5 Minute Bible » Genesis

God the Midwife: a repost with new format

tim — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:28:54 +0000

With mothers’ day coming up it seems a good time to reissue an old post, with a new format and somewhat cleaned up audio. I briefly remind you of some of the passages that picture God as a midwife. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) regularly pictures Yahweh as intimately associated with forming in the womb and with birthing. In view of “his” role as midwife “he” can hardly have been thought of as a male god.

Remembering this stuff and celebrating motherly God (who is no god) is particularly appropriate as we approach mother’s day! Better for us than extra chocolate too And it’s not un-topical here in NZ where the TV is showing a drama about Midwives just now, either.

Who is the audience for Genesis?

tim — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:36:34 +0000

Attentive audience by San Jose Library

I’ve been marking student assignments for a course on Genesis. The more I mark the more I become aware of the issue of the intended (expected/implied) audience. In this podcast I’ll suggest that the answer is not as simple as it sounds and draw a conclusion about our practices of reading Scripture…

Genesis as an edited text: pt.1 Gen 1-5

tim — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 03:42:50 +0000

Two Narrators by absentmindedprof

Since I am teaching Genesis again I am filling out the gaps in my podcasts on this book. I think it is important to notice that Genesis is told to us by (at least) two narrators. The story comes to us as an edited text, that is it already in its telling belongs, not to one person, not even a great hero like Moses, but to a community. For it is a book that tells of the origins not only of “everything” but of the people of God…

In this podcast I’ll focus on chapters 1-5 where it is easiest to spot the different narrators, then (all being well) I’ll talk about the rest of the book soon.

Here is the audio: Genesis as an edited text: pt.1 Genesis 1-5.

Introducing Genesis

tim — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:55:31 +0000

The first chapter of Genesis (in the Israel Museum) photo adapted from Wikimedia

My class on Genesis starts soon, and I’ve been working on a Bible Dictionary article on “Genesis” , so it seemed like a good time to fill in a gap in my Genesis page. I am a bit “bunged up” today, so forgive the nasal quality to the voice please.

I’ve tried both to introduce very briefly some of the scholarly issues as well as the theological importance of this magnificent book, let me know where you think I suceed or fail! Your criticisms could be really helpful

Here is the audio: Introducing Genesis

Would a rose smell as sweet? What’s in a name? Genesis 22

tim — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:01:55 +0000

Rembrandt (1606–1669) Sacrifice of Isaac (Wikimedia)

Usually I try to present the ideas in these podcasts so that anyone can understand. However, this time if you cannot read Scripture except in translation and you have not learned to use an interlinear or computer Bible to get beyond that handicap, this podcast may be less accessible.

It deals with the naming of God, in one of the most challenging and difficult stories in the Bible, the near-sacrifice (or binding) of Isaac.

An unheard of second warning, in this podcast I don’t reach any conclusions, I either leave that to you, or you will have to wait till I am inspired to make a follow-up ‘cast

So, here’s the link to the audio: Would a rose smell as sweet? What’s in a name? Genesis 22

Humour in the Bible: Book 1 Genesis

tim — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 20:39:03 +0000

In a post Why the Bible is just not (so) funny David returned to a theme he’s argued before, that the Bible is not funny. Aparently back in 2007 he issued a challenge that readers of his blog could not give examples of humour from every book in the Bible: Funny Stuff in the Bible. Now of course his 2007 post was cheating. He set a (nearly?) impossible task, to find humour in Lamentations might be hard! But that does not mean that there is no humour in Scripture. Just think of one of the occasions when Jesus spoke about camels (he seems to me to have had a thing about camels). Or, for crying out loud, read Jonah aloud in any translation or language you like, and try keeping a straight face…

I thought I would take up David’s challenge. Not seriously, as I said I expect there are some books devoid of humour, it takes all sorts to make up God’s world, even the humourless! But I do plan to work through the Bible (or at the very least the Hebrew Bible) pointing out humour in most of the books.

This podcast refers to Gen 1:14ff. and Gen 3:1-7.

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible: Book 1 Genesis

Yahweh: God the midwife

tim — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:07:05 +0000

Giotto di Bondone (1267-1337), Cappella Scrovegni a Padova, Life of Christ, Nativity, Birth of Jesus - detail with midwife Salome. (Image from Wikipedia)

In this podcast I’ll briefly argue that since the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) regularly pictures Yahweh as intimately associated with both forming in the womb and birthing, and particularly since “his” role is often as midwife “he” cannot be thought of as a male god. Rather “he” is God and as later (though very early since several key Patristic fathers say it) in God there is no gender, God is not part of any group (gender).

The primary passage I’ll discuss is Psalm 22:9-10 (MT 10-11). This is discussed more fully in the section Yahweh and the womb of my online discussable book Not Only a Father.

