1. January 14, 2018

2. Genesis

3. An Overview of the Book of Pentateuch
Our Approach Jan. 14 – Genesis Jan. 21 – Genesis/Exodus Jan. 28 – Exodus Feb. 4 – Leviticus Feb.11 – Numbers Feb Deuteronomy

4. The Pentateuch Name for the first 5 books of the Bible.
The Pentateuch (Greek pentateuchos, five-volume book)
The Law
The Torah 

5. Genesis “In the beginning”
The name Genesis comes from the Vulgate which is a transliteration of the Greek “origin”.
The Hebrew Bible starts with “bə-rê-šîṯ”.

6. Moses
Author – Moses
The Bible attributes the authorship of the Pentateuch to Moses in both the Old and New Testaments.
Today evangelicals affirm “fundamental Mosaic authorship”.

7. Moses
Joshua 1:7-8
Above all, be strong and very courageous to observe carefully the whole instruction my servant Moses commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right or the left, so that you will have success wherever you go. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

8. Moses
Joshua 23:6
“Be very strong and continue obeying all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, so that you do not turn from it to the right or left 7 and so that you do not associate with these nations remaining among you.

9. Moses
2 Chronicles 34:14 The Recovery of the Book of the Law 14 When they brought out the silver that had been deposited in the Lord’s temple, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the Lord written by the hand of Moses.

10. Moses
Luke Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted for them …the Scriptures. 44 everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. John 5:46-47: For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you don’t believe what he wrote, how will you believe my words?”

11. Moses 2 Kings 14:6 Matthew 19:8 2 Chronicles 25:4 Matthew 22:24
Acts 3:22
Ezra 6:18
Acts 15:21; 26:22
Nehemiah 8:1
Rom. 10:5, 19
Nehemiah 13:1
2 Cor. 3:14-15
Luke 24:25-27; 44
Matthew 8:4

12. Did Moses use sources?

13. Moses
Many cultures in the ANE had stories that interpreted creation, a flood, the development of civilization, etc.
The Code of Hammurabi was an ANE code of law that resembles the Book of the Covenant in Ex. 20:22 – 23:19.
Textual critics, beginning in the 1600’s with the philosopher Spinoza tried to identify other sources and/or the historical development of the OT.

14. the “documentary hypothesis”
Four ‘sources’
J - typically referred to God as Jehovah
E - typically referred to God as Elohim
D – identified mostly in Deuteronomy, Legislates monotheism
P – the priestly source - Assumes monotheism

15. Sources Genesis Sources/ Oral tradition MOSES + Inspiration
= Written text
Preservation
Inspired Editing
Post-Mosaica
Genesis
Witness/
Experience

16. Genesis
“The Pentateuch was not written as modern books are. It is a collection and arrangement of ancient written sources, many of which appear to have been fragmentary and already old by the time of Moses. Indeed, Moses may have had to translate some of them into Hebrew. The Pentateuch represents a literary strategy in which the author strives to teach a theological message…” - The Meaning of the Pentateuch, John H. Sailhammer, pg. 28.

17. Meaning - Purpose
Which comes first?
What was Moses trying to say?

18. Meaning - Purpose
Before we can talk about understanding what a text means to us today, we have to discern the author’s original meaning.
“Moses wrote the book of Genesis to teach his readers that leaving Egypt and possessing Canaan was God’s design for Israel.”
He Gave Us Stories, Richard L. Pratt, pg. 281

19. overview Genesis can be divided or outlined in multiple ways.
The “Toledoth” Formula

20. The “Toledoth” Formula1.
Prologue
Creation of the heavens and earth
1:1-2:3 2.
Genesis 2:4
These are the records of the heavens and the earth
2:4-4:26 3.
Genesis 5:1
…the family records of Adam
5:1-6:8 4.
Genesis 6:9
These are the family records of Noah
6:9-9:29 5.
Genesis 10:1
These are the family records of Noah’s sons
1:1-11:9 6.
Genesis 11:10
These are the family records of Shem
11:10-26 7.
Genesis 11:27
These are the family records of Terah
11:27-25:11 8.
Genesis 25:12
These are the family records of Abraham’s son Ishmael
25:12-18 9.
Genesis 25:19
These are the family records of Isaac son of Abraham
25:19 -35:29
10.
Genesis 36:1
These are the family records of Esau (that is, Edom)
36:1-37:1
11.
Genesis 37:2
These are the family records of Jacob
37:2-50:26

21. Narrative Structure Genesis can also be divided based on its content.
The Primeval History (1:1-11:9)
The Early Patriarchal Period (11:10-37:1)
The Joseph History (37:2-50:26)

22. Narrative Structure The Primeval History (1:1-11:9)
A – the creation story (1:1 – 6:8)
A’ – the Flood story (6:9-11:9)

23. Christ in Genesis
We see the following pattern in Genesis in response to the repeated cycles of sin:
Sin
Judgement speech
Token of grace
judgment