Includes bibliographical references (p. [436]-480) and indexes.

Introduction : Hermeneutics and Intended Meaning ; The Inspiration and Authority of Scripture ; Meaning Is Genre-Dependent ; The Simplicity and Clarity of Scripture ; The Unity and Diversity of Scripture ; The Analogy of Scripture ; The Progress of Revelation ; Expository Preaching ; Conclusion. --

Part 1 : General Hermeneutics :
CONTEXT : The Historical Context --
The Logical Context : 1. Studying the Whole: Charting a Book ; 2. Studying the Parts: Diagramming the Paragraph ; Arcing --
Rhetorical or Compositional Pattern. --
GRAMMAR :
The Preliminary Task: Establishing the Text : 1. External Criteria ; 2. Internal Criteria --
Grammatical Analysis of the Text : 1. The Historical Development ; 2. The Verb System ; 3. The Noun System ; 4. Prepositions, Particles and Clauses --
Exegetical Procedures. --
SEMANTICS :
Semantic Fallacies : 1. The Lexical Fallacy ; 2. The Root Fallacy ; 3. Misuse of Etymology ; 4. Misuse of Subsequent Meaning ; 5. The One-Meaning Fallacy ; 6. Misuse of Parallels ; 7. The Disjunctive Fallacy ; 8. The Word Fallacy ; 9. Ignoring the Context --
Basic Semantic Theory : 1. Meaning ; 2. Sense and Reference ; 3. Structural Linguistics ; 4. Context ; 5. Deep Structure ; 6. Syntax and Semantics ; 7. Semantic Range ; 8. Connotative Meaning ; 9. Paradigmatic Research: Synonymity, Antonymity and Componential Analysis ; 10. Ambiguity and Double Meaning --
Conclusion: A Methodology for Lexical Study. --
SYNTAX :
Biblical Transformations --
Propositional Display of Philemon 4-7 --
Performative and Emotive Language --
Figures of Speech : 1. Figures of Comparison ; 2. Figures of Addition or Fullness of Expression ; 3. Incomplete Figures of Speech ; 4. Figures Involving Contrast or Understatement ; 5. Figures Centering on Association or Relation ; 6. Figures Stressing the Personal Dimension --
Conclusion --
Biblical Examples : 1. Zephaniah 3:14-17 ; 2. Ephesians 3:16-19 --
Conclusion --
Excursus on Transformational Grammar --
Excursus on Rhetorical Criticism --
HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS
Areas for Research : 1. Geography ; 2. Politics ; 3. Economics ; 4. Military and War ; 5. Cultural Practices
6. Religious Customs ; 7. Summary --
Specific Sources for Background Material : 1. Old Testament Allusions ; 2. Intertestamental Allusions ; 3. Qumran Parallels ; 4. Rabbinic Parallels ; 5. Hellenistic Parallels ; 6. Summary --
Sociology as a Tool for Interpreting Scripture --
Problems in the Sociological Approach : 1. Misuse of the Models ; 2. Revisionism ; 3. Tendency to Generalize ; 4. The Paucity of the Data ; 5. Tendency to Debunk the Systems ; 6. Reductionism ; 7. Theoretical Disarray ; 8. Determinism ; 9. Tendency to Disjunctive Theories --
Evaluation and Methodology. --

Part 2 : Genre Analysis :
NARRATIVE
The Methodology of Narrative Criticism : 1. Implied Author and Narrator ; 2. Point of View, Ideology and Narrative World
3. Narrative and Story Time ; 4. Plot ; 5. Characterization ; 6. Setting ; 7. Implicit Commentary ; 8. The Implied Reader ; 9. Conclusion --
The Weaknesses of Narrative Criticism : 1. A Dehistoricizing Tendency ; 2. Setting Aside the Author ; 3. A Denial of Intended or Referential Meaning ; 4. Reductionistic and Disjunctive Thinking ; 5. The Imposition of Modern Literary Categories on Ancient Genres ; 6. A Preoccupation with Obscure Theories ; 7. Ignoring the Understanding of the Early Church ; 8. A Rejection of the Sources behind the Books ; 9. Conclusion --
Methodological Principles for Studying Narrative Texts : 1. Structural Analysis ; 2. Stylistic Analysis ; 3. Redactional Analysis ; 4. Exegetical Analysis ; 5. Theological Analysis
6. Contextualization ; 7. Use of Narrative Form for the Sermon. --
POETRY
The Form of Hebrew Poetry : 1. Metrical Patterns ; 2. Parallelism ; 3. Poetic Language and Imagery --
Types of Poetry : 1. War Songs ; 2. Love Songs ; 3. Lament ; 4. Hymns or Praise Songs ; 5. Thanksgiving Hymns ; 6. Songs of Celebration and Affirmation ; 7. Wisdom and Didactic Psalms ; 8. Imprecatory Psalms --
Poetry in the New Testament --
Theology in the Psalms --
Hermeneutical Principles. --
WISDOM
Characteristics of Wisdom : 1. A Practical Orientation ; 2. Dependence on God ; 3. Indirect Authority ; 4. Creation Theology --
The Forms of Wisdom Literature : 1. The Proverb ; 2. The Saying ; 3. The Riddle ; 4. The Admonition ; 5. The Allegory ; 6. Hymns and Prayers ; 7. The Dialogue ; 8. The Confession ; 9. Onomastica ; 10. Beatitudes --
Wisdom in the New Testament --
Hermeneutical Principles --
Excursus: The History of Wisdom Teaching. --
PROPHECY
The Nature of the Prophetic Role : 1. The Call of the Prophet ; 2. The Complex Role of the Prophet ; 3. The Characteristics of False Prophets --
The Nature of the Prophetic Message : 1. Present and Future Interact ; 2. The Revelatory State Differed ; 3. The Forms of Prophetic Proclamation Vary --
Hermeneutical Principles. --
APOCALYPTIC
Formal Features and Characteristics : 1. The Formal Features ; 2. Characteristics --
The Interpretation of Symbols --
Hermeneutical Principles --
Excursus: The Origins of Apocalyptic. --
PARABLE
The Meaning and Use of Parables --
The Purpose of Parables --
The Characteristics of Parables : 1. Earthiness ; 2. Conciseness ; 3. Major and Minor Points ; 4. Repetition
5. Conclusion at the End ; 6. Listener-relatedness ; 7. Reversal of Expectation ; 8. Kingdom-centered Eschatology
9. Kingdom Ethics ; 10. God and Salvation in the Parables --
Hermeneutical Principles --
Excursus: The History of Interpretation. --
EPISTLE
Letter-Writing in the Ancient World --
New Testament Epistles : 1. The Form ; 2. Authorship --
Hermeneutical Principles. --

