PART 3 – EXPLORE THE PLOT LINES
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Chapter 13 - WHO DUN IT?
In the next series of studies we will look at the plot, or the story-line of the Biblical narrative, and examine how an understanding of the structure and development of the story can help us to relate more closely and learn more effectively from the Biblical narrative.
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So what does a typical story plot look like? Well, let’s start with the kind of plot you would find in an Agatha Christie story, featuring Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot.
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I don’t think anyone will argue with the fact that Agatha Christie was a superb story teller, and that her stories have captivated millions of people around the world. In fact, Agatha Christie’s books have been translated into over 100 languages, and sold some 4 billion copies!
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A typical plot for Agatha Christie’s stories looks like this:
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1. Introduction
We learn about the characters involved in the story, the relationships between them, and the context in which they are brought together – whether having a family reunion, travelling on the Orient Express, or sailing on a cruise ship down the Nile. What we learn about the characters at the beginning will give us tantalising clues that will be relevant later in the plot.
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2. Crisis, or tension point
A body is found in the library, or maybe mysteriously disappears without any explanation. This raises the questions (“Who dun it?”) and sets up the tension and suspense for the rest of the story.
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3. Development
Inspector Poirot, or Miss Marple, investigates the crime, follows the clues (usually with plenty of false trails, and maybe further bodies turning up along the way). Twists and turns in the plot keep us in suspense, and trying to work out “who dun it” from the clues which are cleverly hidden, and often send us off on the wrong trail.
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4. Climax or Resolution
Miss Marple, or Inspector Poirot, gathers the suspects together and reveals the identity of the murderer.
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5. Unravelling (or Dénouement)
There are usually explanations to be made and loose ends to tie up in order to bring the story to a satisfying end.
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This structure is by no means limited to Agatha Christie, or to detective novels in general. Most stories, including the stories that we find in the Bible, have this same basic structure. The structure is pervasive because it is so effective in capturing the attention of the audience and holding their interest.
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Were the Wise Men really so wise?
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Let’s examine the story of the Wise Men, one which I have used in storying workshops many times, to illustrate the way this structure applies to a fairly familiar and self-contained Bible story.
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I will leave you to read the story of the Wise Men for yourself from Matthew chapter 2. When you have read it, consider the following analysis of the story plot, alongside the actual Bible text.
1. INTRODUCTION
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This gives us three essential facts about the coming story:
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The time -- “about the same time that Jesus was born”
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The main characters involved – King Herod, the Wise Men
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The place – Jerusalem (initially – though we later move to Bethlehem)
This information is essential to help the listener place the story in its proper context.
2. CRISIS, or TENSION POINT
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The Wise Men arrive in Jerusalem, go to Herod’s palace, and ask where they can find the new-born King of the Jews. They may have known a lot about astronomy, but they didn’t know much about politics! If they had googled King Herod they would have known his reputation and have steered well clear of Jerusalem!
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The original audience would have known well that Herod was a vicious tyrant, and would not allow any threat to his rule. So the audience is already one step ahead of the Wise Men, who are clearly unaware of Herod’s reputation, and have landed themselves in a dangerous situation. We should already find ourselves asking a number of questions:
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Will the Wise Men find the child?
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Will they survive Herod’s cunning?
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Have they unwittingly betrayed Jesus into Herod’s hands?
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What will Herod do about this “New King”, knowing his reputation?
These are the questions that keep us in suspense and hold our attention throughout the rest of the story.
3. DEVELOPMENT
Scene 1
Herod meets with his advisers and discovers the place where the Messiah is predicted to be born.
Scene 2
Herod meets in private with the Wise Men.
Here we ramp up the suspense – the original audience would have known from Herod’s reputation that he was setting up a trap, and the Wise Men were unaware that Herod was using them to lead him to the child to kill him.
Scene 3
The Wise Men continue their journey, following the star to Bethlehem.
4. CLIMAX and RESOLUTION
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Note how the story here resolves all 4 of the questions which we posed at the crisis point of the story:
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Scene 4
The Wise Men discover the place where the child Jesus is resting, they worship the child and present their gifts (resolution of Q1).
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Scene 5
God warns the Wise Men not to return to Herod. So they foil Herod’s plans by taking a different route home (resolution of Q2)
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Scene 6
God warns Joseph to take his family and flee to Egypt (resolution of Q3).
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Scene 7
Although both the Wise Men, and the child Jesus have been saved from Herod’s hands, Herod still vents his anger, and slaughters the innocent children in Bethlehem (resolution of Q4).
5. DENOUMENT / UNRAVELLING
Scene 8 (Note that several years have passed between scene 7 and scene 8).
After Herod dies, God tells Joseph that it is now safe to return to Israel.
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Scene 9
Joseph and family settle in the town of Nazareth.
Note how the beginning and ending tie the story of the Wise Men into the larger context.
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The beginning phrase –“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea…” – connects this story with the previous chapter, the story of Mary and Joseph, and Jesus’s birth.
