Category Archives: Points of view in Scripture

The Bible Uses a Third Person Omniscient Point of View

Points of view in Scripture

Clear examples of various points of view in Scripture:

Omniscient Point of View:

Genesis, the entire book (although the amount of intrusive narration is quite limited). Exodus, the entire book (again, however, intrusive narration is limited).

Numbers, chapters 11, 12, & 22 – 25.

Ruth, the entire book, with almost no intrusive narrator. I & II Samuel

I & II Kings

I & II Chronicles

Matthew

Mark

Third-person, limited omniscience, major character Point of View:

Leviticus (the entire book is in 3rd person, but only 8:1 – 10:20 is narrative, from the perspective of Moses, in the 3rd person).

Numbers (the entire book is in 3rd person, but 7:1 – 10:36 & 13:1 – 21:35 are limited to

Moses’ point of view).

Deuteronomy (the entire book gives us Moses’ perspective on the exodus from Egypt and journey to the edge of Canaan, only the final chapter, which tells of the death and burial of Moses, is in the omniscient p.o.v.)

John (the entire book, except for 1:14-18).

Third-person, limited omniscience, minor character Point of View:

Luke – a “reporter’s voice” and Acts 1:1 – 19:41.

First-person major character Point of View:

Ezra chapters 7:27 – 9:15 are in the 1st person point of view. Nehemiah – a entire book in the 1st person point of view. Ecclesiastes – the entire book.

Isaiah chapter 6 (the only chapter in the whole book in the 1st person p.o.v). Jeremiah 1:4 – 7:30; 11:5b – 19:13; 24: 1 – 10; 25: 15 – 38 & 31:26 – 32:15. Ezekiel, the entire book.

Daniel 7:2 – the end of the book (12:13). Habakkuk – the entire book.

Zechariah 1:8 through the end of the book. Revelation 1:9 – 22:18 are in the 1st person p.o.v).

First-person (plural!) minor character:

Acts 20:1 – the end of the book (28:31).  Luke’s account of his journeys with Paul.

Objective/Dramatic:

Joshua (only momentary slips out of the dramatic p.o.v., as in 4:9, 14; 5:1-12; 10:2, etc.) Judges (again, only momentary omniscient commentary punctuates this narrative, mostly

during the transitions from one narrative to another).

Job

Song of Solomon

Malachi (a dramatic dialogue between God and the people of Israel).

Source https://www.academia.edu/7110697/POV_in_the_Bible