statement?

You should provide a thesis early in your essay -- in the introduction, or in longer essays in the second paragraph -- in order to establish your position and give your reader a sense of direction.

Tip : In order to write a successful thesis statement:

• Avoid burying a great thesis statement in the middle of a paragraph or late in the paper.
• Be as clear and as specific as possible; avoid vague words.
• Indicate the point of your paper but avoid sentence structures like, “The point of my paper is…”

Is your thesis statement specific?

Your thesis statement should be as clear and specific as possible. Normally you will continue to refine your thesis as you revise your argument(s), so your thesis will evolve and gain definition as you obtain a better sense of where your argument is taking you.

Tip : Check your thesis:

• Are there two large statements connected loosely by a coordinating conjunction (i.e. "and," "but," "or," "for," "nor," "so," "yet")?
• Would a subordinating conjunction help (i.e. "through," "although," "because," "since") to signal a relationship between the two sentences?
• Or do the two statements imply a fuzzy unfocused thesis?
• If so, settle on one single focus and then proceed with further development.

Is your thesis statement too general?

Your thesis should be limited to what can be accomplished in the specified number of pages. Shape your topic so that you can get straight to the "meat" of it. Being specific in your paper will be much more successful than writing about general things that do not say much. Don't settle for three pages of just skimming the surface.

The opposite of a focused, narrow, crisp thesis is a broad, sprawling, superficial thesis. Compare this original thesis (too general) with three possible revisions (more focused, each presenting a different approach to the same topic):

• There are serious objections to today's horror movies.
• Because modern cinematic techniques have allowed filmmakers to get more graphic, horror flicks have desensitized young American viewers to violence.
• The pornographic violence in "bloodbath" slasher movies degrades both men and women.
• Today's slasher movies fail to deliver the emotional catharsis that 1930s horror films did.

Is your thesis statement clear?

Your thesis statement is no exception to your writing: it needs to be as clear as possible. By being as clear as possible in your thesis statement, you will make sure that your reader understands exactly what you mean.

Tip : In order to be as clear as possible in your writing:

• Unless you're writing a technical report, avoid technical language. Always avoid jargon, unless you are confident your audience will be familiar with it.
• Avoid vague words such as "interesting,” "negative," "exciting,” "unusual," and "difficult."
• Avoid abstract words such as "society," “values,” or “culture.”

These words tell the reader next to nothing if you do not carefully explain what you mean by them. Never assume that the meaning of a sentence is obvious. Check to see if you need to define your terms (”socialism," "conventional," "commercialism," "society"), and then decide on the most appropriate place to do so. Do not assume, for example, that you have the same understanding of what “society” means as your reader. To avoid misunderstandings, be as specific as possible.

Compare the original thesis (not specific and clear enough) with the revised version (much more specific and clear):

• Original thesis : Although the timber wolf is a timid and gentle animal, it is being systematically exterminated. [if it's so timid and gentle -- why is it being exterminated?]
• Revised thesis : Although the timber wolf is actually a timid and gentle animal, it is being systematically exterminated because people wrongfully believe it to be a fierce and cold-blooded killer.

Does your thesis include a comment about your position on the issue at hand?

The thesis statement should do more than merely announce the topic; it must reveal what position you will take in relation to that topic, how you plan to analyze/evaluate the subject or the issue. In short, instead of merely stating a general fact or resorting to a simplistic pro/con statement, you must decide what it is you have to say.

• Original thesis : In this paper, I will discuss the relationship between fairy tales and early childhood.
• Revised thesis : Not just empty stories for kids, fairy tales shed light on the psychology of young children.
• Original thesis : We must save the whales.
• Revised thesis : Because our planet's health may depend upon biological diversity, we should save the whales.
• Original thesis : Socialism is the best form of government for Kenya.
• Revised thesis : If the government takes over industry in Kenya, the industry will become more efficient.
• Original thesis : Hoover's administration was rocked by scandal.
• Revised thesis : The many scandals of Hoover's administration revealed basic problems with the Republican Party's nominating process.

Do not expect to come up with a fully formulated thesis statement before you have finished writing the paper. The thesis will inevitably change as you revise and develop your ideas—and that is ok! Start with a tentative thesis and revise as your paper develops.

Is your thesis statement original?

Avoid, avoid, avoid generic arguments and formula statements. They work well to get a rough draft started, but will easily bore a reader. Keep revising until the thesis reflects your real ideas.

Tip : The point you make in the paper should matter:

• Be prepared to answer “So what?” about your thesis statement.
• Be prepared to explain why the point you are making is worthy of a paper. Why should the reader read it?

Compare the following:

• There are advantages and disadvantages to using statistics. (a fill-in-the-blank formula)
• Careful manipulation of data allows a researcher to use statistics to support any claim she desires.
• In order to ensure accurate reporting, journalists must understand the real significance of the statistics they report.
• Because advertisers consciously and unconsciously manipulate data, every consumer should learn how to evaluate statistical claims.

Avoid formula and generic words. Search for concrete subjects and active verbs, revising as many "to be" verbs as possible. A few suggestions below show how specific word choice sharpens and clarifies your meaning.

• Original : “Society is...” [who is this "society" and what exactly is it doing?]
• Revised : "Men and women will learn how to...," "writers can generate...," "television addicts may chip away at...," "American educators must decide...," "taxpayers and legislators alike can help fix..."
• Original : "the media"
• Revised : "the new breed of television reporters," "advertisers," "hard-hitting print journalists," "horror flicks," "TV movies of the week," "sitcoms," "national public radio," "Top 40 bop-til-you-drop..."
• Original : "is, are, was, to be" or "to do, to make"
• Revised : any great action verb you can concoct: "to generate," "to demolish," "to batter," "to revolt," "to discover," "to flip," "to signify," "to endure..."

Use your own words in thesis statements; avoid quoting. Crafting an original, insightful, and memorable thesis makes a distinct impression on a reader. You will lose credibility as a writer if you become only a mouthpiece or a copyist; you will gain credibility by grabbing the reader with your own ideas and words.

A well-crafted thesis statement reflects well-crafted ideas. It signals a writer who has intelligence, commitment, and enthusiasm."

