All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible

by Dean Deppe

In All Roads Lead to the Text Dean Deppe offers a user-friendly guide to biblical exegesis and interpretation. Far from a dry, theoretical handbook, this book's example-based approach enlivens the exegetical task and offers immediate payoff by constantly applying concepts to specific texts. Deppe focuses on eight methods that biblical scholars use, from analyzing literary, grammatical, and structural elements to investigating historical and cultural backgrounds to exploring the history of interpretation. Deppe explains each approach using several concrete examples from both Old and New Testament texts, and every chapter concludes with practical, text-based questions for study and discussion.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Christian

411 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2011

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful stuff, but it's also a handbook (ad) for Logos software.

[Josue · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book provides brief and concise summaries of 8 different methods of exegeting a biblical text. Each summary is followed by several examples of how it is to be done with select biblical passages. This was a very helpful, hands-on approach to reading a book, which I really appreciated. Thus, rather than being a purely theoretical book, it was very practical, and easy to read/follow long.

Some weaknesses: Apparently he believes in the existence of the "Q" document (pg. 361). His interpretation of certain first-class conditional clauses are questionable (pg. 68). He seems to commend a horrible translation of Romans 8:1 in The Message Bible (pg. 83). Some of his interpretations/beliefs were a bit too liberal for my taste.

Nevertheless, there were a lot of great insights (I plan on using some of his examples in an up-coming Greek class that I will be teaching). It was--overall--a good book that provides an excellent overview of exegetical methods. I would recommend reading it. But as always, be a discerning reader!

[Nate Claiborne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of my favorite books I read over my summer break (which technically ends tomorrow when I have faculty training/orientation). Clearly the culmination of many years teaching Bible study methods, this book has something for everyone, and while ideal for the classroom, is also suited for the armchair theologian running Logos software on his computer and wanted to get seminary level tips.

For the full review, see my blog