Introduction to Genesis

SITS 2011

By Cloyce Sutton IIWith many thanks and apologies to the poor

brother who must decipher this mess.

A Timely Study

• Recent case of Martin Gaskell.

• Denied employment at the University of Kentucky because…– He questions evolutionary theory– He tries to harmonize the Bible and science– Encourages students to look at both sides

Notes — P 1 See Appendix 1 — P 43f

Derek Kidner

“There can scarcely be another part of Scripture over which so many battles, theological, scientific, historical and literary, have been fought, or so many strong opinions cherished. This very fact is a sign of the greatness and power of the book, and of the narrow limits of both our factual knowledge and our spiritual grasp.”

Notes — P 1

Presentation Overview

1. Title, Torah & Canonicity (p 1-4)

2. Authorship (p 5-12)

3. Date & Historicity (p 12-29)

4. Structure, Outline & Literary Features(p 29-37)

5. Reading & Interpreting Genesis (p 37-41)

Notes — P 1

Appendices1. Kentucky-Bred Snobbery (p 43f)

2. Traditional View of the Documentary Hypothesis (p 45)

3. Typical Source Analysis of Genesis (p 46f)

4. OT “Source Books” (p 48)

5. Time Periods of the Flood (p 49)

6. Chronology of the Patriarchs (50)

7. Genesis in the NT (p 51ff)

Notes P — 43-53

Hebrew Title• Hebrew —

– bereshit — tyvarb– “In the beginning”

• All books in the Pentateuch take their titles from the first word in the (Hebrew) text:– Exodus = These are the names (shemot)– Leviticus = And he called (vayyiqra)– Numbers = In the wilderness (bemidbar)– Deuteronomy = These are the words

(debarim)

Notes P — 1f

Greek & Latin Titles

• LXX– “Genesis” — genesiß – “origin, source, race, creation, generations

• Latin– “Liber Genesis” = The Book of Genesis– “Liber Genesis Hebraice Bereshit” = The book

of Genesis, [known] in Hebrew [as] Bereshit”– “Incipit Liber Bresith id est Genesis” = Here

begins the book Bresith which is Genesis

Notes — P 2

Genesis in the Torah

• Hebrew Bibles are called “Tanakh” — ]nt– Acronym representing the three sections of

the Hebrew Scriptures– Torah — hrt = Law – Nebi’im — .yaybn = Prophets– Ketubim — .ybwtk = Writings

• See Luke 24.44

• Genesis begins the Torah

Notes — P 3

Torah

• Torah is usually translated as “law” in English.

• Carries a wide range of meaning:– law– guidance– instruction– discipline

Notes — P 3

OT/NT Descriptions of Torah

May refer to the whole Torah or part(s) of it:• The law• The book of the law• The book of the law of Moses• The book of Moses• The law of the Lord• The law of God• Etc.

Notes — P 3f

Authorship — DH View

• Documentary Hypothesis

• The view that the Pentateuch is of composite and late authorship– Three or more groups of authors– Not Moses– No earlier than ca. 850 BC

• If Moses did not write, then the contents are suspect (ie, their historicity).

Notes — P 4

Earliest Advocates of DH

• B Spinoza

• J Astruc

• J G Eichhorn

• J S Vater

• W M L De Wette

• H Ewald

• W Vatke

• V Hupfeld

• K H Graf

• J Wellhausen

• S R Driver

Notes — P 4f

Opponents of DH

Early

• E W Hengstenberg

• F Delitzsch• J Orr• U Cassuto

More Recent

• O T Allis• E J Young• R K Harrison• G L Archer, Jr• K A Kitchen• D Kidner• G J Wenham

Notes — P 5f

DH Assumptions

• Linear evolution of Israelite culture

• Late development of writing

• Different Divine names imply different sources

• Duplicate or similar stories indicate different sources

• Anachronisms indicate different sources

• Composite stories indicate different sources

Notes — P 6

DH Sources

• “J” = “Yahwist”– In Judah, Solomon’s time, prefers “YHWH”

• “E” = “Elohist”– N Israel, Divided monarchy, prefers “Elohim”

• “D” = “Deuteronomist”– Not in Genesis, Josiah’s time

• “P” = “Priestly”– Post exilic, concerned with chronological,

liturgical, legal & genealogical matters

Notes — P 6f

Notes — P See Appendix 2, p 45

Sources in Genesis

• See Appendix 3, p 46.