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The ending of the story brings us to Joseph and family’s return to Nazareth in Galilee, which is the context for Jesus’ baptism and early ministry.
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Although the story of the Wise Men is a very well-constructed story in itself, with all the main elements of a good storyline, it forms one episode in a much bigger story – that of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. It really only makes sense if we understand it in its proper place, and in correct chronological sequence. We will return to this topic in a later study.
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DO YOU READ THE LAST CHAPTER FIRST?
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Do you like to sneak a look at the end of the book, because you can’t wait to go through the whole story before you find out who did the deed? Apparently many people do. (I can’t always resist the temptation myself!).
But when you already know how the story ends, it destroys the tensions and suspense of the story and the enjoyment of trying to work out the clues and jumping to wrong conclusions (which is what the author intends you to do).
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If you were advising someone who wanted to begin reading the Bible from scratch, where would you advise them to start? The majority of people would probably advise the inquirer to start with the Gospels (Mark?... Luke?... John?). The Gospels are, for good reason, considered the high point of the Bible story. But they are the high point because they present the final climax of God’s story, the resolution to the problems posed at the beginning of the story.
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Jumping into the story at the climactic point of the Gospels is like jumping into a Poirot detective novel at the point where Poirot calls all the suspects together to unravel the clues and points the finger at the murderer.
If we look at the “big story” of God’s relationship with mankind, we can follow the same plot schema as we did with the story of the Wise Men:
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1. INTRODUCTION
God creates the heavens and the earth – perfect and without fault
God creates Adam from the dust of the earth, and Eve from Adam’s rib
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they are made in God’s image, made “a little lower than the angels, but crowned with glory and honour”
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there exists a perfect unblemished relationship between God and mankind.
2. CRISIS, or TENSION POINT
Adam and Eve disobey God and are banished from the Garden of Eden
God promises that the “seed of the woman” will bruise the serpent’s head
These events raise a number of questions, such as:
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How will their fall from grace affect their future, and the future of mankind?
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Will their relationship with God ever be restored?
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How should we understand the promise of the “seed of the woman”?
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How will the promise be fulfilled?
3. DEVELOPMENT
Throughout the Old Testament story, there is a continual tension between mankind’s continued corruption and evil, and God’s plan to preserve a righteous remnant, with chosen individuals, and a chosen people, serving as a faithful witness to his unfailing love and forgiveness.
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After Adam and Eve are banished from the garden, Cain kills Abel, and Cain’s descendants spread evil throughout the world, while the descendants of Seth maintain a righteous line of descent
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When the earth has become totally corrupt, God saves righteous Noah and his family
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The descendants of Noah return to spreading evil and corruption through the world, but God chooses Abraham, and promises to bless his descendants
The story continues, from one episode to the next, all the time acknowledging the sinfulness of mankind, but revealing how God – always faithful and longsuffering – preserves a righteous lineage and maintains the covenant promises he made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
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Throughout the story there are clues (prophecies or events that foreshadow the fulfilment of the promise) to the coming of a “seed” – a descendant from the line of Abraham – who will resolve all the problems caused by Adam’s disobedience and restore mankind’s relationship with God. As with any good story, the clues give us hope that a resolution will finally come, but always keep us somewhat guessing as to how that resolution will eventually happen.
4. CLIMAX and RESOLUTION
And, of course, all the clues (prophesies, foreshadowings) are eventually fulfilled in the coming of Christ, and his death and resurrection. This is the climax to which the Old Testament narrative has been building. Christ is the fulfilment of all that has gone before.
5. DENOUMENT / UNRAVELLING
After the amazing climax of Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, we see the outworking of God’s plan through the sending of His Spirit at Pentecost, and the spreading of the Gospel message throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the world… and our own Christian experience is a continuing unravelling of that story.
How can you appreciate the resolution of the story, if you don’t understand the original problem?
So don’t ruin the story by reading the last chapter first! You must understand God’s original intention for mankind, and the devastation and disgrace caused by the fall of Adam and Eve, in order to appreciate the wonder of God’s resolution, which finally brings a way of peace and reconciliation.
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I agree that much of the Old Testament is hard going, especially for a new believer. However there are many publications available nowadays, such as The Story, which, using the text of the NIV, presents the key characters and events of the Bible in 31 engaging episodes, and allows the Bible to read like a novel.
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As the introduction says, The Story is filled with intrigue, drama, conflict, romance and redemption - and this story is true! (see www.thestory.com).
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Some questions for consideration and discussion
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What kind of stories do you enjoy reading? Detective stories?... historical novels?... science fiction?... romance?
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Think of a favourite story (could be the film version of you prefer!) or maybe one you read or saw recently and ask yourself…
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How were the characters in the story introduced?
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What was the nature of the crisis point in the story? What kind of questions did it raise?
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How was the crisis situation finally resolved? Was the resolution predictable? (Did everything end happily ever after as you expected?!) Or did it take you by surprise?
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How did you feel when the story ended? Happy?... disappointed?... frustrated? Why?
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