Through
The Bible
Session
#2
October
17, 2001
Past two weeks – looking at Lesson #1 – “The Bible As A Whole”
Highlights from Lesson #1
When it talks about the ‘Middle Five Books’ (p. 2) the author calls these books the ‘individual and experiential’ books. Really, they are what is called Wisdom Literature. We’ll learn more about Wisdom Literature when we get to lesson 15.
At the bottom of page 3, the author talks about the Bible as being a ‘progressive revelation.’ The author states, “...one cannot learn from it reading verses or passages at random.”
Principles for Sound Interpretation of the Bible
· **Remember** - Nine times out of ten, the goal in interpretation is NOT to look for the meaning that no one else has thought of. Uniqueness in biblical interpretation usually misses the plain meaning of the text and is only pursued to stroke our own egos. We’re after the plain meaning of the passage.
· Two levels for interpretation:
1. We have to hear and understand what the passage meant to those who first heard it or read it.
2. We have to hear and understand what the passage means to us in the ‘here and now.’ One rule of thumb to keep in mind as you try to assign meaning to a text: Things can’t mean now what they didn’t mean then.
· Respectful Questions are a key for interpreting the Bible.[1]
- The who, what, when, where, why, and how, questions are very good ones to keep in mind when approaching a biblical passage.
- Why was the author writing these words?
- Can you identify the author?
- What was going on historically?
- What kind of writing is this? (narrative – is it simply telling a story?; poetry – is it using descriptive language to communicate that what is happening is like something else?; lament – is it communicating pain?; hymn – is it merely worship directed toward God?; etc.).
- If I had heard this, what would my reaction have been? What’s the point of this passage?
- Can the message communicated be substantiated elsewhere in Scripture?
Is there anything new in this overview of the Bible that struck you?
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Background information on Genesis in preparation for Lesson #2 – “The Book of Genesis”
Remember Genesis is the first book of the Pentateuch – or The Law. Genesis, along with Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy form a collection or unity. We must remember there is a consistent unity among them.
The stories of Genesis are not primarily philosophical, scientific, or historical. Genesis is concerned with theology (the nature of God) and anthropology (the nature of human beings).[2]
Name in Hebrew – Bereshith which then in Greek becomes a word that means, “origin.”
The major themes of Genesis
· Creation
· Fall
· Flood
· Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph)
How did these stories get the form we have them in today?
· Think of Genesis as a patchwork quilt of stories. The stories revolve around one of the major themes (creation, fall, flood, patriarchs).
· They were from an oral tradition – people sat around and told these stories for centuries.
· Gradually, people wrote down what they had been hearing. The written form of Genesis probably came to be around 400 BC.
So who wrote Genesis?
· None of the 1st five books identifies the author.
· Technically, they are anonymous. Occasionally, Moses is told to write something down (Ex. 17.14; Deut. 32.22) and so early Jewish tradition began to give credit to Moses as the author.
· In more conservative Jewish and Christian circles, Moses is still credited with authorship but most scholars don’t go that far. They leave it anonymous.
· We’d like to know the author but for the biblical world, they were not so concerned with who wrote it as what was written.
· Most believe the Pentateuch comes from 4 principle sources:[3]
J = Yahwist Source – uses divine name Yahweh. Written around 10th or early 9th century BC.
E = Elohist Source – uses divine name Elohim. Written later than “J” source perhaps 9th or 8th century BC.
D = Deuteronomy – book of Deuteronomy and some other material outside the Law. Written in 7th century BC in Jerusalem or Judah.
P = Priestly Source – reflects the priestly material in the Pentateuch and was written around 6th or 5th century BC.
· Why was Genesis (Pentateuch) written?
1. Genesis traces the origin and calling of the chosen people.
2. Exodus gives the foundation of the chosen people’s religion and statehood.
3. Leviticus establishes the norms of worship and what the priests were to do.
4. Numbers balances the promises of God with the judgment of God because of the people’s failures.
*** It’s important to see the Pentateuch as a whole.
Have people break into groups and go over the creation accounts. Get back together and discuss. [also, hand out p. 24 from Marshall’s book on the Old Testament]
Questions to ask:
· Is there a different view of God presented in the different stories? In Gen. 1 the style seems to be one of grandeur and force. The language seems more ceremonial. There’s a rhythm to is – “...and God saw that it was good.” In Gen. 2, God seems more human. It’s more of a plot that’s unfolding.
· Is there a different view of humanity presented in the stories? Humanity in Gen. 1 seems less feeling and emotional. When we get to Gen. 2 we see more of the needy side of humanity. We also see the potential for trouble in Gen. 2.15-17 when we find out that humanity is not supposed to eat from the tree.
[1] A good resource to take a look at in interpreting the Bible is Gordon D. Fee & Douglas Stuart’s book, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing, 1982).
[2] See Celia Brewer Marshall, A Guide Through The Old Testament (Louisville, KY: Westminster / John Knox Press, 1989), p. 22.
[3] My documentation for the JDEP source theory comes from Peter C. Craigie’s work, The Old Testament, It’s Background, Growth, & Content (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1986), p. 117-119.