From the Center For Writing Studies

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

There are large numbers of "free standing" commentaries not part of a series. 

• Check the catalog (search for  commentaries  and the  name  of the Book)
• Browse the shelves (BS call numbers)

• << Previous: Introduction & Overview
• Next: 2. Historical, Cultural, and Literary Background >>
• Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 3:03 PM
• URL: https://research.auctr.edu/exegeticalpapers

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How to Write an Essay Introduction (with Examples)   

The introduction of an essay plays a critical role in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. It sets the stage for the rest of the essay, establishes the tone and style, and motivates the reader to continue reading. 

Table of Contents

What is an essay introduction , what to include in an essay introduction, how to create an essay structure , step-by-step process for writing an essay introduction , how to write an introduction paragraph , how to write a hook for your essay , how to include background information , how to write a thesis statement .

• Argumentative Essay Introduction Example: 
• Expository Essay Introduction Example 

Literary Analysis Essay Introduction Example

Check and revise – checklist for essay introduction , key takeaways , frequently asked questions .

An introduction is the opening section of an essay, paper, or other written work. It introduces the topic and provides background information, context, and an overview of what the reader can expect from the rest of the work. 1 The key is to be concise and to the point, providing enough information to engage the reader without delving into excessive detail. 

The essay introduction is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire piece and provides the reader with a roadmap of what to expect. Here are key elements to include in your essay introduction: 

• Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement or question to engage the reader. This could be a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or a compelling anecdote. 
• Background information : Provide context and background information to help the reader understand the topic. This can include historical information, definitions of key terms, or an overview of the current state of affairs related to your topic. 
• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position on the topic. Your thesis should be concise and specific, providing a clear direction for your essay. 

Before we get into how to write an essay introduction, we need to know how it is structured. The structure of an essay is crucial for organizing your thoughts and presenting them clearly and logically. It is divided as follows: 2  

• Introduction:  The introduction should grab the reader’s attention with a hook, provide context, and include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.  
• Body:  The body should consist of focused paragraphs that support your thesis statement using evidence and analysis. Each paragraph should concentrate on a single central idea or argument and provide evidence, examples, or analysis to back it up.  
• Conclusion:  The conclusion should summarize the main points and restate the thesis differently. End with a final statement that leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Avoid new information or arguments. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an essay introduction: 

• Start with a Hook : Begin your introduction paragraph with an attention-grabbing statement, question, quote, or anecdote related to your topic. The hook should pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to continue reading. 
• Provide Background Information : This helps the reader understand the relevance and importance of the topic. 
• State Your Thesis Statement : The last sentence is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be clear, concise, and directly address the topic of your essay. 
• Preview the Main Points : This gives the reader an idea of what to expect and how you will support your thesis. 
• Keep it Concise and Clear : Avoid going into too much detail or including information not directly relevant to your topic. 
• Revise : Revise your introduction after you’ve written the rest of your essay to ensure it aligns with your final argument. 

Here’s an example of an essay introduction paragraph about the importance of education: 

Education is often viewed as a fundamental human right and a key social and economic development driver. As Nelson Mandela once famously said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” It is the key to unlocking a wide range of opportunities and benefits for individuals, societies, and nations. In today’s constantly evolving world, education has become even more critical. It has expanded beyond traditional classroom learning to include digital and remote learning, making education more accessible and convenient. This essay will delve into the importance of education in empowering individuals to achieve their dreams, improving societies by promoting social justice and equality, and driving economic growth by developing a skilled workforce and promoting innovation. 

This introduction paragraph example includes a hook (the quote by Nelson Mandela), provides some background information on education, and states the thesis statement (the importance of education). 

This is one of the key steps in how to write an essay introduction. Crafting a compelling hook is vital because it sets the tone for your entire essay and determines whether your readers will stay interested. A good hook draws the reader in and sets the stage for the rest of your essay.  

• Avoid Dry Fact : Instead of simply stating a bland fact, try to make it engaging and relevant to your topic. For example, if you’re writing about the benefits of exercise, you could start with a startling statistic like, “Did you know that regular exercise can increase your lifespan by up to seven years?” 
• Avoid Using a Dictionary Definition : While definitions can be informative, they’re not always the most captivating way to start an essay. Instead, try to use a quote, anecdote, or provocative question to pique the reader’s interest. For instance, if you’re writing about freedom, you could begin with a quote from a famous freedom fighter or philosopher. 
• Do Not Just State a Fact That the Reader Already Knows : This ties back to the first point—your hook should surprise or intrigue the reader. For Here’s an introduction paragraph example, if you’re writing about climate change, you could start with a thought-provoking statement like, “Despite overwhelming evidence, many people still refuse to believe in the reality of climate change.” 

Including background information in the introduction section of your essay is important to provide context and establish the relevance of your topic. When writing the background information, you can follow these steps: 

• Start with a General Statement:  Begin with a general statement about the topic and gradually narrow it down to your specific focus. For example, when discussing the impact of social media, you can begin by making a broad statement about social media and its widespread use in today’s society, as follows: “Social media has become an integral part of modern life, with billions of users worldwide.” 
• Define Key Terms : Define any key terms or concepts that may be unfamiliar to your readers but are essential for understanding your argument. 
• Provide Relevant Statistics:  Use statistics or facts to highlight the significance of the issue you’re discussing. For instance, “According to a report by Statista, the number of social media users is expected to reach 4.41 billion by 2025.” 
• Discuss the Evolution:  Mention previous research or studies that have been conducted on the topic, especially those that are relevant to your argument. Mention key milestones or developments that have shaped its current impact. You can also outline some of the major effects of social media. For example, you can briefly describe how social media has evolved, including positives such as increased connectivity and issues like cyberbullying and privacy concerns. 
• Transition to Your Thesis:  Use the background information to lead into your thesis statement, which should clearly state the main argument or purpose of your essay. For example, “Given its pervasive influence, it is crucial to examine the impact of social media on mental health.” 

