Bringing the Depths Into Focus: Engaging Difficulties in Biblical Interpretation

The Bible is a frustrating book to many Christians. It's not uncommon to hear that it's difficult to understand. To complicate the matter, we live in a culture that dismisses the importance of God's word altogether and we are left to wonder if Scripture has lost its impact. At a time when the world needs the wisdom of God's word, many are skeptical as to why they should bother reading the Bible at all. Scott Womble brings hope to this bleak situation by showing how we can not only learn to read and interpret the Bible more skillfully, but also enjoy our time in study. In addition to discussing critical issues such as literary context, genre identification, and background study, Womble breaks new ground by encouraging us to both "hear" and "see" the text (semiotics). This incorporation of semiotics into the interpretive process helps us more fully interact with the word. While sound interpretation is of great importance, the end goal of Bible reading is application. For Womble, this is the crux of the matter. Scanning prominent theories of application and concluding with seven guidelines, this book is sure to help Jesus followers become more intentional doers of the word.