institute for leadership in ministry genesis &...

Institute for Leadership in MinistryDiocese of San Jose

Old Testament: Class 2Genesis & BeginningsSeptember 23, 2015

Readings for next classSeptember 30, 2015

Read Chapters 8 & 9 Introduction to the Old Testament

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Class Schedule

CLASS DATE: YEAR 2015 TOPIC

ONEWednesday 9/16/2015

Read Ch. 5-7: Boadt, Introduction to the Old Testament

Introduction, Readings, Tels, City Gates, Standing Stones

Article: “Interpreting the Bible: The Right & The Responsibility.” Sandra Schneiders

TWO Wednesday 9/23/2015Read Ch. 8 & 9 Introduction to the OT

Genesis: Creation & Other Stories

THREE Wednesday 9/30/2015Read Ch. 12 & 15 Introduction to the OT Exodus, The Monarchy & Divided Kingdom

——— Wednesday 10/7/2015 NO CLASS | SPECIAL PROGRAM

FOUR Wednesday 10/14/2015Read Ch. 16-19 Introduction to the OT

Rabbi Shelley Waldenberg (Guest)The Master Story

FIVE Wednesday 10/21/2015Final Class - Finish other chapters! The Pre & Post Exilic Prophets

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• God’s ways are not our ways (Is 55:8)• Sacrifice and offering you do not desire (Ps 40:6) • For in sacrifice you take no delight (Ps 51:16) • I desire mercy not sacrifice (Mt 9:13)

• I will have mercy on whom I have mercy (Rm 9:15)

• a humbled contrite heart you will not spurn (Ps 51:17)

• I am meek and humble of heart (Mt 11:29)

On God’s Mercy - A student’s effort3

ILM Week 2 Genesis 2014.key - September 22, 2015

Writing Guidelines1. Email the completed essay to [email protected]

1.1. Send the document as WORD or PAGES or PDF attachment to your email, OR1.2. Share the document via Google Drive

2.Be sure to include different references/citations:2.1. ONE from the class readings, 2.2.ONE from the class notes, and ONE from the Bible that supports what you write. 2.3.DO NOT USE OTHER SOURCES - books, Internet, articles, etc.

3.Finally, APPLY what you write to a pastoral situation in your church community in which you are currently engaged or may be engaged at some point.4.Not all the essays will be due on the same day. Some papers will be due on Wed. 9/30; ALL by Wed 10/14 [Email papers]. This gives me time to read your papers and get them back to you before our FINAL classes on 10/21.

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Midrash is another form of commentary on the Law.

MIDRASH = to seek (looking into the scriptures and your own heart and soul to find the answers.)

Law Torah Prophets Nabi’im Writings K’tubim

Halakha (The way or path) is the oral tradition on the Law.

כתובים

תורהנביאים

" תנ TaNaKh [written]

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Oral Tradition

Eyewitnesses did not write the books of the Old Testament as the events occurred. The biblical stories that we have were originally passed down by word of mouth. Family after family of the Hebrew people told and retold the stories of their religious faith experience – stories of how God had saved his people and was still saving them.

★ Although details of stories were changed or even lost, the basic religious meaning remained. This process of preserving stories is known as oral tradition. During the centuries of oral tradition, the stories kept their meaning and value for the people. The Hebrews were not the only culture to have oral tradition. All civilizations have stories of the past that have been passed down from generation to generation.

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Pre-history Two Hebrew

Kingdoms Judah (South) Israel (North)

The Patriarchs

Abraham Isaac Jacob

Joseph

Hebrews in Egypt

(Free)

Hebrews in Egypt

(Slaves)

Leave Egypt

Lead by Moses

Age of the Judges

United Hebrew Kingdom

Under Saul

David Solomon

T I M E L I N E

T HE

BI BL E

GENESISJOSHUA JUDGES

1-2 SAMUEL 1-2 KINGS

1-2 CHRONICLES

BOOKS OF THE PROPHETS

The Torah (Pentateuch) or first five books

Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament)

1900-1800 1700-1600 1500-1400 1300 1200-1100 1000-900 800

Timeline 1

EXODUS LEVITICUS NUMBERS

DEUTERONOMY

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/---------------/----------------/----------------/-----------------/-----

-------/-----------------------/--------------------/----------------------/---------

Fall of Israel Fall of Judah Jews return to Judah Greek Rule (North Kingdom) (South Kingdom) (Rebuild Temple & Persians Rule)

-------/---------------------------/-----------------------/---------------------

--------------------/------------------------------------------------/--------------

Timeline 2

Romans Rule of Jews

Jewish Revolt & Independence from Greeks

Abraham(Patriarch)

1900 BC 1700 92210001300-1250

Death of Solomon(Kingdom splits)

KingDavid

Moses

(Exodus) Joseph

in Egypt

325540587722

Birth of Jesus

ca. 4 BC64164

Temple Destroyed by Romans

Death & Resurrection

70 ADca. 30 AD

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The Ancient Hebrew's World View

•How would such a world view affect your faith and understanding of God?

