"Structural exegesis" is a major recent development in biblical studies related to simultaneous currents in other fields of academic study. Here at last is an introduction to structuralism and structuralist methods which does not presuppose advance knowledge of linguistics or anthropology. Traditional exegetical methods follow a historical paradigm; structuralism follows a linguistic paradigm. These two approaches thus involve significantly different attitudes toward the biblical text. Through clear analytic explanations illustrated by application to specific texts, Professor Patte shows how structuralism and traditional scholarship must go hand in hand so that together they can carry the exegetical task to its end-opening the possibility for fresh insights based on clear understandings.