Exploring the Biblical Metanarrative

Metanarrative can simply be described as a master narrative or a big story running throughout a script that gives the whole story its intended purpose or meaning. The Bible is described as a library of books as it contains multiple books written by different authors in various tongues and cultures but it conveys one narrative. The paper extensively discusses the four major plot movements of the biblical metanarrative including; creation, fall, redemption, and new creation. A clear understanding of the biblical metanarrative can help individuals cope with their daily life questions by offering answers to important questions of origin, identity, meaning, morality, and destiny.

Creation

Creation is a crucial opening movement that unfolds the biblical metanarrative. In the book of Genesis, God assumes the supreme power of creating heaven and earth and everything in it. As observed in Genesis 1:1, ‘In the beginning God created heavens and earth”. According to Toth 2019, God showcases a divine utterance that resulted in the creation of the universe. Creation illuminates God as a Supreme Being with diving characteristics including; power, wisdom, and benevolence (McGrath, 2023). Additionally, creation illustrates humans with dignity intrinsic, and distinctive worth as they resemble God.

Fall

Fall is a crucial part of the biblical metanarrative as it illustrates the division between God and human beings. It happened after Adam and Eve violated God’s command in the Garden of Eden as illustrated in Genesis 3. Due to disobedience, brokenness and sin infiltrated our world. Additionally, the relationship between God and human beings fractured resulted to the creation of pain, suffering, and death (Dent, 2019). Fall illustrates the need for human beings to seek redemption and restoration as it offers answers to morality questions by clearly defining good and bad in accordance with God’s will.

Redemption

It is the most climactic plot of the biblical metanarrative. Despite being angry towards sin, the creator shows love for humanity and He is resilient to save them from evil. God comes to save and renew the world through the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus reconciles fallen humans to live as the creator desires by living a perfect life without sin. Christ’s death on the cross meant salvation for all sinners and his resurrection provided hope in this life and eternal life for all who believed in him. Redemption satisfies God’s will and restores His broken relationship with humans (Hall, 2022).

New Creation

It serves as a destined end of the metanarrative. John the Apostle witnesses a future full of glory where everything is restored. The future depicts a new world free from sin and demise. In Revelation 21:5, John shows God’s willingness to make all things unique in a world where righteousness and justice will prevail. To humans, new creation means living in full freedom and assures them everlasting existence within God’s presence.” The concept of New creation gives desire and guarantee of a destiny beyond this broken world,” (McGrath, 2023).

Biblical worldview

Biblical metanarratives enable people embrace various concepts. To start with, they address origin as God’s purposeful act of creation. It differs from random notions of life’s existence. Moreover, they help individuals identify themselves by emphasizing that God created them in his image and likeness (Liu, 2022). Humans are the most valuable among God’s creation. Thirdly, it is through metanarratives that we understand God’s purpose on humans. He desires to build a relationship with humanity and together participate in his redemption work (Dent, 2019). Also, the metanarratives plot defines morality by outlining God’s requirements of right and wrong. The narratives reveal consequences for both right and wrong. Jesus’ life as a person was meant to set an example of how people should live, free from sin. Lastly, the plots assure believers of life after death. It gives humanity hope for a luxurious life upon following his statutes.

Conclusion

Clearly, the biblical metanarrative includes four major movements: creation, fall, redemption and new creation. Each of the sections illustrates the overall narrative of the bible which illuminates a theological understanding of the scripture. It is crucial for human beings to embrace the biblical metanarrative as it offers answers concerning human foundation, morality, identity and future. Lastly, humans can develop a consistent and comprehensive worldview that is encompassed in the bible.

References

Dent, Chesed Anne. “The Grand Narrative Worldview: A Narrative Inquiry into the Impact of Biblical Metanarrative Teaching in Liberty University’s School of Divinity Global Studies Program.” (2019).

Gallagher, John J. “Biblical-textual criticism in Bede’s commentary On Genesis.” Bede the scholar. Manchester University Press, 2023. 198-222.

Hall, Jeremy Sean. Reawakening the Ethical Imagination of the Local Congregation Through the Exploration of the Biblical Metanarrative. Diss. Mercer University, 2022.

Liu, Chao-Chun. “Theology in Translation.” Journal of Language, Culture, and Religion 3.1 (2022): 1-26.

McGrath, James F. “Creation.” The Bible and Music (2023).

Toth, Joshua. “The Bible, New Life, and the Christian Historian.” (2019).