A thesis statement is a concise summary of the main point or claim of an essay, research paper, or other type of academic writing. It appears near the end of the introduction. Here’s how to write a thesis statement: 

• Identify the topic:  Start by identifying the topic of your essay. For example, if your essay is about the importance of exercise for overall health, your topic is “exercise.” 
• State your position:  Next, state your position or claim about the topic. This is the main argument or point you want to make. For example, if you believe that regular exercise is crucial for maintaining good health, your position could be: “Regular exercise is essential for maintaining good health.” 
• Support your position:  Provide a brief overview of the reasons or evidence that support your position. These will be the main points of your essay. For example, if you’re writing an essay about the importance of exercise, you could mention the physical health benefits, mental health benefits, and the role of exercise in disease prevention. 
• Make it specific:  Ensure your thesis statement clearly states what you will discuss in your essay. For example, instead of saying, “Exercise is good for you,” you could say, “Regular exercise, including cardiovascular and strength training, can improve overall health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.” 

Examples of essay introduction 

Here are examples of essay introductions for different types of essays: 

Argumentative Essay Introduction Example:  

Topic: Should the voting age be lowered to 16? 

“The question of whether the voting age should be lowered to 16 has sparked nationwide debate. While some argue that 16-year-olds lack the requisite maturity and knowledge to make informed decisions, others argue that doing so would imbue young people with agency and give them a voice in shaping their future.” 

Expository Essay Introduction Example  

Topic: The benefits of regular exercise 

“In today’s fast-paced world, the importance of regular exercise cannot be overstated. From improving physical health to boosting mental well-being, the benefits of exercise are numerous and far-reaching. This essay will examine the various advantages of regular exercise and provide tips on incorporating it into your daily routine.” 

Text: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee 

“Harper Lee’s novel, ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ is a timeless classic that explores themes of racism, injustice, and morality in the American South. Through the eyes of young Scout Finch, the reader is taken on a journey that challenges societal norms and forces characters to confront their prejudices. This essay will analyze the novel’s use of symbolism, character development, and narrative structure to uncover its deeper meaning and relevance to contemporary society.” 

• Engaging and Relevant First Sentence : The opening sentence captures the reader’s attention and relates directly to the topic. 
• Background Information : Enough background information is introduced to provide context for the thesis statement. 
• Definition of Important Terms : Key terms or concepts that might be unfamiliar to the audience or are central to the argument are defined. 
• Clear Thesis Statement : The thesis statement presents the main point or argument of the essay. 
• Relevance to Main Body : Everything in the introduction directly relates to and sets up the discussion in the main body of the essay. 

Writing a strong introduction is crucial for setting the tone and context of your essay. Here are the key takeaways for how to write essay introduction: 3  

• Hook the Reader : Start with an engaging hook to grab the reader’s attention. This could be a compelling question, a surprising fact, a relevant quote, or an anecdote. 
• Provide Background : Give a brief overview of the topic, setting the context and stage for the discussion. 
• Thesis Statement : State your thesis, which is the main argument or point of your essay. It should be concise, clear, and specific. 
• Preview the Structure : Outline the main points or arguments to help the reader understand the organization of your essay. 
• Keep it Concise : Avoid including unnecessary details or information not directly related to your thesis. 
• Revise and Edit : Revise your introduction to ensure clarity, coherence, and relevance. Check for grammar and spelling errors. 
• Seek Feedback : Get feedback from peers or instructors to improve your introduction further. 

The purpose of an essay introduction is to give an overview of the topic, context, and main ideas of the essay. It is meant to engage the reader, establish the tone for the rest of the essay, and introduce the thesis statement or central argument.  

An essay introduction typically ranges from 5-10% of the total word count. For example, in a 1,000-word essay, the introduction would be roughly 50-100 words. However, the length can vary depending on the complexity of the topic and the overall length of the essay.

An essay introduction is critical in engaging the reader and providing contextual information about the topic. To ensure its effectiveness, consider incorporating these key elements: a compelling hook, background information, a clear thesis statement, an outline of the essay’s scope, a smooth transition to the body, and optional signposting sentences.  

The process of writing an essay introduction is not necessarily straightforward, but there are several strategies that can be employed to achieve this end. When experiencing difficulty initiating the process, consider the following techniques: begin with an anecdote, a quotation, an image, a question, or a startling fact to pique the reader’s interest. It may also be helpful to consider the five W’s of journalism: who, what, when, where, why, and how.   For instance, an anecdotal opening could be structured as follows: “As I ascended the stage, momentarily blinded by the intense lights, I could sense the weight of a hundred eyes upon me, anticipating my next move. The topic of discussion was climate change, a subject I was passionate about, and it was my first public speaking event. Little did I know , that pivotal moment would not only alter my perspective but also chart my life’s course.” 

Crafting a compelling thesis statement for your introduction paragraph is crucial to grab your reader’s attention. To achieve this, avoid using overused phrases such as “In this paper, I will write about” or “I will focus on” as they lack originality. Instead, strive to engage your reader by substantiating your stance or proposition with a “so what” clause. While writing your thesis statement, aim to be precise, succinct, and clear in conveying your main argument.  

To create an effective essay introduction, ensure it is clear, engaging, relevant, and contains a concise thesis statement. It should transition smoothly into the essay and be long enough to cover necessary points but not become overwhelming. Seek feedback from peers or instructors to assess its effectiveness. 

References  

• Cui, L. (2022). Unit 6 Essay Introduction.  Building Academic Writing Skills . 
• West, H., Malcolm, G., Keywood, S., & Hill, J. (2019). Writing a successful essay.  Journal of Geography in Higher Education ,  43 (4), 609-617. 
• Beavers, M. E., Thoune, D. L., & McBeth, M. (2023). Bibliographic Essay: Reading, Researching, Teaching, and Writing with Hooks: A Queer Literacy Sponsorship. College English, 85(3), 230-242. 

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How to Read the Bible, Part 1: Introduction and Overview to the Bible

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Introduction and Overview of the Bible

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(This is a four-part series on How to Read the Bible.  Part 1, Part 2 ,  Part 3, Part 4 .)

