The Exegesis Camera

As I continue working through the many steps of Greek exegesis, I'm finding the process to resemble the time earlier this week when I moved my camera around to find the spot where light shined through the interwoven design.

Take text criticism for example.

Text criticism is the process by which one tries to determine what the original Greek reading of a passage was from examining the multitude of manuscripts that have been discovered. Through analyzing the external evidence (age/date/location of manuscripts) and internal evidence (how one particular reading may have led to another through various scribal errors) an argument may emerge for preferring one reading over another.* It takes a bit of time and patient tinkering to see how the external evidence (threads) interplay with one another and may be connected together (style of knot).
I'm enjoying being behind the exegesis camera again as I wrap up my last assignment of the semester.

Do we take time to observe designs? Do we see them as blocking our view, or as providing a framework that draws us to the center?

*The variant readings of the Greek do not significantly alter the general message of the passage. For example, as I'm working on Matthew 14:22-33, one of most contested variants is whether there is a definite article for Peter (a definite article normally accompanies proper nouns in Greek). Whether the article is included or not, it is clear that the passage is referring to Peter the disciple of Jesus and does not influence the English translation.