is a term frequently used by Biblical scholars to talk about the literary forms in which the books of Scripture were inspired to be written. One of the most remarkable things about the Bible is just how many such genres it contains. From the parables of Jesus to the poetry of David to the closely reasoned letters of Paul, the 66 books of the Old and New Testament exhibit a diversity in unity unmatched by the “sacred book” of any other faith. Not only did God inspire the content of each passage, He also inspired the particular literary genre that each passage would be written in. Taking that inspired genre into account is an essential part of understanding the original inspired meaning of a text—which must always be the foundation for application in our own day.
