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Unit 2: Genesis

Unit 2: Genesis. Why do we need to know these stories?. Unit 2: Genesis.

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Unit 2: Genesis

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  1. Unit 2: Genesis Why do we need to know these stories?

  2. Unit 2: Genesis The first 11 chapters of Genesis belong to a period called Prehistory because all of the stories in these chapters are about the time before Israel’s history was recorded in oral tradition, i.e, all the stories occur before Abraham, the first historical person in the Bible. The literary style of these stories is myth. (Remember what a myth is and is NOT . . .) Source Theory

  3. The Pentateuch is the work of at least 4 known “sources” or “authors” (who were actually editors) who organized stories which had been passed down orally: Source Theory

  4. Yahwist (J) • Worked before 900s BCE • Wrote things down during a time when Jerusalem and the temple were central in Israelite history. • Called God “Yahweh” = LORD in our Bibles • Portrays God being very close to people (e.g., walking in the garden with them) • The Second Creation Story is an example of this author’s work. Source Theory

  5. Elohist (E) • Worked in the early 900s to late 800s BCE • Worked late in the United Monarchy or during the Divided Monarchy when everyone did not have access to the temple in Jerusalem • Called God “Elohim” • God speaks to the people through dreams, clouds, angels, etc. • Believed Moses was the greatest prophet because God spoke to him directly • The story of Moses and the burning bush is an example of this author’s work. Source Theory

  6. Deuteronomist (D) • Worked around the 600s BCE • Believed the covenant was God’s loving choice of Israel and the law was Israel’s response to being chosen. • The whole book of Deuteronomy is an example of this author’s work. Source Theory

  7. Priestly (P) • Worked around 587 BCE. • Put the J, E, and D material within the framework of his own material to form the Torah. • Emphasized liturgy, doctrine, and history, so his material contains lots of ritual laws, lists, and family trees. • The First Creation Story and the Book of Leviticus are examples of this author’s work. Read Genesis 1:1-2:4a Source Theory

  8. Read the passages and identify the source Gn 5:1-32 Gn 18:1-5 Gn 20:1-7 Gn 23 Gn 39:1-6 Gn 40:1-7 Source Theory

  9. Cultures which passed on stories orally used memory aids to help the stories to be passed on accurately: • Repeated phrases • Modern example: The Three Little Pigs • “Little pig, little pig, let me come in!” • “Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin!” • “Then I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house in!” • Biblical example: The First Creation Story • Then God said “Let there be . . .” • And so it happened. • God saw how good it was. • Evening came and morning followed, the . . . day. Source Theory

  10. Patterns • Modern example: The Three Little Pigs • Building materials get stronger as the story progresses (straw, sticks, bricks) • Whenever a house gets blown down, the pigs run to the next house. • Biblical example: The First Creation Story • 3 days of separation • 3 days of population (in same order as separation) • 1 day of rest Source Theory

  11. A closer look at the pattern of the First Creation Story (by P) • 3 days of separation • Light created and separated from dark • Dome of the sky created to separate waters above from waters below • Land separated from the waters below and plants created to cover the land. • 3 days of population • Sun, moon, and stars created to populate the heavens • Fishcreated to populate thewaters below, birdscreated to populate theskyunder the dome • Animals and peoplecreated to populate theland • 1 day of rest( = Sabbath) Source Theory

  12. Religious truths of the First Creation (1C) Story • There is one God. • God created everything. • Creation is good. • Creation has order and harmony. (Logical pattern) • People have power over other living creatures (but note there is no permission given to abuse that power . . .) • God intends for us to rest from our work. • Man and woman are equal (Both in image and likeness of God) Read Genesis 2:4b-25 Creation Stories

  13. The Second Creation Story (by J) • LORDGod makes the earth and the heavens • LORD God creates man out of clay from the earth and the breath of God • LORD God creates a garden (plants) to provide food for man. Garden includes a Tree of Life and a Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad. Man forbidden to eat from Tree of Knowledge) • LORD God creates animals to be a partner for man. Man names them, but none are suitable. • LORD God creates woman as a suitable partner for man. Creation Stories

