Getting the Message: A Plan for Interpreting and Applying the Bible / January 04, 2001

Getting the Message presents solid principles and clear examples of biblical interpretation. Doriani summarizes the main principles for interpretation in a single, easily remembered acronym: CAPTOR.

From the Preface:
Perhaps this book’s chief innovation is that it presents the steps of interpretation in the order in which students of Scripture actually use them. In the acronym CAPTOR, each letter stands for a phase of interpretation: C = Context, A = Analysis, P = Problems, T = Themes, O = Obligations, R = Reflection. After two introdutory chapters, chapters 3-12 explore the six phases of interpretation. The final chapter then offers concrete suggestions for getting started. By offering models of exegesis, books lists, and more detailed information, the five appendices also seek to make the principles of this book usable.