DH Critiques (#1)

• Assumption:– Linear evolution of Israelite culture

• Answer:– Non-linear development is a better

explanation.

Notes — P 7

DH Critiques (#2)

• Assumption:– Writing did not exist at the time Moses.

• Answer:– Archaeology has demonstrated that writing

existed well before the time of Moses.

Notes — P 7

DH Critiques (#3)

• Assumption:– Multiple names for God indicates multiple

sources.

• Answer:– Other ANE sources use multiple names for

deity.– May be explained on stylistic grounds.

Notes — P 7f

DH Critiques (#4)

• Assumption:– Duplicate or similar stories indicate multiple

sources.

• Answer:– Differences between the stories suggest that

the stories are actually different.– May be explained as the author’s use of “type

scenes.”

Notes — P 8

DH Critiques (#5)

• Assumption:– Anachronisms indicate that the documents

are much later than the stories.

• Answer:– Anachronisms are a valid, but much

overstated concern.– They appear to be little more than minor

scribal modifications.

Notes — P 8f

DH Critiques (#6)

• Assumption:– Different vocabulary and literary styles

indicate multiple sources.

• Answer:– Best explained on literary grounds.– Variety of words and styles reflect literary

capabilities of the author.– Variety of words and styles add depth to the

composition.

Notes — P 9

DH Critiques (#7)

• Assumption:– Composite (interwoven) stories indicate

multiple sources.

• Answer:– A highly subjective criticism.– Often, dividing into sources renders any

single account unintelligible.

Notes — P 9f See Appendix 3, p 46.

DH Critique Conclusion

“The evidence… points to the following conclusion: there is much more uniformity and much less fragmentation in the book of Genesis than generally assumed. The standard division of Genesis into J, E, and P strands should be discarded. This method of source criticism is a method of an earlier age, predominantly the 19th century. If new approaches to the text, such as literary criticism… deem the Documentary Hypothesis unreasonable and invalid, then source critics will have to rethink earlier conclusions and start anew.”

Notes — P 10 — G Rendsburg

Moses as Author

• Biblical references to his writing activities.

• His unique position:– Born an Israelite– Born as a Levite– Raised as an Egyptian– Familiarity with both cultures– Familiarity with regional geography

Notes — P 10f

Some Difficulties

• Torah books anonymously written

• No explicit references as author

• Consistent use of 3rd person references– Author never refers to “I” or “we” in narratives

(contrast Luke or Nehemiah)– Speeches with “I” or “we” references always

bracketed with 3rd person introductions.

Notes — P 11f

Authorship Summary (1)

“From a literary point of view, Moses was a collector of the patriarchal traditions (genealogies and their associated stories) and the author of the patriarchal accounts in Genesis 12-50. From a historical point of view, he wrote as the leader who God used to birth the nation of Israel, which had grown out of the pastoral enclosed nomadic patriarchal family…” (cont’d)

Notes — P 12 R. Averback

Authorship Summary (2)

“… and continued as a fully developed network of clans and tribes. From a theological point of view, he wrote as a levitical priest who was the mediator of the theocratic covenant and law in Israel and wrote the patriarchal narratives in Genesis 12-50 with these priestly legislative concerns in mind.”

