Encountering the Pentateuch
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Lone Star College System, Woodlands *
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1304
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Religion
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Dec 6, 2023
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docx
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Uploaded by CoachGalaxy12401
Kendall Miguez
Encountering the Pentateuch
1.) In a paragraph, describe the main narrative of the "Pentateuch." In your answer, be sure to name a few of the key recurring themes of this section of Scripture. The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible. The Book of Genesis, the Book of Exodus, the Book of Leviticus, the Book of Numbers, and the Book of Deuteronomy are all included in the Pentateuch. According to our readings in Arnold and Beyer, the Pentateuch is essentially “the story of God’s people, the nation of Israel. It explains where the nation came from, how God saved it from extinction, and Israel’s struggles in its relationship with God.” (p.60) The main narrative of the Pentateuch talks about our relationship with God and all of his creations. Sovereignty of God is the first theme of this scripture. This includes the belief that God has always been and always will be. It talks about how God created the world “without preexisting matter”. (p.62) This is also shown in other stories throughout the Bible such as the Great Flood, and the Tower of Babel. God’s character/nature is also a recurring theme in this scripture. It is shown through stories of the beginning of the universe, sin, punishment, and humanity. In Genesis, God delivers his people to freedom through their trust and faithfulness in Him. Salvation is also a theme of the Pentateuch. Through various stories, we see God’s salvation. According to our readings, “The only motivating factor for His redemptive actions may be found in His nature as a loving and compassionate God.” (p.64) The other recurring themes in this scripture include holiness, the fallen condition of humanity, and history. 2.) What is the "Documentary Hypothesis" and how does it relate to the study of the Old Testament?
At the end of the nineteenth century, a new theory claimed that the Pentateuch had been written by four different sources. It was labeled “source criticism”. This whole theory about who wrote the Pentateuch became known as the Documentary Hypothesis. One man in particular, Julius Wellhausen became the most significant protagonist in this theory. He concluded that four separate people wrote independent articles and that they were somehow combined to construct the Pentateuch. He labeled these documents (J, E, D, and P). He also believed that the four different parts were written in separate periods. J was written in 850 BC, E was written in 750 BC, D was written in 650 B, and P was written during the middle of the fifth century. They were all fused together in 400 BC into the Pentateuch. “Since Wellhausen’s landmark synthesis of the Documentary Hypothesis, Old Testament scholarship has taken many turns.” (p. 68) Moses is believed to have written the law down, and entrusting priests simply have expanded the work. Even though the dates of the Pentateuch have been disagreed upon among scholars, they agree that the message all began with Moses and that it was “applicable at all periods of Israel’s history”. (p. 75) 3.) According to Genesis, what does it mean to be made in the "image of God," and how might
this idea of the Imago Dei (Image of God) be a precursor to the notion of basic human rights?
Cite and interact with Genesis 1 in your answer. On the sixth day of creation, God said “Let us make humanity in our image to resemble us” (Genesis 1:26) According to our readings in Arnold and Beyer “It is impossible to exhaust the theological significance of being created in God’s image (the imago Dei)”. (p. 81) Because we were created in God’s image, it shows how sacred human life is. This is a way to express our basic human rights. With humans being created in God’s image, it shows that God wanted humans to have all authority over all other creations because we were created/designed to look
like Him. Adam and Eve are the primary visual representatives of God’s creation. Being created in God’s image also shows that we were “created specifically for a relationship with God.” (p. 81) In Genesis 1, “humankind is the jewel in this literary royal crown, the climax of God’s creative activity”. (p.81) God demanded that we be fruitful and multiply. (Genesis 1:28)
4.) Many scholars have observed that the book of Genesis has two main parts. Define and locate these two parts and discuss the big ideas that these sections of Scripture explore in at least two separate paragraphs (one for each section). Many scholars have observed that the Book of Genesis has two main parts. The first main
part of the Book of Genesis is Primeval History. This includes the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis. These chapters share the story of the beginning of the world's existence. It includes both the creation of the human race and the expansion of the human race. In these first eleven Books of Genesis, we repeatedly see not only God’s goodness but humanity's rebellions as well. Sin is introduced to the world by way of Adam and Eve. (Genesis 3:1-7) “Once sin entered the world, it spread so rapidly that it was impossible to contain”. (p. 92) The second main part of the Book of Genesis is Ancestral History and Patriarchal Narratives. This includes chapters twelve through fifty of the Book of Genesis. In these chapters,
we begin to see God’s solution to sin and how powerful it is to be faithful and obedient to God. The stories of Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, and Joseph are all told within these parts of Genesis. With the story of Abraham, and the covenant he shared with God, we learn that “our relationship with God through Christ marks us forever and causes radical changes in our lives” (p. 99) Abraham’s son Isaac symbolizes “the fulfillment of the covenant promises of land and descendants” (p. 100)
as promised to Abraham by God. Covenant, promise, and election are all major narratives in chapters 12-50 of Genesis. The call of Abraham in regard to Israel’s future is an example of
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election. Though God promised Abraham land and children, they are only partially fulfilled. It is not until later generations that these ultimate fulfilments await. Finally, there is the covenant. The
covenant and relationships are shown through the stories of Abraham, Joseph, Isaac, and Jacob. This is a recurring throughout the entirety of the Bible.