To understand the biblical world, it is indispensable to acknowledge geography and history, both the Old and New Testaments. Ultimately, to understand God’s Word is about understanding God's action in a specific territory and history.
In the effort to consider the contemporary reader some methodological systems are proposed: (a) the world behind the text, (b) the world of the text, (d) the world in front of the text (reader).
Exegesis is best thought of as a systematic way of interpreting a text. Everyone engages in exegesis in one form or another, but biblical exegesis has its own specialized needs and disciplines.
The Scriptures possess authority for someone or some group that exceeds normal conditions. As authoritative documents, Scriptures occupy an official position in the life of the communities or groups that regard them as Scripture.