Notes — P 12 R. Averback

Possible Dates For Moses

• Generally: – 15th c BC (early Exodus view) – or 13th c BC (late Exodus view)

• Depends upon length of Egyptian sojourn– MT (430 years) versus LXX (215 years)

• Compare: – Exodus 12.40– 1 Kings 6.1– Judges 11.26

Notes — P 12f

Genealogies in Genesis

• Gn 4.16-24 — Cain’s descendants

• Gn 5 — Adam’s descendants

• Gn 10 — Table of Nations

• Gn 11 — Shem’s descendants

Notes — P 14f

Genealogies as Chronologies

Challenges:

• Incomplete genealogies

• Ambiguous relationships

• Variations in ancient versions

• Symmetry suggests mnemonic purpose

• Odd overlaps

• External archaeological data

Notes — P 15ff

Narrative Synchronisms

• Flood “calendar”– See Appendix 5 (p 49)

• Lives & Ages of the Patriarchs– See Appendix 6 (p 50)

• Use of time in the Abraham story

Notes — P 17f

Historicity of Genesis

NT assumes their historicity…• Jesus’ genealogy traced

to Adam• Doctrine of sin &

resurrection tied to Adam• First sin & woman’s role• Curse upon the earth• Curse upon the serpent• Sarah & wives today• Marriage & divorce

• Patriarchal faith examples• Noah & baptism• Enoch & godliness• Jacob, Esau & election• Esau & godlessness• Melchizedek & Jesus as

priests• Abraham & justification• Promise to Abraham

Notes — P 18 See “Genesis in the NT” — Appendix 7, p 51ff.

Antiquity — Internal Evidence

• Divine names used only in Genesis

• Patriarchal names used only in Genesis

• Place names found only in Genesis

• “Angelology”

• Unique practices only in Genesis

• Would-be anachronisms

Notes — P 18-21

Internal Evidence Summary

“The many different kinds of internal biblical evidence cited above reinforce the case viewing Genesis as an authentic mirror of early historical tradition and weaken a claim of later inventiveness.”

— N Sarna

Notes — P 21

Antiquity & Archaeology (1)

Primeval History (chp 1-11)

• Similarities w/ ANE creation accounts

• Similarities w/ ANE flood accounts

• Historicity of “Table of Nations”– See following charts

• Tower of Babel– See following charts

Notes — P 21-25

Table of Nations

• 3rd m BC — 12 names• Early 2nd m BC — 19 names• Late 2nd m BC — 34 names• Early 1st m BC — 31 names• Late 1st m BC — 9 names• Unknown — 34 names

Some of the places span several periods.

Notes — P 23f

From the MacMillan Bible Atlas — Map #15Notes — P 24

Tower of Babel

• Might be an ancient “ziggurat”

• But note:– “Tower” translates migdal — lDgm– Normally refers to a fortified military structure– See Judges 9.46-57; 2 Chronicles 26.9-15

• Recently discovered Sumerian text speaks of a time when all the earth spoke one language.

Notes — P 24

Primeval Antiquity Summary

“Genesis 1-11, according to my own rough count, contains 64 geographical names, 88 personal names, 48 generic names and 21 identifiable cultural items… Each one of these has the potential for exposing the text to error… Genesis 1-11 clearly does not fit into the categories of myth, legend, parable, allegory, fairy tale, typology, or saga.”

— W Kaiser

Notes — P 24

Antiquity & Archaeology (2)

• Personal names

• Place names

• Migration patterns

• War of Genesis 14

• Family life

• Business & legal customs

• Egyptian culture

Notes — P 25-29

DH Skepticism

“We attain no historical knowledge of the patriarchs, but only of the time (1st m BC) when the stories about them arose in the Israelite people…”

