Excerpt From The Interview
“Daniel’s odd because it has two primary genres. The first six chapters are narrative, they are very engaging stories. The second half of the book, which lots of people don’t like to preach or read or do anything with, they’re set in a narrative. They have a narrative framework, but they are visions. Visionary literature, prophetic, apocalyptic, it started this mixture of shadows, which is part of what makes it so difficult.
In terms of biblical studies, I’m mostly trying to contrast it with what it’s not, so it’s not poetry. It’s not a vision. It’s the normal prose that we speak and that we tell stories in. I stay away from the word ‘story’ because that often has a connotation of, well, it’s not true. Narrative sort of gets rid of that. Let’s not think about that. Let’s just focus on what this account, what this story, what it is, how it’s working, how is the writing of this piece shaped in such a way that it tells what it wants to say.”
About Dr. Wendy Widder
Dr. Wendy Widder has a PhD in Near Eastern Studies from the University of the Free State, an MA in Hebrew & Semitic Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MDiv with an emphasis in educational ministries from Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. She is the author of two books for single adults, co-authored a third book for Christian school teachers, Authored a commentary on Daniel for The Story of God Commentary published by Zondervan and is working on a second (Hearing the Message of Scripture). Additionally, her master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation have been published by Logos Bible Software and Walter de Gruyter, respectively.
Dr. Widder’s career has included adjunct professorships at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Bethel Seminary, as well as serving as a Contributing Editor to Logos Bible Software’s Mobile Ed division. Dr. Widder has studied and taught the book of Daniel extensively and joins us today to do the same.
Links Mentioned:
Exegetical Commentary on The Old Testament: Daniel by Dr. Wendy Widder
Dr. Wendy Widder’s First Daniel Commentary
The Big Book Cover to Cover – Daniel with Dr. Wendy Widder
The Big Book Cover to Cover – Panel Discussion
Watch the highlights and full version of this interview on our Youtube channel.
For more inContext interviews, click here.