Right-click here to save the podcast for this audio

E100-15: Genesis 45:1-46:7: Reconciliation

tim — Thu, 06 May 2010 16:12:50 +0000

Niwano Peace Auditorium below Church of the Sermon on the Mount by hoyasmeg

Our last reading left things open-ended – this shows full and dramatic reconciliation, an explosion of emotion from Joseph, and a clue as to what made the difference between last reading and this one. It makes so much difference to how we live if we really recognise what is going on, and Joseph can give us a clue too…

E100-14: Genesis 43-44: The tension mounts

tim — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:09:09 +0000

In these chapters we see again very strongly that we are not told by the text how to understand people’s actions, in these chapters we have to judge Joseph and his brothers, using the knowledge of good, evil and everything in between that is part of our experience as children of Eve and of Adam. And in this reading motives are far from clear cut!

E100-13: Genesis 42: Keeping up appearances

tim — Tue, 04 May 2010 16:01:19 +0000

Once again there is more going on than meets the eye! And this chapter is a fine example of the way Bible stories are told so that we have to interpret and judge people’s actions and words for ourselves (as we do in everyday life) rather than being told what to think. So as various Joseph and his brothers keep up appearances and pretend, we have to decide what we think their motives are. There are also tensions between parts of the chapter that allow different sorts of scholar to notice different things in the story.

So though it has no deep theological or moral point to make, on its own – clearly as part of Joseph’s story as a whole it does, this is a really interesting chapter to read

E100-12: Genesis 39-41: Older and wiser

tim — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:14:29 +0000

As we get intgo the body of the Joseph story the dramatic episode with Mrs Potiphar (surely another candidate for soap-opera treatment) has lots of interesting features in its telling, today I’ll focus on one, and then make sure to notice also the big theological message these chapters hammer home. In doing this we’ll notice the dramatic change in our hero between his teens and twenties, is it just “growing up” is is there something more profound going on?

E100-11: Genesis 37: Providence

tim — Sun, 02 May 2010 15:23:20 +0000

This is another story of a dysfunctional family, Kuniholm in the E100 notes picks up on some of the causes of this mess, and we can certainly learn some things to avoid from Jacob’s family life. But let’s notice what came between the dreams (37:1-11) and the nightmare (37:18-36).

In Gen 37:12-17 we have a neat example of the way the tellers of the Bible’s stories, putting lots of weight, and in this case not a little theology into few words. This is what makes biblical narratives great story-telling, and also superb theology!

E100 week 3: Genesis 37-50: What’s so special about Joseph?

tim — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:01:58 +0000

Joseph gets 13 chapters, in Genesis (that’s more than any other character) so Joseph’s story is one of three parts of the book: Primeval History, Patriarchs & Joseph. So what’s so special about Joseph?

Message in Gen 50:20:
- Providence: God is in control even when it does not look like it – “Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good“
- Salvation: God seeks to rescue people – “in order to save a many people“
- Application: moves to significance today – “…as he is doing today.”
Living well as an “exile” Babylon, beyond, Christians today
Necessary step in the plot of Bible leads to Exodus: miraculous redemption for slavery

E100-10: Genesis 32-33: God-fighters

tim — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 16:30:53 +0000

Another of the most mysterious and difficult stories in the Bible, this time not difficult because the subject pains us, but difficult to understand. We Westerners are hung up on “understanding”, sometimes it is better to “stand under” (and learn from) than to understand This may be one of them! If we try to understand the story of Jacob’s fight we quickly get a headache, nothing quite works of provides all the answers. (See a fine website produced by Kirsten Abbott in one of my classes for more on this.) If, however, we stand under and learn from this story there is lots to learn!

E100-9: Genesis 27-28: Dysfunctional but chosen

tim — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 16:37:38 +0000

poisonous toys with dysfunctional families by azrainman

Don’t look for happy families in the tales of the ancestors, matriarchs and patriarchs, of God’s chosen people. Genesis 27-28 carry the story into the next two generations but present a thoroughly dysfunctional family. Yet Genesis 28 tells also of one of the most dramatic revelations of God and renewal of God’s promises to this chosen people. These chapters present a powerful reminder that humans are full of and ruled by sin, but that God’s grace is not thwarted so easily.