— J Wellhausen

Notes — P 25

Relevant Sources

• Mari (Syria) — 18th c BC, Akkadian

• Boghaz-Koy (NE Turkey) — 16th c BC, Hittite

• Nuzi (N Iraq) — 15th c BC, Hurrian

• Ras Shamra (Syria) — 15th c BC, Ugaritic

• Amarna (Egypt) — 14th c BC, Egyptian

Notes — P 25

Patriarchal Names

• Same or similar personal names verified

• Name formation verified

• Egyptian names verified

• Place names verified

Notes — P 25f

Geo-Political Setting

• Migration patterns of Abraham & patriarchs confirmed

• Occupations of the patriarchs confirmed

• War of Genesis 14 is reasonable only at this time period

Notes — P 26f

Patriarchal Family Life

• Adoption of someone as an heir verified

• Barren woman using surrogate verified

• Adoption of son-in-law as legal heir verified

• Long-distance marriage arrangements verified

• Sale of birthrights confirmed

• Deathbed blessings verified

Notes — P 27

Patriarchal Business & Law

• Slave prices verified

• Treaty or contract forms verified

Notes — P 27f

Egypt in Genesis

• Settle in Goshen valid only in the period represented in Genesis

• Accurate Egyptian terminology

• Accurate portrait of Egyptian ideals, culture, lifestyle

Notes — P 28f

Antiquity of Genesis

“We are compelled, once and for all, to throw out Wellhausen’s bold claim that the patriarchs were merely a glorified mirage of or from the Hebrew monarchy period. For such a view there is not a particle of supporting factual evidence, and the whole of the foregoing indicative background material is solidly against it.”

— K Kitchen

Notes — P 29

Structural Keys

• “Toledot” statements

• Geography

• Seed Promise

• Covenant

• Emphasis

Notes — P 29ff

G Rendsburg’s Analysis

Primeval History (1-11)A - Creation & fall (1.1-6.8)A* - Flood & further fall (6.9-11.26)

Patriarchal History (12-15)A - Abraham cycle (11.27-22.24)

B - Link: Abraham’s legacy (23.1-25.18)C - Jacob cycle (25.19-35.22)

B* - Link: Jacob’s legacy (35.23-36.43)A - Joseph cycle (37.1-50.2)

Notes — P 31ff See the detailed notes in the handout.

Literary Features

• I have included several samples of literary analysis from several sections of Genesis.

• The literary analysis of Genesis is important in that it is one of two disciplines (the other one being archaeology) that has brought about the virtual downfall of the DH.

• See the quotation on the next chart.

Notes — P 33-37

Literary Analysis & DH

“…wherever the basic unity of a section can be established the Documentary Hypothesis can be called into question.”

— G Rendsburg

Notes — P 33

Reading Genesis

• 40% narrative prose in OT

• About 95% in Genesis

• Three levels:– “Top” = God’s universal plan– “Middle” = Story of Israel– “Bottom” = Individual stories

• Each story must be properly correlated within in all three levels

Notes — P 37

Elements of the Story

• Scene• Plot• Point of view• Characterization• Setting• Dialogue• Key words• Structure

Notes — P 38-39

Interpretive Issues

• “Day” in chp 1

• Function of the genealogies of chp 5, 11

• “Sons of God” in chp 6

• Extent of flood (chp 6-8)

• Ungodly behavior of the heroes

• Relation to other portions of Scripture

Notes — P 39

Interpretive Principles (1)

• OT narrative does not usually teach a doctrine.– But compare Matthew 19.4f; 22.31f.

• OT narrative usually illustrates doctrines taught elsewhere.

• Narratives record what happened, not necessarily what should have happened.

• People in narratives do not always behave as they should.

Notes — P 39f

Interpretive Principles (2)

• Sometimes narrative does not tell us if something is good or bad.

• Narratives are always selective and incomplete.

• Narratives do not always answer all our questions.

• The hero of every story is ultimately God.

Notes — P 39f

Genesis Then & Now

• We must translate from their world (the ANE) and ours (the Modern West).

• See he chart by Walton, p 40f.

Notes — P 39ff

Conclusion

• By way of conclusion, read the remarkable comparison between the opening chapters of Genesis and the closing chapters of Revelation.

• From Halley’s Bible Handbook, p 618.

Notes — P 41f