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http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/articles/attachments/hebrew.gif 10

The Documentary Theory: The Sources of the Pentateuch

Pentateuch = 1st Five Books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

•YAHWIST Source (J) - Good storyteller from the Southern part of the Kingdom (Tribe - Judah)

• God (Yahweh, YHWH) represented with human qualities• Anthropo-morphism = Man & Form (God is given human

qualities)

• What is a theory? • A comprehensive explanation of some aspect of

study that is supported by a vast body of evidence.• It is NOT a hunch or speculation

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•Basic sin of humanity is wanting to take God’s place or become God, e.g. Tower of Babel, Adam & Eve.

•Only option for humanity is to respond and obey God. If not, then thrown out of Eden, Cain is banished, world is flooded, people are confused with different languages.

•Vivid (clear & detailed) and concrete stories.

•God is also a master who commands or forbids

• SECOND story of creation . . .• God is a gardener, potter, surgeon, tailor• God is passionate, relational, personal, social, merciful,

etc.

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Characteristics of the Elohist Source (E)

• avoids anthropo-morphisms, or ways of talking about God as though God were human.

•This inaccessible

God is revealed

through dreams

or angels.

•When God speaks

in person, it is done through

theophanies, or spectacular

manifestations

• A writer from the Northern part of the Kingdom (called Israel) 925 BC, at the time of king Solomon.•“He” tends to be less vivid, less concrete.•God is utterly different from humanity (us) for the Elohist. There are no images of God.

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• The Elohist Source is very interested in moral questions, and has a developing sense of sin. •For example, “he” explains that Abraham never lied (Gen. 20).•The law given Moses is more concerned with morality, duty toward God and one's neighbor than with ritual or worship.

• Real worship = obeying God by observing the covenant.

• Reject all false gods.

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Characteristics of The Priestly Source (P)

•He loves figures and lists. He often repeats the same thing twice: God says ... God does

(eg. The 1st Story of Creation)

• The vocabulary is often technical and has to do with the ritual.

• Writes during Babylonian Exile (587-547 BC).

• The style of this southern tradition is dry.

• The Priestly writer is not a storyteller.

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• Genealogies or family trees appear often. They give the people roots in history.

• Emphasize pilgrimages, festivals, and worship in the temple.

•Ritual is very important.

•Laws are usually attached to a story in order to make them important and remembered.

• the law of fertility (Gen 9:1) in the story of the flood,

• the law of the Passover, attached to the tenth plague

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• God for the Priestly writer is transcendent (beyond us) and holy. Israel is thus called to be holy because God is holy.

Some Features of the Deuteronomist Source (D)

• The Deuteronomist tradition originated in the North, that is, Israel.•The Lord is the sole God of Israel.

•Concerned with the history of Israel.

•Numerous repeated phrases, for example: the Lord your God ... Hear, O Israel, remember ... Keep the commandments, laws, and customs ...

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The Importance and Power of Myth . . .•An imaginative story that embodies the beliefs and values of a group a people or “symbolic stories that express a spiritual truth or a basic belief about God” (Smith-Christopher 60). • It’s purpose it to reveal many meanings or levels of

understanding contained in a single story.They perform four functions:

•Theological - What God is like and God relates to humanity.•Cosmic -How the world works and what its purpose is.•Social - How society should be organized and who is in

charge.•Ethical - What values we should have and how we should

behave.

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Four Themes and the Human Condition

Myths are different from legends that are unverifiable stories that have some historical basis (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and sagas, which are a specific and extended legend telling of a famous person (e.g. Joseph).In the stories of the Fall (3:1-23), Cain and Abel (4:1-16), the Flood (6:5-9:17), and Tower of Babel (11:1-9) a pattern emerges regarding the human condition:

Awareness Choice Consequences Mercy

Read summary in text on page 66

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A. Abraham - Probably a chief of a wealthy clan who raised sheep and goats and depended on commerce

and trade. His story is told in Genesis 12-25.

• God addresses Abraham without warning (12:1) and so the begins a journey . . .

• Abram & Sarai represent a particular, unique, & personal relationship with God. Whereas in

Genesis 1-11, God tried relating to all humanity and in Adam/Eve, Cain/Able, Noah, & The

Tower of Babel.

