Multiply by Francis Chan
Week 11: Part 3, Session 4 — Genres of the Old Testament
Read Part 3, Session 4 of Multiply. Key Scriptures: Psalm 23; Proverbs 3:5–6; Isaiah 53.
Previewing Week 11 of Multiply
Read 3 of 7 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 27-week guide when you’re ready.
Learning to read different kinds of writing differently is a basic skill — and it is just as essential when you open your Bible as when you open any other book.
Discussion Questions
7 questions1.Chan walks through Old Testament genres: narrative, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, and law. Which genre do you find most accessible, and which feels most foreign? What makes the difference?
2.Biblical narrative (like Genesis or Samuel) was not written as a history textbook but as theology told through story. What are the dangers of reading Old Testament narrative too literally (missing the theology) or too allegorically (missing the history)?
3.The Psalms are the Bible's prayer book — raw, honest, sometimes even angry prayers offered to God. How does reading psalms of lament give you permission to bring your full emotional range to God?