I will assume that you are already convinced: the Bible is the very word of God. You’ve come to put your faith in Jesus as the divine Son of God, and you’ve seen that to honor Him as Lord, you must share His own view of the Scriptures — namely, what the Bible says, God says. Therefore, you believe that the Bible comes to us with the supreme authority of God Himself. It is true in all that it teaches.

Not only is the Bible true, you also believe it is sufficient. It tells us all we need to know about God and His saving work in Christ to be reconciled to Him and to live a godly life in this world. The Bible is the source of life, for the Spirit takes its words and applies them to our hearts so that through it, God reveals Himself to us personally. It is the Word of God empowered by the Spirit of God that brings the life of God into our lives.

For this reason, you believe that reading and understanding the Bible is essential to the Christian life. As the apostle Paul writes, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16–17). 1

I don’t doubt that God can use that in our lives, but I don’t recommend it. Perhaps you’ve heard of the person who tried this and first opened to Matt. 27:5, which reads, “Then [Judas] went away and hanged himself.” Then his Bible opened to Luke 10:37, ”Go and do likewise.” There must be a better way!

Maybe you started at the very beginning, resolved to read it straight through. That makes a lot of sense, but the Bible is a big book, and some of it may not seem to make much sense.

Many people get bogged down early on, when they encounter long sections of the book of Leviticus describing in meticulous detail the way in which bulls and goat were to be slaughtered and then presented on the altar in Israel’s worship.

What is one supposed to make of all of that? It seems so disconnected from life in our world that they give up their reading altogether.

In this series of four articles, I want to help people who want to read the Bible but aren’t sure how to do it. I begin with a general introduction, considering what the Bible is, providing an overview of its central story line and its central message. In the next two articles, we’ll delve into the subject of interpretation: how can we rightly interpret the Bible in its various literary forms? Finally, we’ll address the way in which God can work through the Bible to change our lives. My goal is to help you become avid Bible readers so that you can grow as lovers of God.

What Is the Bible?

First, note that the book we call the Bible is really a compilation of many books — sixty-six to be precise. These books were written by a least thirty different authors, each with his own particular interests and viewpoint and literary style. And these books are of many different literary forms. Some are historical books that tell a story.

The opening seventeen books of the thirty-nine books of what we call the Old Testament are of this genre. We’ll talk more about the story they tell in a moment.

In addition to the Gospels and Acts, the New Testament is largely composed of letters written by Paul and other authorized messengers with instructions to individuals and to churches.

Finally, the Bible ends with a book that has its own form, called apocalyptic, which communicates its message through wild visions filled with strange creatures. Each of these literary forms requires its own interpretive strategy to understand its message rightly.

Not only is the Bible a library of books written by many authors in many different forms, but it was also written over multiple centuries.

Unlike what is claimed for the Book or Mormon or the Qur’an, the Bible didn’t come down out of heaven full blown all at once. Instead, God used human authors (called prophets and apostles) to write what He wanted written during the course of His revealing work among His people in history.

This took place more than three thousand years ago. The last book of the New Testament, the Revelation of John, is thought to have been written near the end of the first century AD.

So the writing of the books of the Bible spans more than a thousand years. This is important because it means that there is a progression in the story the Bible has to tell.

We must know where any book fits in this long history, appreciating what has come before and what will come after. The great dividing line is, of course, between the Old Testament and the New; even within these two divisions, the location in time of each book is important in rightly understanding its message.

With so many different books written by so many authors over such a long time, how can we conceive of the Bible as a single book? Here we come to the Bible’s distinctive claim: God uses the words of human authors to speak His message. The Bible comes to us with a dual authorship—both human and divine.

The Spirit of God superintended the writing and the compilation of these many books to form the one book we need to know Him. This divine work of the one divine mind ensures that, in all its diversity, the Bible has a unified message. One of the most important principles for reading the Bible well is that we must read each individual part in light of the whole message. It is a message that is revealed in history, and it is to that story that we now turn.

The Bible’s Grand Story

Neil Postman, a communications professor at New York University, put it well: “Children everywhere ask, as soon as they have the command of language to do so, ‘Where did I come from?’ and, shortly after, ‘What will happen when I die?’ They require a story to give meaning to their existence.

Without air, our cells die.” And, “Without a story, our selves die.” 2 Everyone has to have some kind of story. It’s a story that answers the deepest questions of our lives: Who am I? What is wrong with the world? What can be done about it? And is there any hope for the future? Our lives can only have meaning if they are part of a larger story.

The Bible is unique among religious texts in that it takes the form of a narrative that tells the story of humanity in this world from beginning to end. Its opening chapter begins with God creating the heavens and the earth in which God fashions human beings to live in relationship with Him. Its final chapters describe the coming of a new heaven and a new earth in which He will dwell with His people. In between, we have a drama of a relationship disrupted by human rebellion and then restored by the gracious work of God.

This big, overarching story provides a framework within which the various smaller stories of the Bible fit. Knowing the basic plot of the Bible provides a kind of map to help you find your way around as you explore its many parts. The four acts of this drama can be captured in the expressions Creation, Fall, Redemption, and New Creation.

Act 1: Creation

First, the story of the Bible begins with the glorious God who acts in creation: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). The Bible begins with God, and rightly so, for God is the first cause of all other causes; He is the source of all that exists. In the opening chapter of Genesis, God’s creative work is set forth in the form of a work week in which the culmination of His work is the creation of human beings in His own image.

Several things stand out in this story of creation. First, the Bible affirms that God and this material world are distinct from each other. This world is not a part of God or an extension of the being of God. God stands without rival over His world, as its transcendent King.

He is the Author with a capital “A” of this story—all of history is, indeed, His-story. Second, the Bible affirms that God created an orderly world. The biblical story sets this forth in the description of the six days of creation.

However they are understood, they reflect a controlled and ordered process, reflecting God’s own wisdom. That’s what makes this a cosmos, rather than mere chaos. It is a rational process, not a random one, and it is this biblical understanding of the natural world that actually led to the rise of modern science.

Third, we see that this ordered world has a purpose. The narrative of Genesis 1 builds in its six days to the crowning act of creation — the creation of human beings as male and female, created in the image of God. Human beings have a distinctive God-given character, unique among the creatures as personal beings, reflecting the personal nature of God. This is the source of our unique dignity as human beings — and of our responsibility toward one another. God has created us that way supremely so that we might know Him and love Him as the glorious source of love itself.