• Thus the beauty in the diversity of the particular . . .

The Patriarchs (Genesis 12-50)20

III. Two major themes in the story:A. God’s promise of land and a son - Acts as a

guide through the story.B. God’s blessing - Abraham a chosen friend

because he was faithful.

IV. Theophanies and the Covenant:A. A great nation (Gen. 12:2-3) - a broad promise.B. Land (12:7) - promise made specific . . .C. All the land that you see (13:15)D. Stars, Son, and Descendants (15:5)E. Father of nations (17:4)F. Great/powerful nation (18:18)

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V. Covenant Ratification & Ancient Hittite Treaties (1400-1200 B.C.)

A.Gen. 15:1-21 (READ)

B. Three parts to such a treaty:

1. The agreement -

2. Witnesses -

3. A ritual Act -

Promise of a son and descendants

God because the Hittite gods acted as witnesses as well.

Heifer, goat, and ram cut in two . . .

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VI. Gen. 15 - A Covenant Story from J & E

A. “E” casts Abraham in the role of prophet, “the word of the Lord came to Abraham . . .” (15:1,4)

B. Either J or E could use the foreshadowing technique to point to Exodus 32:13 so that all of Gen. 15 is a prediction of and preparation for the Sinai Covenant. (In particular 15:5 &18).

C. Also, Gen. 15:13-16 is a clear addition to the oral tradition by those (mostly like J) who knew their history.

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VII. Gen. 17 - A Covenant Story from P (in Babylonian Exile)

A. God speaks alone and in a regal manor.

B. Mention of “kings” because P knew that kings already long ruled over Israel (v. 6).

Circumcision as a sign - Because there is no more nation due to the Exile, a new sign must mark the covenant and P ensures this by making sure Abraham does it. Much like God resting on the 7th day in P’s creation story.

Because of circumcision, there is now a way to keep the covenant that does not require an independent state or a temple building! After all, in Exile they had no such things.

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Genesis 18 – Abraham and the story of Sodom and Gomorrah.

1. God wonders whether or not he should share with Abraham his decision to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah.

a. This shows an intimate & mature relationship with God.

4. Abraham reminds God that “Should not the Judge of all the world act with justice?” (18:25)

3. All people are good but what they may DO could be bad.

2. Abraham tries to talk God out of his plans. Abraham resists the US-THEM distinction (cf. Exodus 1).

5. Genesis 18 parallels Exodus 32 – “The worshipping of the Golden Calf”

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VIII. Isaac & Ishmael – the two sons of Abraham – Genesis 21 & 22A. Always read on Rosh Hashanah, The Jewish New

Year.B. What do the chapters have to do with the New

Year?1. Gen. 21 – “Hagar & Ishmael” What is troubling

about Abraham & Sarah?•He casts out Hagar/Ishmael in the desert and

God said to do it! Why? •Because at that time your first-born was

whomever you said was your first born! •Sarah wanted Hagar/Ishmael out!

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Genesis 22

“Testing of Abraham”

God tests Abraham because earlier he cast out his son Ishmael.

Will he now do it with Isaac? Is he strong

enough to repair the world?

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A. Offering an animal sacrifice at that time was expected when you began a new religion. In other religions, they offered a person as an act of faith and the nearer the relation to the founder the better the sacrifice.

B. Adonai (YHWH) does not allow this practice to continue!

• For the Jewish celebration of the New Year, we do not have to “cave in” either.

• There is no covenant without Isaac, Abraham says “we will return . . .”

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b. Two sons = two religions = Judaism & Islams (a Midrash)

i. There is a starting over, a testing of Abraham’s will, Abraham “caves in” to his wife while failing Hagar, Ishmael, & himself.

ii. “We always find good reasons to do the wrong things!” Abraham thinks/believes God told him to cast out Hagar/Ishmael!

iii. Recall the story of how God created the universe in the Kabalah = TESHUVA (“Return”). Those pieces of the clay pipe most separated need the most help in order to repair the world TIKKUN OLAM.

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C. What do the stories have to do with each other?D. What do we know about God due to slavery, i.e.,

any situation that keeps us down? E. That God is a God of:

i. Freedomii. Compassioniii. Healing

This comes from Oral Torah and it can only be spoken and understood right now at this time in history (A Midrash). This Oral Torah is from Nechama, cousin of Rabbi Waldenberg.

Abraham must embrace both his sons if there is a future for modern day Israel!

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The Truths Behind the Stories

Read summary in text on page 66

REMINDER: Wednesday 9/30/2015 SOME papers are

due . . . ALL papers due by Wednesday 10/14/15

[Please email papers!]

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