Biblical Exegesis
Jonathan Edwards’s exegesis brought together a remarkable constellation of issues in early modern thought and biblical interpretation. Although he lived on the frontier of the British empire, he lived intimately with the core philosophical and theological issues at the heart of that society. The Bible’s status as an unquestioned religious and social authority was under scrutiny during his lifetime, with many concluding that it was hopelessly primitive and outmoded. Edwards sought to fashion an interpretive approach that took seriously modern historical, scientific, and anthropological discoveries, while maintaining a high degree of confidence in the Bible as the revelation of God. Thus, he adapted much of his interpretation to modern categories of thought, while at the same time employing traditional modes of theological interpretation such as typology, miracles, and the analogy of faith. His exegesis served to underwrite all of his major theological treatises.