Act 2: Fall

But quite suddenly, in Genesis 3, a new character emerges into this idyllic world—a tempter. He is depicted as a serpent, a snake—a mere creature, certainly no rival to the sovereign rule of the Creator.

The tempter appears (and his mysterious appearance reflects the mystery of evil itself), and his role in the story emphasizes that there was nothing in human begins themselves, no natural cause, to prompt them to rebel against God’s rule. There was simply moral freedom, freedom reflecting God’s own freedom.

God had said to that first man, Adam, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it, you will surely die” (Gen. 2:16–17). But the tempter made this liberal permission with a single prohibition seem totally restrictive and restraining.

Through the temptation of the serpent, Eve and then Adam after her decided that God’s goodness toward them could not be trusted. In their own pride, wanting to become like God themselves, they rebelled against His rule and disobeyed.

This first act of disobedience toward God is called the fall, because of its awful consequences. For the first time, shame, fear, and guilt entered the experience of humanity. But the final result of this disobedience was judgment.

God, the glorious Creator, reveals Himself also as God the righteous Judge. God curses Adam and Eve for what they have done, and they are banished from the garden. Cut off from their relationship with God, death entered the world, and they died — spiritually and ultimately physically as well.

They died, and their children also eventually died. In fact, the sin that began so innocently with the bite of a single piece of fruit quickly escalated in the next generation into murder — fratricide — as Adam’s son Cain killed his brother Abel (Gen. 4). And the corruption of sin is depicted in the stories of Noah and the tower of Babel that continue through Genesis 11.

Act 3: Redemption

We turn now to the third act of the biblical story, which runs through to the end, including both Old and New Testaments. Here we come to the central tension of the biblical drama. Is there any way to redeem this fallen world and to overcome the polluting effects of sin unleashed by the rebellion of Adam and Eve? Will that goodness, that blessing of creation ever be regained? Can the broken relationship of humanity with its Creator ever be restored?

Scene 1: Old Testament Promise

Though hinted at earlier (cf. Gen. 3:16), it is at just this point that the plot line of the biblical story takes a decisive turn. The Lord in His grace calls a man named Abram, later called Abraham. We read in Gen. 12:1–3:

Now the Lord had said to Abraham, “Go from your country, your people, and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you;… and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

This introduces God’s gracious plan of redemption in the form of a covenant. God promised to bless Abraham, to make him into a great nation, to create a new people to whom God would reveal Himself, and, through this new people, to bring blessing to the world.

The Lord’s grace in redemption comes in two parts. The Old Testament story is one of promise. In the book of Genesis, God’s covenant promise to Abraham is passed to his son Isaac, and to Isaac’s son Jacob — and this Jacob, who had twelve sons, was renamed Israel.

The book of Exodus continues the story as these twelve sons, in the providence of God, ended up in Egypt, where their descendants increased in number, becoming twelve tribes, who in time became enslaved to the pharaoh.

But the promise continued. By the mighty acts of God, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt through the great Exodus through the Red Sea to Mount Sinai, where the Lord revealed Himself in glory and gave them His law by which this new nation was to be governed. The law revealed God’s own holiness and righteousness, and it bound the people to obedience.

It included an elaborate system of sacrifices that were to teach the people the seriousness of sin which deserved death. But at the same time, God, in His mercy and grace, provided through these atoning sacrifices a means by which sinful human beings might come to Him in worship.

Though Israel was rescued from slavery by God’s grace and given a new homeland, the people failed to respond to God’s love in faithful obedience. When they entered the Promised Land, they turned to the gods of the people all around them and turned their backs on the God who had rescued them. Can God’s justice ever be reconciled with His gracious purpose of redemption?

David united the nation, established Jerusalem as its capital city, and made plans to build a glorious temple; after he died, his son Solomon built that magnificent temple for the worship of the Lord.

The temple was to display the holiness of God and was to be a visual sign of the presence of God among His people, but it was continually defiled by false worship.

The kings became corrupt; the people engaged in idolatry and sexual perversion. They exploited the poor and even sacrificed their own children on the altars of pagan gods.

God sent His messengers, the prophets, to speak His truth to them, warning them of His judgment, but they did not listen. Their hearts were hardened, and, it seemed, their possession of the law of God only increased their own sinfulness.

Then, just as the prophets predicted as God’s punishment, first the northern tribes were conquered by the Assyrians, and then the tribes in the south were taken into exile to Babylon.

What was to become of the covenant of grace? What was to happen to this divine promise of redemption and the reestablishment of God’s good rule in the world? God’s people, who were to be His instruments for the salvation of the world, were themselves in need of a Savior. The law could not save them--only an act of God’s grace could rescue them from the grip of sin.

Nothing less than a new covenant would do. It was then, in the despair of exile, that the prophets spoke most clearly of a continuing promise when God Himself would come as their King to defeat their enemies and to establish His eternal kingdom.

The Israelites eventually returned to their homeland, but at the close of the Old Testament, they were still awaiting the fulfillment of God’s promise.

Scene 2: New Testament Fulfillment

When we turn the page and move from the Old Testament to the New, we open to the four Gospels, which tell the story of Jesus. The very first thing you notice is the way that the Gospel writers, the “evangelists” as they are called, seek to connect their story with what has gone before.

Matthew, in fact, begins with, of all things, a genealogy — tracing the lineage of Jesus back to Abraham, through the line of King David. The whole history of Israel was coming to its climax in the arrival of Jesus — the One who has come to save His people from their sins, and to bring God rule, God’s kingdom, into the world.

Through His authoritative teaching and miraculous acts of healing, Jesus showed Himself to be the Messiah, the Christ, God’s anointed King. He came as a new Adam, living the life of faithful love and obedience which had been God’s design for humanity from the beginning.

Mysteriously, the kingdom He came to bring would not be gained through military might, but through humble self-sacrifice. Jesus would die on a Roman cross as an atoning sacrifice, offering Himself in our place, and so displaying both God’s righteous judgment on human sin and His grace toward sinners.

