Creation, take 2 Professor Tate 8/28/17

Vocabulary Doublet Source Criticism Documentary Hypothesis Yahwist source Elohist source Priestly source Deuteronomistic source Julius Wellhausen Robert Alter “The Bible as literature”

Exam format Part I: Vocabulary IDs You will be given several terms that we covered in class (all of which will appear on the exam study guides), and you will choose a certain number to identify. 1/2 of the credit for each answer will be awarded for providing the correct definition, and the other half will be awarded for explaining its significance to our study of biblical literature and history. Part II: Quote IDs You will be given several biblical quotes from the assigned readings (all of which will have appeared in the PowerPoint slides from our lectures), and you will choose a certain number to identify. 1/2 of the credit will be awarded for correctly identifying the source of the quote and its context (e.g., what book it appears in and who is speaking to whom, where applicable), and the other half will be awarded for explaining the significance of the quote. Part III: Essay You will be given two essay prompts, and you will choose one to write about. Your essays will bring together the themes and issues addressed in class and in the readings, and they will give you an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of these issues and the thought you have put into them. Questions will be provided on the exam study guides to help you organize your thoughts and prepare for the essay section.

Sample Exam Answer B.C.E. “B.C.E.” stands for “Before the Common Era,” referring to time before the “Common Era” begins in the year 0. It’s important for scholars to refer to time in a neutral way like this in order to be respectful to all traditions, and not just Christianity that divides the eras according to when Jesus lived.

Source criticism Social and historical context Geographical context View of God View of humanity

Genesis 1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Genesis 2 In the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens, when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground—then the Lord God formed man.

Separation of the waters Comparison Genesis 1 Genesis 2 Water/chaos Dry earth Separation of the waters Man/Adam Dry land emerges Plants Animals Birds Woman/Eve Humankind

Doublets?

Enter the documentary hypothesis Julius Wellhausen (1844-1918) At least 4 distinct sources in the Pentateuch: J (Yahwist source) E (Elohist source) P (Priestly source) D (Deuteronomistic source)

The sources of Genesis Priestly source (P) of Genesis 1 Yahwist (J) of Genesis 2 6th century B.C.E. 10th century B.C.E. Babylon Israel Uses divine name “Elohim” (trans. “God”) until God’s proper name revealed to Moses in Exodus 3 Always refers to the divine by the proper name (YHWH/the Tetragrammaton, trans. “LORD”) Interested in order and ritual, and law (wrote the Book of Leviticus) Has a folklore, campfire story quality Portrays God as distant, supreme, omnipotent Portrays God anthropomorphically Famous for genealogies

Another way to read doublets “The Bible as literature” Pioneered by Robert Alter

Creation of humanity in genesis 2 It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.

Creation of humanity in genesis 2 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; this one shall be called Woman, for out of Man this one was taken.”

Creation of humankind (Genesis 2) Michelangelo, Creation of Eve

Creation of humankind (genesis 1)

Who are Adam and eve?

Beware the headings!

Genesis 2 “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.”

Genesis 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

Genesis 3 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.’”

What eve reports to the serpent Who said what? What god said to Adam What eve reports to the serpent “You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.”

Genesis 3 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.