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2018, October 7 ~ Genesis 2:18-24 and Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

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Genesis 2:18-24

Genesis is the first book of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). The Torah also called the Pentateuch (five books) in Greek. Genesis covers the period from Creation to the deaths of Jacob and his 11th son, Joseph, in about 1,650 BCE, if the accounts are historical.

The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated by scholars to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Since the late 19th Century, Biblical scholars have recognized four major “strands” or sources in the Torah, and these sources are identified (among other ways) by their different theological emphases, names for God, names for the holy mountain, and portrayals of God’s characteristics.

In Genesis, there are two Creation Stories. In the First Story (Gen. 1:1 to 2.4a), God created humankind (men and women) in God’s image on the sixth day and told them to be fruitful and multiply (1:27-28). God rested on the seventh day.

Today’s reading is part of the Second Account of Creation that begins in Gen. 2:4b. This Second Account is attributed to the “Jahwistic” Source and is generally dated to about 950 BCE. This Source presents God’s name as YHWH (translated with all capital letters as LORD or LORD God) and gives God many anthropomorphic qualities such as speaking with humans.

In this Second Creation Story, YHWH formed an earthling/human (in Hebrew, adam) from the fertile earth/humus (in Hebrew, adamah). In today’s reading, YHWH gave the human a “partner” (in Hebrew, ezer).

Ezer is not a word often used in the Bible, and it is usually used to refer to God as the “partner” of Israel. Accordingly, the partner/ezer (the female) of the adam should not be understood as subordinate to the male. In today’s reading (somewhat amusingly), God created animals as the first attempt to find a helper/partner for the human, but then created a woman from the adam’s rib/substance to be the ezer of the man.

Hebrews 1:1-4, 2:5-12

Although the Letter to the Hebrews is sometimes attributed to Paul, most scholars agree that it was written some time after Paul’s death in 62 CE, but before 100 CE. The letter was addressed to Jesus Followers who had suffered persecution and introduced a number of important theological themes. The first four chapters explore the word of God spoken through the Son.

In today’s reading, the author affirmed that the Son is the “exact imprint of God’s very being” (v.3) and participated in creation (just as Wisdom participated in creation as stated in Proverbs 8). He described the Son as superior to the angels, and re-interpreted Psalm 8:4-6 as referring to Jesus. The author stated that Jesus was made lower than the angels (as a human being) only “for a little while” (2:9).

2018, June 10~ Genesis 3:8-15 and 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

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Genesis 3:8-15

Genesis is the first book of the Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). The Torah also called the Pentateuch (five books) in Greek. Genesis covers the period from Creation to the deaths of Jacob and his 11th son, Joseph, in about 1,650 BCE, if the accounts are historical.

The Book of Genesis (like the Torah as a whole) is an amalgam of religious traditions, some of which are dated by scholars to about 950 BCE and some of which were developed as late as 450 BCE. Since the late 19th Century, Biblical scholars have recognized four major “strands” or sources in the Torah, and these sources are identified (among other ways) by their different theological emphases, names for God, names for the holy mountain, and portrayals of God’s characteristics.

Today’s reading is part of the Second Account of Creation that begins in Gen. 2:4. The Second Account is attributed to the “Jahwistic” Source and is generally dated to about 950 BCE. This Source presents God’s name as YHWH (translated as LORD or LORD God) and gives God many anthropomorphic qualities such as speaking with humans.

Among the negative consequences of their disobedience are the man and the woman’s sense of separation from YHWH (they hid themselves in v. 8), vulnerability (sense of their nakedness in v.10) and failing to accept responsibility for one’s actions (the man blamed the woman and the woman blamed the serpent in verses 13 and 14).

2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1

Corinth, a large port city in Greece, was among the early Jesus Follower communities that Paul founded. Its culture was diverse and Hellenistic. Corinthians emphasized reason and secular wisdom. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians was written in the 50’s (CE) and presented his views on many issues that were controversial in this Jesus Follower Community.

Based on internal references in the two letters to the Corinthians which remain, scholars agree that Paul likely wrote at least four letters to the Corinthians. The so-called Second Letter to the Corinthians is composed of fragments of these letters.

In today’s reading, Paul used dualistic language that would have been characteristic of Hellenistic thought to reflect the tension between present afflictions and inner renewal (vv. 16-18). Paul emphasized that we will also be raised (v.14) just as Jesus was raised and will be with God in an eternal “house” (5:1).