  14. Religious Truths of the Second Creation (2C) Story • God created everything • People have power over other living creatures. (Naming) • Man and Woman were created equal. (Woman created from man’s side, only suitable partner) • God is close to us. (Formed, breath) • God does not wish for humans to know evil. (Can’t eat from tree of knowledge of good and evil.) Creation Stories

  15. The 2 Creation Stories are followed by 4 De-creation (Sin) stories. • Genesis 1 and 2: God creates us with appropriate relationships to everything. • Genesis 3 through 11: People sin and mess up every relationship we have. • The rest of the Bible is about God’s re-creationof appropriate relationships through covenant, and the many ways we accept and reject that covenant. • Read Genesis 3 Sin Stories

  16. Sin A deliberate offense against the will of God Sin Stories

  17. Religious truths of the Sin Stories • Sin alienatesindividuals from: • ourselves • God • other people • our environment • Sin also alienates groups of people from other groups of people. Sin Stories

  18. Examples from The Fall • Alienation from self: Nakedness • In 2C, nakedness is not a cause for shame, but after the Fall, people are ashamed of their own bodies and sew clothes to cover them. • Alienation from God: How God and people interact • in 2C God and man deal with each other face to face, but after the Fall, man and woman hide from God. • Alienation from others: Equality • in 1C and 2C, man and woman are equal, but after the Fall, man is woman’s master. • Alienation from environment: Food for people • in 2C the earth gives freely to feed people, but after the Fall, man must work hard to obtain food to eat. Sin Stories

  19. What about the Tree of Life? • In 2C, people are not forbidden to eat from the Tree of Life! • After the Fall: man and woman are kicked out of the garden and the Tree of Life is guarded by cherubim and a fiery revolving sword. The Religious Truth: death is not the intent of the Creator! WE choose death by sinning. Sin Stories

  20. Another pattern in Genesis: • Long Life - A literary symbol used to show faithfulness to God • As the book of Genesis progresses, the P author’s genealogies (lists of descendents) show shorter and shorter life spans for humans. • This is the author’s way of connecting moral evil ( = sin) with physical evil ( = suffering and death) Sin Stories

  21. The rest of Genesis belongs to history. As far as we can tell, these people were real people. The stories contain many literary styles, including some historical narrative, but primarily we are dealing here with legend. Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  22. Because we are now in an historical period, we need to have some cultural and historical context in order to understand what we read. All of the following give us insight into what life was like for the Hebrew people at the time these stories were being told and written down: Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  23. Hospitality • A solemn obligation in Hebrew culture • Necessary as a means of survival among nomadic people • A very different mindset than the “don’t talk to strangers” concept in our society. Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  24. Marriage Customs • A man could have as many wives as he could afford. More wives = more social status. • A woman was veiled on her wedding day until after she entered the marriage tent with her new husband • Wedding celebrations often lasted for a week • When a woman got married, she became her husband’s property. • If her husband died, she could marry his brother. • An unmarried woman with no man to care for her was often reduced to poverty. Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  25. Concubine • Servant who has a child with the husband of a wife who can’t have her own children or who wants more children • The wife gets “credit” for the concubine’s children • Considered a secondary wife Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  26. Spoken Word • A person’s word was as binding among the ancient Israelites as a written legal contract is to us • Once spoken, your word could not be revoked Cultural Context & Abraham & Isaac

