Genesis: Interpreting Genesis

GENESIS: Interpreting Genesis

I will focus on interpreting the book of Genesis as a whole. I will reveal the theological messages of Genesis by discussing the content and themes of the book. To begin, in An Introduction to the Old Testament, the authors state that, “The book of Genesis is a book of foundations. It serves as an introduction to the Mosaic law, and it begins the history of redemption that occupies the rest of the Bible.”[1] In the same book, the authors go on to break the theological message of Genesis into three sections. The first section they reveal is from creation to the Tower of Babel (Genesis 1-11). The second section they named is the patriarchal narratives, in which the centerpiece is the Abrahamic covenant and the consistent theme of the fulfillment of God’s promises and the patriarch’s reactions to them (Genesis 12-36, 38). The final section mentioned is the Joseph story, which continues the theme that God overcomes obstacles to the fulfillment of His promise (Genesis 37, 39-50).[2]
Other sources echo these messages as well. For instance, in the Holman Bible Atlas, Briscoe states, “The opening words of Genesis (1:1) move us to the question of origins. Genesis 1-11 sets the stage for understanding the drama of God’s plan of redemption begun in Abraham.”[3] Similarly, in the article, “Structure, Style and Context as a Key to Interpreting Jacob’s Encounter at Peniel”, the author states that, “One theme that recurs frequently in the Genesis narratives is the contrast between the work of man and the work of God. This principle that man’s efforts fail while the work that God does succeeds is seen a number of times. The principle is evident in the fulfillment of the promise of descendants for Abraham. Thus the point seems to be made clearly and emphatically: The promise of God will be fulfilled by God himself, and human initiative will not play a role in that fulfillment.”[4] Curtis also uses the encounter incident in the life of Jacob to illustrate his point about human initiative versus God’s initiative. In the same article, Curtis states, “The contrast between the work of God and the work of man that is evident at various points in the narrative seems to come to a focus for Jacob at this point with respect to his occupation of the land. He came to see the difference between receiving the inheritance as a gift and gaining the inheritance through his own powers. Thus the struggle at Peniel was a decisive experience in the life of Jacob in which he was taught by God that the realization of the promise must be effected by God rather than by human effort and initiative.”[5]
In The Art of Biblical Narrative, Robert Alter speaks of Genesis as, “where the sketchiness of the known historical materials allows considerable latitude for the elucidation of a divine plan, with, however, this sense of design repeatedly counterbalanced by the awareness of man’s unruly nature, the perilous and imperious individuality of the various human agents in the divine experiment. Individuality is played against providential design.”[6] Similarly, in Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, the authors state, “The Joseph story sends several clear thematic signals: God guided Joseph’s ups and downs to preserve Israel’s existence (Gen 45:7-9; 50:20). Joseph echoes a key biblical truth that God takes care of his people, whatever their hardships.”[7]
I will conclude with a brief summary of the major themes found in the book of Genesis. In The NIV Rainbow Study Bible, the authors briefly state the themes as follows, “God creates man in his own image for fellowship with him. Though we sin, God will not give up on us or abandon us. In spite of our failures, God loves us and sees our value and worth. The Lord has a plan for every life…and it includes salvation and total obedience to His Word. God has the love and the power to protect and provide for us as we place our faith in him.”[8] The authors also reveal that Genesis forms the basis for all further revelation about God’s love and the redemption of mankind through Jesus Christ.[9]

Bibliography

Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Basic Books. USA. 1981.

Blomberg, C., Hubbard, R., Klein, W. Introduction to Biblical Interpretation. Word
Publishing. Dallas, Texas. 1993.

Briscoe, Thomas C. Holman Bible Atlas. Broadman & Holman Publishers. Nashville,
TN. 1998.

Curtis, Edward M. “Structure, Style and Context as a Key to Interpreting Jacob’s
Encounter at Peniel.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. 30 June
1987.

Longman, Tremper and Raymond B. Dillard. An Introduction to Old Testament. Grand
Rapids, MI. Zondervan. 1994.

The NIV Rainbow Study Bible: New International Version. Rainbow Studies, Inc. El
Reno. Oklahoma. 1992.

[1] Longman, Tremper and Raymond B. Dillard, An Introduction to Old Testament, p.51.
[2] Longman, Tremper and Raymond B. Dillard, An Introduction to Old Testament, p.51-55.
[3] Briscoe, Thomas C., Holman Bible Atlas, p. 33.
[4] Curtis, Edward M., “Structure, Style and Context as a Key to Interpreting Jacob’s Encounter at Peniel,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, p.130-131.
[5] Curtis, Edward M., “Structure, Style and Context as a Key to Interpreting Jacob’s Encounter at Peniel,” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, p.135-136.
[6] Alter, Robert, The Art of Biblical Narrative, p. 34.
[7] Blomberg, C., Hubbard, R., Klein, W, Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics, p. 270.
[8] The NIV Rainbow Study Bible: New International Version, p. 3.
[9] The NIV Rainbow Study Bible: New International Version, p. 3.