The subject Biblical Theology deals with the basic documents of Christian faith. According to the two parts of the Christian canon, it is divided into the subjects “Old Testament” and “New Testament.”
The exegesis, that is, the interpretation of the biblical books therefore deals with texts and is based on the methods of linguistics and literary studies. Since the documents originate from a specific historical context, with regard to the world of the ancient Near East, postexilic Judaism, and the Hellenistic-Roman cultural realm, the exegesis also picks up on results of the historical sciences, especially of religious and social history.
Only a detailed analysis of the biblical texts allows theologically and historically responsible statements about the salvation of the people of Israel, and the formation of monotheism, or on the life and work of Jesus of Nazareth as well as the proclamation of the early Christian communities and their outstanding personalities.
