costly, more individuals and groups will have ready access to the technology that will allow them
to contribute to the new Bible as byte paradigm.
How will the Bible as byte paradigm affect Bible interpretation? Many of the answers to this
question must remain open for the time being since there are as yet so few examples of the new
paradigm. Eventually, however, as more individuals and groups make their own media
translations of the biblical text, interpreters will have to determine what is the best or most
accurate digital presentation of that text (something akin to what textual critics do today--a new
form of text-video criticism?).
other future version. Again, how will Bible interpretation be affected? At the very least, Bible
interpreters will also need to rethink the entire process that they currently use in studying written
texts since digitized video translations tend to blur the old lines between exegesis (investigating
the text) and application (applying that investigated text). A whole host of related questions
follow: Will the old distinction between exegesis and application be appropriate in dealing with
new media versions of the Bible? How will the Bible interpreter go about exegeting a digitized
video translation of a written text? How will the older paradigm theological terms like
inspiration, inerrancy and illumination apply to the new paradigm of the Bible as byte? What is
the role of the Holy Spirit in the entire process? All of these questions--and more--will need to
be carefully thought through by Bible interpreters in the twenty-first century.
While we will continue to be text-based for the immediate future--even the good Samaritan
website has an accompanying contemporary print version of Luke 10:25-37--those of us in the
Bible as book paradigm must still try to relate Scripture to the Bible as byte generation. How do
we do this? In my own hermeneutics classes I make my students aware of the growing number of
Bible as byte resources that are already available.
recognize the reality of this new paradigm among the younger generations today. At the same
time I attempt to work out a balance between the trusty historical critical approach to the Bible
coupled with a practical application approach that begins to make the Bible more relevant to the
digital generation. As a result, in interpreting particular texts I have my students answer the
following six questions:
2. What is the original context of the passage?
3. What was God saying through this passage to the original audience?
4. What is God saying through this passage today to your target audience?
5. How will you communicate the truths of this passage to your target audience?
What media (film, TV show, song, MTV video, website, etc.) will capture the
essence of these truths for your target audience?
16. There are several recent resources. I have found two books particularly helpful for using films in relationship with the biblical