Part 3 : Applied Hermeneutics :
BIBLICAL THEOLOGY
Relationship to Other Disciplines : 1. Biblical Theology and Exegesis ; 2. Biblical Theology and Historical Theology ; 3. Biblical Theology and Systematic Theology ; 4. Biblical Theology and Homiletical Theology --
Specific Problem Areas : 1. Unity and Diversity ; 2. Tradition History ; 3. Theology and Canon ; 4. The Analogia Fidei and Progressive Revelation ; 5. Authority ; 6. History and Theology ; 7. Language, Text and Meaning ; 8. Old Testament and New Testament --
Toward a Methodology : 1. The Synthetic Method ; 2. The Analytical Method ; 3. The History of Religions Method ; 4. Diachronic and Tradition-Critical Methods ; 5. The Christological Method ; 6. The Confessional Method ; 7. The Multiplex Method ; 8. The Problem of a Unifying Center --
Conclusion --
SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY
The Components of Theological Construction : 1. Scripture ; 2. Tradition ; 3. Community ; 4. Experience ; 5. Philosophy --
Issues in Theological Construction : 1. Inspiration/Revelation ; 2. The Question of Metaphor ; 3. Theological Models ; 4. Tentativeness and Authority of Theological Assertions ; 5. Theology as Contextualization ; 6. Verification or Validation of Theological Assertions ; 7. The Politics of Theological Decision Making --
Hermeneutical Principles. --
HOMILETICS I : CONTEXTUALIZATION
Biblical Examples --
Current Issues --
Cultural and Supracultural Norms in Scripture --
Hermeneutical Model : 1. General Principles ; 2. Specific Principles --
A Method for Contextualization --
Conclusion. --
HOMILETICS II: THE SERMON
The Place of the Holy Spirit --
A Devotional Experience --
From Text to Sermon --
Principles for Determining Application --
Practical Methods for Applying the Text : 1. Focusing the Claims of the Truth ; 2. Suggesting Ways and Means ; 3. Persuasion and Motivation --
Conclusion : Level 1: Meaning/Interpretation ; Level 2: Interpretation/Relevance ; Level 3: Contextualization/Application ; Level 4: Preparing the Sermon --
Excursus on Preparing the Sermon --
Excursus on Style. --

APPENDIX 1 : THE PROBLEM OF MEANING: THE ISSUES
The Problem of the Reader and the Text : 1. Author-centered Hermeneutics ; 2. The Movement Away from Author-Text: Gadamer ; 3. Structuralism ; 4. Poststructuralism ; 5. Reader-Response Criticism ; 6. Deconstruction ; 7. Conclusion --
Mediating Positions : 1. Paul Ricoeur ; 2 David Tracy ; 3. Canon-Critical Approaches ; 4. Wittgenstein and His Followers ; 4. The Return of the Author: Betti, Hirsch, Juhl --
Summary. --
APPENDIX 2 THE PROBLEM OF MEANING: TOWARDS A SOLUTION
Meaning and Reference : The Contribution of Analytical Philosophy --
The Sociology of Knowledge, Paradigm Structure and Intentionality : 1. Sociology of Knowledge ; 2. Paradigm Change and Paradigm Communities ; 3. Intentionality ; 4. Probability Theory --
Propositional Truth and the Logic of Narrativity --
A Field Approach to Hermeneutics.