Old Testament Methodologies: An Evaluation

Abstract

The late 20th and early 21st centuries have witnessed the rise of a cornucopia of methodologies in the study of the Old Testament. This, to a great extent, is attributed to the plurality of innovative Biblical scholarship that has drawn much from its surroundings of literary work. However, much depends on the scholarship of past Biblical exegetes and theologians. Methodologies are as diverse, as in the manner in which scholars make use of them. The task of the Old Testament scholar is to use a methodology and remain faithful to the Hebrew Bible text. Methodologies have their own merits and weaknesses at the same time. A befitting methodology for the study is therefore no easy task. This means to a great extent the scholar needs to explain the nuts and bolts of a methodology they choose to employ, no matter how obvious the methodology appears to be. This paper attempts to make an evaluation of selected Old Testament methodologies, establishing their merits and demerits. This is done against the determination to remain orthodoxy to the Biblical text. Accordingly, the multiplex methodology is a suggested preference—it is grounded on sound biblical hermeneutical assumptions.