As Episcopalians we say that the Bible “contains all things necessary for salvation,” but knowing that doesn’t make it any easier to read! This article, first in a series, will give you a brief background to aid in the task of understanding Sunday’s scripture readings.
While you know that the Bible did not drop from the sky all bound up and ready for God’s people to use, you may not realize that even the individual books of the Bible did not arrive all neat and tidy either. While tradition claims that Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, since the 19th Century scholars have recognized the handiwork of at least four different authors in those first books. While taking into account the different cultural assumptions, historical realities and theological emphases of various authors may seem complicated, such a perspective actually helps make sense of such ancient texts, and allows them to speak to us as scripture. For example, recognizing that there are two different creation stories, allows us to appreciate each story for the truth it conveys, rather than attempting to squish them into one united account. Here are some things to help you in reading the first books of the Bible.
First, a brief description of the four different sources as they pertain to Genesis:
Yahwehist (usually called “J”): The oldest source, dating from around 1000 BC, the “J” source reflects a primitive understanding of God, who is always referred to as Yahweh. God is local, walking and talking with his people. Obscure details of ancient cultures remind us that these stories do indeed come from a different time than our own. The Yahwehist emphasizes the Southern tribes of Israel, especially Judah.
Elohist (called “E” by scholars): In the next oldest source, God is called “Elohim”—a plural word form, but yet God is one! God speaks in dreams and acts through nature. This author’s location is the Northern part of Israel; for example, look for the names of Joseph’s sons when God’s people are named. God is not obviously present as in the “J” source, but mysterious, beyond knowing, and should be held in awe or fear.
Priestly: (the “P” source): The last source, and the editor who put it all together, this writer is the one who came up with all the genealogies. Ritual matters a lot to this author. Stories from this source are often paralleled in the stories of other Middle-Eastern cultures, most famously being the similarities between the Babylonian account of creation and the 7 day story found in Genesis 1. The Priestly author knows the Babylonian story, but wants to set the record straight about whose God is the Creator. The Priestly author sees a bigger picture than either of the earlier authors; God is universal.
Deuteronomical: (the “D” source): Not really a factor in Genesis, this writer is the primary source of the book for whom he is named. The theology of Deuteronomy, that the wicked are always punished and the good are always rewarded, factors into parts of the whole biblical story—but it isn’t the only perspective!
Now, to Genesis:
Obviously Genesis is about beginnings: the beginning of Creation, the beginning of God’s people Israel, and the beginning of God’s plan for salvation. All the sources make it clear that God is both the Creator and Judge of all. Genesis can be divided between the prehistory—the Creation, Fall, Flood and the Tower of Babel are all found here—and the story of the patriarchs of Israel. In the prehistory, God deals with the whole of humanity. Standards of good and evil clearly exist, although only a few laws are actually mentioned. The stories are a mixture of older and newer material. Sometimes one story contains details from several sources. Genealogies punctuate Genesis, with long life spans gradually reducing as humanity drifts farther away from directly knowing God. God’s call to Abram marks a new beginning. Instead of dealing with all humanity, God will connect with one specific family through whom the rest of creation will be blessed.
Covenants are important throughout Genesis. Agreements of mutual responsibilities, each covenant contains particular promises, signs and obligations. The first covenant is made with Noah, followed by Abram’s first particularly graphic covenant which is renewed later with sign of circumcision. God renews this covenant with Jacob/Israel.
Names are an important aspect of Genesis. The ancients believed that names played an active part in identity. Naming stories are frequent, and often names predict the future. God’s covenant changes the names of both Abram and Jacob. In a similar way, blessings can determine the future. Thus Isaac’s blessing of his sons and Jacob’s blessings of his sons determine the future of their descendants. Genesis thus demonstrates how God’s plan for his people is being fulfilled through history, even when it appears that events are out of control.
Some other things to know about Genesis:
It is old. Archeologists set the patriarchs in the Bronze Age, which means that the underlying values and lifestyle are not ours—an obvious point that we need to keep in mind when reading. Slavery, human sacrifice, and polygamy were all part of that ancient world. The patriarchs (and matriarchs) are not meant to be moral exemplars, at least not by our standards. In fact they are blessed by God despite some of their behavior. God’s ways are holy, not necessarily predictable–remember that the story being told in order to work out an understanding of who God is, not to definitively answer the question. That’s why different perspectives from different times and places are included. Look for different voices contributing to the conversation.
It is a story, actually lots of stories. Like any myth of origin, Genesis tells us where we come from. Historical accuracy isn’t the point; identity is. The saga of the patriarchs is meant to give God’s people a foundation and a connection to God’s people of the past. Our God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. According to the Bible, that matters.
When we read the Bible we engage in a conversation, thousands of years in the making, over who God is and what it means to be his people. Genesis offers a few facets of that truth, not to dictate one unified answer, but to give us an entry point. Look for the different voices as you read; then look for how those different voices do testify to one reality. If we can recognize the unity and diversity in scripture, we can have a better appreciation for the way the Holy Spirit operates today. The conversation continues.