The Exegetical Paper
From the syllabus:
The draft thesis statement is due by Wednesday, April 4.
The Final Exegetical Paper is
due on Wednesday, April 11. It is composed of two
sections:
- An Exegetical Summary, at most 2 pages long
(single spaced; 1.25" margins on all sides; 12 point font), that
summarizes the significant findings of your focused exegetical summaries.
- An
Interpretive Summary, 5-7 pages long (double spaced; 1.25"
margins on all sides; 12 point font), that presents a thesis about the
passage’s / author’s intended message. More detailed rubrics for this
paper will be given in class.
What should I be doing now?
- Remember that each text has different characteristics. Some of the steps
and questions identified below will be much more helpful than others.
Remember that you are not writing a final, comprehensive,
paper-to-end-all-papers. You are only going to want to identify one useful
perspective on your text.
- Download this general guide: Exegetical
Paper Guidelines
- Read through the opening section and then read the questions posed in
Step 1. Now look at your chosen text and take notes on your responses to
those questions.
- Step 2.1 is textual and translation matters. Check your translation work
with the questions posed in mind.
- Step 2.2 takes a larger view of the text noting the logic of the passage
and how it fits within the gospel. Take notes on the questions posed.
- You have already done all the work identified in Step 2.3. Review your
work (as well as the 'answers' I provided).
- Step 3 now asks you to look at the scholarly literature in the field.
Be sure to note the guidelines indicated! (Here is the Carlson/Hoffman
Recommended NT Commentaries.pdf, but you may also want to check some of
the other resources linked on
this page.)
- You are now ready to start writing with Step 4. Note that this is just a
summary of your exegetical work. You may choose to present it in sentences /
paragraph form or in outline form. Focus on the most important and
significant elements and skim over irrelevant information.
- Step 5 is the part in which I am most interested. Read this section
carefully. Work out a thesis statement. Email the thesis statement to me,
and I will get back to you on its viability. (Note: Thesis statements should
be submitted to me by Monday, April 4.)
- Remember: This paper is not the place to explain how you would preach or teach this text. (You will have that opportunity in the integrative project.) This paper is
not about what you think is theologically true. It is about what you think the author was trying to express as true.
Do not just make claims, but make a claim and then demonstrate from the text why anyone should believe you. Further, this paper is
not focused on what the text says to us today. It is focused on what the author was trying to communicate to the original audience.
Sample Exegetical Papers
NOTE: Here are some exegetical papers from previous years that serve as
good examples of what your paper should look like. I have both praise and critiques for
the papers, so they are not 'the answers,' but they do let you see how they
worked with the exegetical material and then composed a thesis for which they
presented arguments in the integrative summary part of the paper.
- Matthew 5.43-48: KlauckS Exegetical
Paper: Particularly note her observation on pertaining to the "You have
heard it said..., BUT I say..." Note that it is a δε
and not an αλλα. It would be better, therefore, to
have something like, "You have heard it said..., and what's more, I say..."
It expands/continues the former. It is not an adversative contrast. This
reinforces the important recognition that Jesus is not giving a "new" law.
He is giving a new/true/fuller interpretation of the one and only law.
- Luke 1.26-38: toburent.luke exegetical paper.pdf
- Again note the thesis and how the way details from the text are used to
make the case for the thesis.
- Mark 7.24-30: hmary.exegetical paper.mark7.pdf
- Well-written with clear thesis and argumentation.
- Matthew 7.21-29: pannabelle.final exegetical
paper - Note how the exegetical summary sets up for the thesis of the
paper. Well-documented and well-written.
Be sure to consult this Integrative
Project Guidelines
- Matthew 14.13-21
- Mark 4.35-41
- Luke 19:1-10
- John 10.11-18
Some examples from previous years
