Explication of Genesis 1-11
Genesis divided into two parts; |
| 1. ch. 1-11: stories of creation and the divisions of mankind |
| 2. ch. 12-50: stories of the patriarchs |
| history of the Hebrew people |
| collation of variant traditions into a continuous narrative |
First Account: (Priestly version) From a flood culture (Mesopotamia?), 1-2:3 |
| Divine fiat of a transcendent god, above creation |
| separation of the waters above from those below |
| creation through language |
| how are we 'in God's image'? |
| "male and female he created them" (1:27) |
Second Account: (Yahwist version) From an oasis (desert) culture, 2:4-25 |
| Works of an immanent god, who walks in creation (3:8) |
| and converses with his creatures |
| Search for a helper: creation of woman |
| Naming of animals = dominion |
| naming as act of creation |
| ish 'man' + ah > ishah 'woman' |
Expulsion from Eden: Continuation of second account |
| What is the significance of the tree of good & evil? |
| What, if anything, do Adam and Eve gain by eating the fruit? |
| How would you describe the consequences of the Fall? |
| first homicide continues estrangement and separation |
| rivalry between pastoralists and agriculturalists |
| earth filled corruption & violence |
| God is sorry that he made humankind (6:7) |
| Noah finds favor in God's eyes (6:8) |
| God unleashes the chaos waters which were restrained by the firmament |
| Rainbow: symbol of a covenant with all humankind |
| Noah as progenitor of all humankind |
| Japheth: European peoples |
| How does this compare with Sumerian Flood? |
| tower based on Mesopotamian ziggurats |
| 1. remain united in one place |
| 2. tear down barriers between heaven & earth |
| origin of languages: further alienation & separation |
Essential role of language in these stories |
| God uses language to create |
| he either perceives or bestows their essence |
| serpent manipulates language to tempt |
| God confuses the language of humans to kep them from over-reaching themselves |
Patriarchal Narratives
| little archaeological confirmation |
| Three major types of stories |
| ethnological stories (explain origins and nature of peoples) |
| etymological stories (explain origins and meaning of names) |
| cultic stories (explain origins of customs and cultic practices) |
| Melchizedek: El Elyon 'god most high'; |
| Abraham: Adonai, El Elyon 'the Lord, god most high' |
| tribal contracts with god of the clan |
| Abram's departure from home |
| smoking pot and flaming torch |
| Comparison with Noahic covenant |
| Noahic covenant with all mankind |
| Abrahamic covenant with Abraham and his descendents |
| a parallel version of the covenant |
| Abram becomes Abraham 'the ancestor is exalted' |
| rite as ritual risk of losing the promise |
| emphasis on connection between the promise and progeny |
'Sacrifice' of Isaac (ch. 22) |
| again, a risk of losing the promise through obedience to God |
| God demands faith, but what kind of faith? |
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