Essentials for Biblical Interpretation
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Foundations in Faith & Leadership

Essentials for Biblical Interpretation

Ryan Bonfiglio and Elizabeth “Ebby” Arnold

Do you want to gain perspectives and skills that will enrich your reading, interpreting, and teaching of Scripture? Old and New Testament faculty at Candler School of Theology will help you engage the Bible for all it’s worth. Work through each lesson at your own pace and return anytime.

100% Asynchronous 4 Units Self-Paced
Final Assessment
Complete all units, then take the 15-question quiz to earn your certificate.
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Course Units

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01
Unit 1
The Bible and Its Formation
Canon, translation, and the history of Scripture
17 Lessons163 min
Unit 1 reframes how you think about the Bible before you read a single verse. You’ll explore how Scripture came to exist — the process of canonization, the differences between translations, and what it means that the Bible wasn’t written in English or handed down as a bound book. By the end, you’ll have a more honest and ultimately richer relationship with the text you’re interpreting.
Introduction
2:23
The Bible is Not A Book
9:37
The Bible is Not a Book — Part 2
12:09
The Bible is Not a Book — Part 3
8:07
The Bible Didn’t Float Down From Heaven Pt. 1
12:13
The Bible Didn’t Float Down From Heaven Pt. 2
11:20
The Bible Didn’t Float Down From Heaven Pt. 3
11:31
The Bible Was Not Written in English Pt. 1
10:10
The Bible Was Not Written in English Pt. 2
11:20
The Bible Was Not Written in English Pt. 3
11:40
The Bible Was Not Written in Stone Pt. 1
9:26
The Bible Was Not Written in Stone Pt. 2
12:15
The Bible Was Not Written in Stone Pt. 3
12:43
The Bible is Not An Answer Key Pt. 1
4:19
The Bible is Not an Answer Key Pt. 2
11:30
The Bible is Not An Answer Key Pt. 3
9:50
The Bible is Not An Answer Key Pt. 4
9:14
02
Unit 2
Social Location & Reading Scripture
How culture, identity, and context shape interpretation
17 Lessons186 min
Unit 2 turns the lens on you as a reader. Before we can interpret Scripture faithfully, we have to reckon with where we stand — our social location, our posture toward the text, and the theological lenses we bring. From Black theology to post-colonial interpretation, these lessons expand your interpretive imagination and invite you to read the Bible with new eyes.
My Relationship to Scripture
8:57
My Posture Toward Scripture
11:26
Struggle and Blessing
9:21
Jesus and Scripture
9:32
The Bible Reads Itself
14:06
The Bible as Literature
11:09
More Meaning than Meets the Eye
11:58
More Meaning than Meets the Ear
14:51
Why?
6:32
What?
10:51
How?
13:06
Why Black Theology Matters
8:47
What Does Black Theology Call Our Attention to?
14:00
How Can Black Theology Shape our Interpretation
15:04
Why Post from a Post Colonial Perspective?
10:21
Post Colonialism — What Do We Look For?
11:27
How Do We Arrive to a Post Colonial Interpretation?
9:53
03
Unit 3
Biblical Genres & Their Interpretation
Law, prophecy, Gospel, parable, epistle — and how to read each
16 Lessons125 min125 min
Unit 3 is where interpretation meets the full range of Scripture’s literary forms. You’ll learn to read narrative, Gospel, parable, and epistle on their own terms — and discover what legal codes, prophecy, poetry, wisdom literature, and apocalyptic texts each demand of a careful reader. Genre isn’t just a category; it’s the key to understanding what a text is actually doing.
Narrative
6:34
Gospel
8:11
Parable
4:63
The Narrative and Function of Letters in Scripture
6:55
Authorship Issues in Ancient Letters
13:58
Interpretative Strategies for the Letter Genre
8:47
Legal Code in the OT
12:43
Legal Code in the NT
7:25
Biblical Poetry — A Technique and a Theme
10:14
Psalms
7:03
Wisdom Literature
6:46
What Prophets Say
7:20
How Prophets Say It
6:10
Prophecy and Fulfillment
7:02
What Apocalypse Is and Is Not
9:27
What Apocalyptic Literature Does and Does Not Do
6:47
04
Unit 4
Practical Tools for Bible Study
Word studies, structural outlines, poetic analysis, and inter-biblical readings
15 Lessons105 min105 min
Unit 4 puts tools in your hands. You’ll learn practical methods for going deeper with any biblical text: how to do a word study, how to map the structure of a passage, and how to apply rhetorical, poetic, and intertextual analysis. These are the skills that transform a casual reader into a confident, resourceful interpreter of Scripture.
The Three Worlds of Biblical Interpretation
4:40
The Three Worlds of Biblical Interpretation Pt. 2
6:35
The Three Worlds of Biblical Interpretation Pt. 3
4:38
The Three Worlds of Biblical Interpretation Pt. 4
3:45
Word Studies Pt. 1
8:29
Word Studies Pt. 2
0:29
Structural Outlines
7:11
Rhetorical Analysis Pt. 1
8:28
Rhetorical Analysis Pt. 2
6:39
Rhetorical Analysis Pt. 3
10:15
Poetic Analysis Pt. 1
9:27
Poetic Analysis Pt. 2
9:06
Poetic Analysis Pt. 3
8:40
Intertextual Analysis Pt. 1
7:47
Intertextual Analysis Pt. 2
16:51

Final Certificate Quiz

When you're ready, take the 15-question final assessment. A passing score of 70% earns your certificate — retake as many times as you need.

Final Assessment · Essentials for Biblical Interpretation

Certificate Quiz

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