As the prophet Isaiah had put it hundreds of years before, “He was pierced for our transgressions, was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isa. 53:5).

A New Beginning

After a period of forty days during which He was seen by his followers and as many as five hundred at one time, He ascended into heaven.

But He promised to return to earth—this time in glory to gather His people to Himself and to bring about the final destruction of evil and the complete restoration of God’s creation.

In the meantime, beginning on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to indwell and empower His followers.

They were to be witnesses of what God had accomplished in Jesus Christ and to call all people everyone to repent and believe this good news, this “gospel.”

The book of Acts tells the story of the early days of the church after Jesus’s departure, as the followers of Jesus went out from Jerusalem as far as Rome. We see this Jewish sect grow to become a worldwide people of Jews and Gentiles.

Most of the rest of the New Testament is a collection of letters written by these commissioned messengers of Christ instructing and encouraging the early Christians in their new way of life. They bear witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ and all that that means, calling the followers of Jesus to live faithfully before God as their Father until Jesus returns in glory.

Act 4: The New Creation

The Bible ends with a vision given to the apostle John of the final struggle with evil and the vindication of Jesus and His followers when Jesus Christ returns as King of kings and Lord of lords.

He will be seated on a great white throne to judge the nations, and anyone whose name is not found written in the Book of Life will be thrown into the lake of fire. A new heaven and a new earth will be revealed—like a great city coming down out of heaven from God, with a loud voice from the throne saying,

God’s dwelling place is now among his people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. (Rev. 21:1–4)

In this new heaven and the new earth a divine moral order will be established—all sin and evil will be judged. Those in rebellion to God’s rule will be cast into the outer darkness—to endure His wrath in an eternal corruption and death, while all those who have turned to Him in repentance and faith will be brought into His majestic presence to rule over a renewed creation. The great divide between heaven and earth will be overcome, and God will dwell with His people forever.

Start Reading!

The Bible is to be read with this story in mind. Its various and disparate parts all find their meaning in this grand drama of creation, fall, redemption, and new creation.

So where should you begin if you wish to read and understand the Bible? I suggest you begin in the middle. Begin by reading one of the four Gospels. Focus on Jesus, who forms the center of this story. Then go back to the prequel, as it were, the back story that provides the proper context for understanding who Jesus is. Read Genesis, and then follow the story of Israel.

Then go back to the New Testament and work forward to see the impact of Jesus, as His work continues through the work of the Spirit in Jesus’s authorized messengers, His apostles. Read the book of Acts and then the letters that follow to see how Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection and the coming of the Spirit are to make a difference in the lives of His followers. In the next article, we will look more closely at the various kinds of books in the Bible and consider how best to understand them. Until then, find a modern translation of the Bible and start reading!

William L. Kynes

Recommended Reading: Trent Hunter and Stephen Wellum,  Christ from Beginning to End: How the Full Story of Scripture Reveals the Glory of Christ  (Zondervan, 2018)

From beginning to end, the Bible reveals the glory of Jesus. But for many Bible readers, it doesn’t seem that simple. We’re often unsure how the Bible’s many stories, characters, events relate together and connect to Jesus. Some are tempted to force the pieces of the Bible together, making superficial jumps to him. Others give up trying to understand the Bible altogether.  Christ from Beginning to End  is written to help Christians understand better how every part of Scripture fits together to reveal the glory of Christ Jesus.

In Part 1, Wellum and Hunter reintroduce us to the Bible — what it is, how it comes to us, and what it’s centrally about. Then, in Part 2, they walk from one side of the Bible’s story to the other, carefully tracing the Bible’s storyline from Genesis to Revelation. As readers see how our triune God’s plan unfolds through his covenants, they will be equipped for a lifetime of seeing Christ’s glory in Scripture. From this book, you’ll learn how to:

Robert W. Wall and David R. Nienhuis, ed.,  A Compact Guide to the Whole Bible: Learning to Read Scripture’s Story  (Baker Academic, 2015)

This compact, one-semester introduction to the Bible prepares students to begin reading the biblical text as Christian Scripture, focusing on the meaning of Scripture for the church. The editors and contributors — experienced teachers with expertise in different parts of the Bible — orient students to the whole of Scripture so that they may read the biblical text for themselves. The book first explains what Christians believe about Scripture and gives a bird’s-eye survey of the whole biblical story. Chapters then introduce the story, arrangement, style, and key ideas of each division of the Old and New Testament, helping readers see how the books of the Bible make a coherent whole.

NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible,  D.A. Carson, general editor (Zondervan 2018)

Biblical Theology allows you to ponder the individual stories and themes of Scripture while observing how they all fit together in God’s grand biblical narrative.

With three articles introducing Biblical theology and 25 articles unpacking key themes of Scripture, the NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible equips you to follow the progressive unfolding of God’s story. Helpful introductions to books and sections of the Bible combined with 20,000 verse-by-verse study notes will guide you to a clearer understanding of every portion of Scripture.

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Home / Guides / Writing Guides / Parts of a Paper / How to Write an Introduction

How to Write an Introduction

Essays, as you know, contain an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Each element functions in a unique, yet unified way. For example, the body of the essay contains all of the important evidence that supports your thesis. However, it won’t make any sense unless the introduction first sets the stage. Clearly, a great introduction is important.

Strong introductions should present the main idea, as well as set the tone, the style, and the voice of the entire essay. Here are a few tips to help make that happen.

Guide Overview

• Prepare before you write
• Determine your thesis
• Build around your thesis

Spring is here—a good time for beginnings (and introductions)! The resources at EasyBib.com can help you with research paper ideas and a free grammar check to make sure your paper starts off on the right foot. There are also free guides if you need help with helping verbs , are curious about gender neutral pronouns , or have other grammar questions.

1. Prepare before you write

In the same way that an architect wouldn’t break ground for a new building without a blueprint, you shouldn’t write the intro until you have a solid idea of your topic and information you’ll be introducing. This could mean first doing preliminary research, an outline, and, most importantly, choosing a thesis that you can state in one or two sentences.