  27. Patriarchal Blessing • Spoken when the father or head of household was near death • Made known how the father wished his property to be distributed and who would take over as the head of the household • Thought to be more effective than your average, every-day blessing Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  28. Inheritance Order • Guidelines for how family wealth was passed on when the head of the family died. • Priority went to • oldest living son of a wife, then • oldest living son of a concubine, then • oldest living male relative (could be husband of a married daughter), then • a trusted/faithful servant. Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  29. Birthright The first in line (see inheritance order) received • double share of the inheritance • special blessing (see patriarchal blessing) Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  30. Covenant • A covenant is an agreement which unites two or more people in a loving relationship • Everyone involved agrees freely to it (no one is forced into a covenant) • Was often sealed with a ritual where • animals were split in 2 • those making the covenant walked between the pieces • this symbolized that “I’d rather be split in 2 like these animals than break this agreement.” Read Genesis 12, 15-17, 25 Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  31. The Story of Abraham • Abraham is the first of the patriarchs (= the male founders of the faith.) • His wife Sarah is the first of the matriarchs ( = the female founders of the faith.) • Abraham and Sarah were originally called Abram and Sarai. The new names symbolize their taking on of a new role. (Catholics have kept this tradition in the selection of Confirmation names and the pope choosing a new name when he is elected.) Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  32. Abraham is not originally from Canaan ( = the Holy Land). He moves there after God calls him to leave his homeland.

  33. In the covenant, God promises • protection (15:1) • many descendants (15:5, 17:6) • homeland (17:8) • “I will be your God.” (17:8) • In the covenant, Abraham promises • circumcision (as a sign of the covenant) (17:23) • faithfulness (15:6) • Abraham questions when God will fulfill the covenant, yet is credited with faithfulness! So doubt is clearly a natural part of faith. Cultural context & Abraham and Isaac

  34. The mother of Abraham’s oldest son Ishmael is Hagar, Sarah’s servant who acts as a concubine. • Sarah exhibits jealousy when Hagar shows Sarah disdain. • God never abandons Ishmael and Hagar. He also promises Hagar that she will have countless descendants. • Modern Muslims trace their lineage back to Abraham through Ishmael. • Melchizedek Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  35. Religious truths so far . . . • God doesn’t need perfect people to accomplish God’s will. (Remember Abraham’s doubt and Sarah’s jealousy and abusive treatment) • God wants faithfulness and rewards it. (Remember land, many descendants for Hagar and Abraham.) Read Genesis 18:1-19:29 (optional) Read Genesis 22:1-19, and Genesis 24. Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  36. The Story of Isaac • Isaac is the son of Abraham and Sarah. As the son of a wife, he moves ahead of Ishmael in inheritance order even though he is younger than Ishmael. • Human sacrifice to honor your god was a part of the Canaanite culture in which Abraham and Isaac lived. We will see the Hebrews struggle to move away from it as we study the OT. • Isaac never leaves Canaan. Abraham’s servant goes back to Haran to find a wife for Isaac from among Abraham’s kinsmen. • Rebekah is Isaac’s cousin’s daughter. • Compared to the other patriarchs there is little info in the OT about Isaac.

  37. Another religious truth . . . • God wants faithfulness, not sacrifice. (This will be a recurring theme in scripture: God wants faithfulness, not _________. The blank will get filled in by whatever the people of the time are doing as a substitute for being faithful.) Cultural Context & Abraham and Isaac

  38. The Story of Jacob • Jacob has an older twin brother Esau • Esau sells his birthright to Jacob, then Jacob tricks his father into giving him the patriarchal blessing. • Jacob flees to Haran so Esau wouldn’t kill him. • Jacob works 7 years for each of his wives, Leah and Rachel, who were his cousins. • Jacob loves Rachel. Rachel’s children are his favorites. • Laban (Jacob’s uncle and Leah and Rachel’s father) is as tricky as Jacob is. • Jacob also has 2 concubines, Zilpah and Bilhah. • After 20 years in Haran, Jacob takes his family to Canaan and reconciles with Esau. Jacob

  39. A whopper of a religious truth Jacob was a self-centered, deceitful, conniving, thoughtless man who promised faithfulness only if God would give him food, clothes, and protection. (28:20) So if God’s will could be accomplished through him, who CAN’T it be accomplished through?! (God’s will can be done even by imperfect people!) Jacob

  40. The Family Tree of Abraham • Abraham, Sarah, Hagar • Ishmael, Isaac, Rebekah • Jacob, Esau, Rachel, Leah, Bilhah, Zilpah • Dan, Naphtali, Benjamin, Joseph, Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Dinah, Gad, Asher • Manasseh, Ephraim Jacob

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