I recently attended a lecture by D A Carson on the biblical genres and what they teach us about God. I’d like to share some of his points and reflect on them a bit in terms of the preacher’s task.

Carson began by asking why didn’t God give us a systematic theology?  Or why didn’t God give us a holy book like the Qu’ran?  I’m tempted to pause there and ask whether our preaching reflects the diverse nature of Scripture, or whether we tend to preach systematic theology or uniform religious instruction . . . but I won’t.

The first part of the lecture considered what the diversity of genres tell us about God, then the second part looked at some specific examples from specific genres.  So, five things the diversity of genres tell us about God.

1. Although many true things can be said about God, he cannot be domesticated, boxed and neatly defined. He spoke of how the formalized categories of systematic theology always get stretched by narratives, giving examples in reference to sovereignty, aseity, impassibility.

Seems to me there is always a danger of superimposing supposedly orthodox theology on the Bible.  Sometimes the Bible does not quite seem to fit with a system forged in fires not fuelled by inspired revelation alone.  Nevertheless, let us certainly heed the warning, as preachers, to not think clear explanation and structure can somehow exhaustively present God.

2.  The diversity of literary genres attest different modes of inspiration. Unlike the Qu’ran or book of Mormon, Scripture is God-breathed in different ways.

What does this mean for our preaching?  I suppose we shouldn’t flatten inspiration into some kind of dictation concept, or other restricted view.  From my perspective I feel there should be wonder at the diversity of inspiration modes God used, and therefore response at what a great revealer God we have (i.e. He wasn’t restricted to getting people into a trance and then giving magic messages).

Tomorrow I will continue this list of five lessons from the diversity of genre in the Bible.