2. Determine your thesis

You thesis is the center of your entire paper. It should concisely and clearly communicate the main idea and purpose of your paper.

For those stuck on building your thesis, here’s a template to help you focus:

This essay about __________ will [argue/illustrate/defend/support/etc.—you choose the verb] the following main ideas; __________, __________, and __________.

It’s also a good idea to write many different drafts until you have a concise statement that sums up what you want your essay to accomplish. Feel free to experiment with the template, and to edit it for flow or continuity once you have the basic ideas in place:

This essay will illustrate that the novel Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is the quintessential coming of age story, that it’s still relevant over 50 years later, and finally, that Salinger remains an important voice in American literature.

3. Build around your thesis

Now imagine that, like an architect, it’s time to lay the foundation. The thesis statement, or the foundation, is the final sentence(s) of the introduction. It works as a bridge to the body of the essay, and informs your reader what to expect.

But what comes before the thesis? Obviously, the intro is more than just one or two sentences, so what else is in the first paragraph? Here’s the trick. Ask yourself: What is the best introduction to my thesis, or what is the best context for it?

You have many ways to do this. For example, using the Catcher in the Rye example above, you could provide a:

• Brief definition of the genre “coming of age stories”
• Short FAQ about the widespread influence of Salinger
• Brief summary of a movie that is also a coming of age story

Use your imagination and try different approaches! It doesn’t hurt to do several drafts before you discover the perfect introduction for your thesis.

Coming of age is often defined as crossing the threshold from childhood to adulthood. In literature and in film, it is often a very fraught process—after all, it’s a defining moment of our lives. It is usually accompanied by a loss of some kind, but also a gain of wisdom. We see this in our own lives; our first kiss, our first job, or even experiencing grief for the first time. Since coming of age is a universal experience, it helps us, as a culture, to have narratives that explain the process as a kind of guide or template, or even to just let us know we aren’t alone. This essay will illustrate that the novel, Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger, is still the quintessential coming of age story, that it’s still relevant over 50 years later, and finally, that Salinger remains an important voice in American literature.

Be sure to allow yourself the luxury of time to be creative, and experiment until you have the perfect introduction to your essay.

Your intro is strong, your body is on point, and your conclusion rocks—don’t forget to cite your sources! EasyBib.com offers free guides on the MLA bibliography format , how to create an APA citation , and what a Chicago in-text citation is.

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Introduction to the Bible

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Daily Bible Reading

Genesis 18:1-15 (gnt).

God’s Guiding Word: Promise

Introduction

Genesis 18:1–15: The LORD appears to Abraham, and Abraham is told by his three visitors that he and Sarah will have a son.

Today’s Key Verse: Genesis 18:14

[The LORD said]: “Is anything too hard for the LORD? As I said, nine months from now I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

18  The Lord appeared to Abraham at the sacred trees of Mamre. As Abraham was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the hottest part of the day,  2  he looked up and saw three men standing there. As soon as he saw them, he ran out to meet them. Bowing down with his face touching the ground,  3  he said, “Sirs, please do not pass by my home without stopping; I am here to serve you.  4  Let me bring some water for you to wash your feet; you can rest here beneath this tree.  5  I will also bring a bit of food; it will give you strength to continue your journey. You have honored me by coming to my home, so let me serve you.”

They replied, “Thank you; we accept.”

6  Abraham hurried into the tent and said to Sarah, “Quick, take a sack of your best flour, and bake some bread.”  7  Then he ran to the herd and picked out a calf that was tender and fat, and gave it to a servant, who hurried to get it ready.  8  He took some cream, some milk, and the meat, and set the food before the men. There under the tree he served them himself, and they ate.

9  Then they asked him, “Where is your wife Sarah?”

“She is there in the tent,” he answered.

10  One of them said, “Nine months from now I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son.”

Sarah was behind him, at the door of the tent, listening.  11  Abraham and Sarah were very old, and Sarah had stopped having her monthly periods.  12  So Sarah laughed to herself and said, “Now that I am old and worn out, can I still enjoy sex? And besides, my husband is old too.”

13  Then the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really have a child when I am so old?’  14  Is anything too hard for the Lord? As I said, nine months from now I will return, and Sarah will have a son.”

15  Because Sarah was afraid, she denied it. “I didn’t laugh,” she said.

“Yes, you did,” he replied. “You laughed.”

How does Abraham show hospitality to the three visitors? Why does Sarah laugh when she overhears what is told to Abraham? Recall yesterday’s reading (Genesis 17:17) when Abraham also laughs when God says that he and Sarah will have a son. We read today in verse 14, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” Have you ever experienced God’s intervention when faced with a situation that seemed impossible to endure or overcome? What was the outcome?

God of all possibilities, nothing is too hard or impossible for you. Strengthen my faith, and when trials come my way, remind me to place my trust in you. In your holy name, I pray. Amen.

Tomorrow’s Reading

Genesis 21:1–21: Isaac is born to Abraham and Sarah.

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Introduction

The indications of a revival of interest in the study of the Bible are numerous and encouraging. They are to be found in the increase of private and devotional reading of the Scriptures, the improvement of lesson helps for the Sunday School, the more conscientious preparation of the lesson among teachers in such schools, the increase of exegetical preaching, the organization of courses of Bible study in young people's societies in nearly all religious bodies, the increase of correspondence Bible work, the creation of Biblical departments in colleges and universities, the establishment of Biblical instruction in connection with state universities, and the organization of clubs and circles for the study of Biblical literature as possessing equal attractiveness with English and other literatures.

The study of the Bible is absolutely necessary to the development of the Christian life. The facts which the Scriptures present are basis of faith in the Christ and in the whole series of providential events which prepared the way for his final disclosure of the life and purposes of God. Only by acquaintance with these facts and the prophetic, devotional, and horatory discourses and meditations to which they gave occasion is one able to understand the Old and New Testaments as the records of our holy faith. The necessity of a daily return to the Scriptures as a means of spiritual nourishment and culture is the more apparent when one notes the fact that a great part of our religious life is made up of activities. This is true of the young people, whose organizations with their various committees and departments lay emphasis on service; it is true of the maturer members of the church, before whom is constantly placed the responsibility for the active ministries to which the gospel calls; and particularly is this true of missionary workers, pastors, teachers and others whose lives are consecrated to Christian service. Where the visible ministries of the church are so largely devoted to the expenditure of spiritual vitality there must be some means of nourishment and recuperation. This is provided in the reading and study of the Word of God, and the atmosphere of prayer in which these privileges should be enjoyed. The nourishment of the Scriptures is as necessary to the spiritual life as that of food to the body.

