Forefathers and Foremothers Genesis 12 - 50 Forefathers and Foremothers
The God of our fathers, The God of Abraham, Genesis 12:1 – 25:18 The God of Isaac, Genesis 21:1 – 28:9 and The God of Jacob Genesis 25:19 – 49:33 {and Joseph (Gen 37:2 – 50:26)}
Question of Genre Form Criticism What is this? Question of Genre Form Criticism
History – Recounting events as they happened Legends – Tales of the heroes of old cf. legenda of the saints Saga – The community’s history personalized compare Gen 49; Deut 33 others and/or mixed
Abraham Genesis 12:1-9 New Beginning Blessing for all nations Gen 12:3 Set forth not knowing where going Heb 11:8
Abraham’s Journeys
Sarai and Pharaoh Gen 12:10-17 Abraham risks losing the promise Parallel stories Gen 20 Sarah and Abimelech Gen 26:1-11 Rebecca and Abimelech
Lot Division of land with Abraham (Gen 13) Visitors to Abraham & Destruction of Sodom (Gen 18-19) cf. Qur'an 11:70-84 Moabites and Ammonites (Gen 19:30-38)
Hagar and Ishmael Conception and birth of Ishmael (Gen 16) Abraham & Sarai try to “help” the promise Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael (Gen 21:9-21) Isaac and Ishmael bury Abraham (Gen 25:9) Ishmael and Arabs (see Gen 25:12-18; Islam) Pauline allegory (Gal 4:21-31)
Isaac Shadowy figure linking Abraham & Jacob Travels of Abraham and Isaac
Binding of Isaac Genesis 22:1-19 Binding or Sacrifice? Compare Qur’an 37:100-114 Role of Isaac/Ishmael for Islam? “Text of terror” Model for understanding atonement? “Text of terror” Model for understanding atonement?
Jacob (The Trickster) and Esau Birth and birthright (Gen 25:19-34) Stolen blessing and flight (Gen 27) Reunion (Gen 32:4 – 33:20) Esau and Edom (Gen 36)
Jacob’s Travels
Children of Israel {Jacob} and of Laban’s trickery (Gen 29:1-30) Leah, Bilhah, Zilpah, Rachel (Gen 30) The Tribes of Israel
Joseph (Gen 37-50) Within larger story: Move to Egypt – tie Fathers to Exodus compare flight of holy family As separate story: novella
The Ancestors Real-life persons, not heroes People of faith Representatives of later groups of people Related to, but separate from, other peoples Sojourners in the land of promise