This hand-book is designed to afford suggestion and assistance to those who desire a fuller and more accurate knowledge of the Bible. It gives a brief summary of facts regarding the making and the purpose of the Bible; its chief divisions; short sketches of the various books, serving as introductions to their study; and various other material of an interesting and helpful sort to the reader and student of the Bible. The book has its purposes and its limitations. The former has been noted. The latter was set by the desire to put all the material into such a brief and convenient form that the little volume could be in reality what its name implies, a hand-book, constantly kept at hand for reference and suggestion.

A few suggestions as to a method of Bible reading and study may be found profitable.

1. Use the Revised Version of the Bible if possible. It is much superior to the Authorized or King James Version, not only because of its better interpretation of particular words and passages, but because the translators of 1881-1884 availed themselves of many principles of interpretation unknown to those of 1611. The Revised Version is not perfect, but it is a long advance over its predecessor and is gradually coming to take its place with those who desire to possess the best version of the Scriptures. There may be a feeling of reluctance on the part of those who have long used the older translation at the thought of giving up its familiar phrases, but one who has before him the most of his career as a Bible student cannot afford to deprive himself of the advantages resulting from the used of the Revised Version.

2. The Bible should be studied with a good map at hand for constant reference showing the localities, which were the scenes of the events recorded. If possible some good work on Biblical Geography should be at hand. One is never able so thoroughly to realize any event of which the Bible speaks, i. e., to make it real to himself, as when he visits the spot in person, or by the assistance of good description of the place, or possesses even a map to show its location and relation to other localities. Almost any good edition of the Bible, either of the Authorized or the Revised Version, contains a set of maps. They should be constantly used till the student is thoroughly acquainted with Biblical localities.

3. Some general plan of Biblical chronology should be used for frequent reference. No system thus far devised is altogether satisfactory, because the writers of the Bible were not particularly concerned about dates and give them usually in relation to other events, so that one is often able only to approximate the real time of an event. The chronology employed in the margin of the Authorized Version was that of Archbishop Ussher, and has been found quite unsatisfactory in many particulars as judged by light thrown, especially on Old Testament events, by recent researches among the records of nations with which Israel came into contact. An outline chronology of the leading periods and events in the Biblical history is given in the appendix to this handbook. Exactness of date is neither possible nor necessary in many cases, but a plan of dates relatively correct should be mastered by every student.

4. The gradual character of the Biblical revelation should be firmly impressed in the beginning of any study of the Scriptures. The divine purposes were disclosed only as they could be understood. A nation was chosen to be the channel of that revelation, and its education was to that end; not for its own sake, but for the world. The Old Testament is the record of that national discipline. Not everything could be taught at once, but only step by step could advance be made. Progress is seen through the whole of the Old Testament dispensation in the disclosure of truth and its embodiment in character, in preparation for the appearance of the Christ. The New Testament is the record of his manifestation to the world; of the gradual spread of the Gospel, and of the helps to the progressive realization of the Christian life.

5. The student should seek such familiarity with the books of the Bible that their names, groupings and contents can be instantly recalled. These items are all important. The knowledge of the names of the books of the Bible in their order is indispensable and easily acquired. To assist in the possession of this knowledge, and to render it still more accurate and detailed, it should be remembered that the Old Testament books fall into three groups, which, speaking in general terms, may be called (I) historical, 17; (II) poetical, 5; (III) prophetic, 17; 39 in all. In the New Testament there are also three groups; (I) historical, the Gospels and Acts, 5; (II) didactic, the Epistles, 21; (III) apocalyptic, Revelation, 1; 27 in all, a total of 66 in the Bible. Then in the study of a particular book its plan and contents may be secured. The ability to "think through" a book, i. e., to recall the general line of through its chapters, is the only knowledge that can satisfy the real Bible student.

6. The memorizing of portions of Scripture is a practice that should be followed, and whose results will be most satisfactory both as a means of a better understanding of the Bible and as aids to the religious life. The habit of committing to memory a passage of Scripture daily is easily acquired, and presently the mind is stored with the most precious utterances of the ages.

7. References in the New Testament to passages in the Old Testament should be carefully searched out, and incidents narrated in different places should be compared. This may be done with the aid of the references found in the Authorized Version, but unfortunately the system there adopted often runs to fantastic lengths, references being sometimes given on the basis of quite superficial resemblance. One's own references, neatly set down on the margins of his Bible in the light of careful study, will always be found the most helpful.

8. In short, the ability to do one's own study and come upon one's own results is the goal of all methods. Notes of work done should be made. Condensations and paraphrases of passages may be made with profit. "A lead pencil is the best of all commentators." A note-book should be in constant use. Results may be written on the margin of the Bible page in ink. Many systems of "Bible marking" have been devised. Few are of any value except to those who devise them; but any good method of preserving results, worked out by the student himself, will prove of value.

9. The use of any helps that may be within reach is advisable. But they should be used as helps, and not usurp the place of the Bible itself. After all, it is the Bible we are to study, and no mere study of books can compensate for a failure to study first and constantly the Book.

10. The use to be made of this hand-book will suggest itself to every student. In taking up the study of any book, read that book carefully. Then read the material on that book in the following pages. After this read the material on the other books of the same group, that the surroundings of the particular book may be obtained. From these readings a knowledge of its date, or that of its events, will be secured, which may be supplemented by the chronological material furnished in the appendix. Then read the book through at a single sitting if possible, to get its leading ideas. After this make an outline of its contents, and lastly turn to the questions on the book in the appendix and write out full answers to them. The results of such a use of this little book will render it of value to every one so using it, and will amply justify its preparation.

HERBERT L. WILLETT.