E100-8: Genesis 21:1-22:19: Life on a rollercoaster

tim — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:06:05 +0000

Rollercoaster, Gröna Lund, Stockholm by m.prinke

These two chapters, as well as some (now several millennia later) boring stuff about wells, contain some of the heights and depths of human experience. A birth to a childless couple, well well after normal childbearing years, and nasty vindictive selfishness. But also an outrageous demand from God, blind obedience and a few hints of something greater to come…

E100-7: Genesis 15: Promises and a contract

tim — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:52:32 +0000

In this Genesis chapter 15 God keeps reiterating his promises to Abraham. Wonderful promises! But Abraham’s replies are less than politely gracious. Which teaches us a thing or two about God

E100-6: Genesis 12: How odd of God!

tim — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:27:47 +0000

Genesis 12 marks the beginning of the real story of the Bible. Chapters 1-11 are a prologue both to Genesis and to the Bible as a whole. They introduced us to “characters” (not least God – singular and with a capital G) and to the central issue that the Bible addresses. In chapter 12 we are introduced to Abraham, the first of the ancestors of the people God chose. Their story will fill the rest of the Old Testament. But also in Gen 12 we have to recognise what an odd choice God made. The people later on known as the Jews were neither more numerous, powerful, beautiful, clever… than any other people around them, yet God chose Sarah, Abraham and their descendants….

E100 week 2: Genesis 12-36: Patriarchs, Matriarchs and Faith

tim — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 15:49:24 +0000

Photo by FirstBaptistNashville

The first week’s readings covered the prologue to Genesis, the second week covers the Ancestors of Faith, the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of Israel. Here we begin to see the first outlines of God’s plan to restore a world warped and twisted by human sin. We also begin to discover what it means to be “people of faith”.

Here’s the audio.

The picture caption included this:

ABRAHAM – PROMISE
The first vertical window from the entrance on the north side represents Abraham and promise. Abraham believed God. The winding path of light blue that leads upward is symbolic of the faith of Abraham as he heard the call of God in Ur of Chaldees and went out not knowing where he was going. The green is symbolic of hope. The sword in hand at the bottom of the window tells of the spirit and faith of Abraham when he was willing to offer up his son, Isaac. The touches of red and orange suggest sacrificial fire.

E100-4: Genesis 8:1-9:17 Sin and grace after the flood

tim — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:11:38 +0000

If this was a merely human story you’d expect God’s bold attempt at drastic punishment to have an equally bold result. Either humanity reformed, or the rebellion gets deeper But of course neither is possible. humanity is unreformable, just try making a few worthwhile New Year’s resolutions to prove that nor is rebellion any deeper possible. So what we get instead is a second old-fashioned word, to add to the collection of outmoded terms we began with “sin” earlier.

Here’s the story Genesis 8:1-9:17.

E100-3: Genesis 6:5-7:24: Sin and Righteousness

tim — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:48:53 +0000

I think I’ve avoided really looking at this passage, and I notice that my teaching has focused too much on the signs of two source texts being edited together, and noticed too little how the story works, because like the genocide texts it offends my sense of right. The story looks different when one hears it as an exploration of the theme of sin and righteousness, as I’ll try to here.

The reading is here Genesis 6:5-7:24.

E100-2: Genesis 3

tim — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:27:31 +0000

This is the passage that makes sense of Gen 2, and of human life. Our world and our lives are broken and spoiled because of sin. Sin is not breaking rules, it is breaking relationship with the maker by wanting to assume the power ourselves.

The reading of Genesis 3 is here. There is another take on this passage, talking about Bonhoeffer’s paradoxical take on “conscience” in an earlier podcast.

E100-1: Genesis 1 and 2

tim — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 19:13:11 +0000

Here’s the first in a series covering the 100 essential Bible readings. The 50 passages from each Testament together give an overview of the whole Bible. I hope to be doing 5 a week for the next 20 weeks (work and life permitting

Today we begin at the beginning with the first two chapters of Genesis. I also dealt with Genesis 1 in a previous post.

By the way there is a reading of the passage (if you want to hear rather than see it on PodBible here). There is an RSS feed for the E100 series only here.

E100 week 1: Genesis 1-11: The Bible’s Prologue

tim — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:11:23 +0000

All, speech requires prior knowledge to be understood. Usually this is largely shared within a culture. So if I say “the cat” I do not usually have to tell you first what a cat is. (Even if in the context of a novel about old-time sailors it might be a whip.) Some courses of study have organised “prerequisites” courses you must take before them. Many books have a preface or prologue that cointains material the author thinks you need to know before tackling the body of the work.

Genesis 1-11 is the prologue to the Bible, The “characters” and themes it introduces will help us understand the whole of the rest.

Chance or Providence?

tim — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Often in biblical narrative things “just seem to happen”, rather like they do in our lives But are such “happenings” chance or divine providence at work? We’ll try to decide, using Gen 37:12ff. (read with Gen 39) and Ruth 2 as examples.

Typescenes and the book of Ruth

tim — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 16:52:00 +0000

Typescene sounds like a typical technical term scholars use make Bible stories dull In this podcast I hope to show you it’s exactly the opposite and that by spending 5 minutes learning about typescenes you can discover a livelyness you may have missed, even in a well-loved story like Ruth. (Other passage you should have ready, or look at before listening are: Genesis 24; 29 & Exodus 2:15ff..)

Bonhoeffer on Gen 3 – Conscience

tim — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:44:00 +0000

Bonhoeffer has some hugely stimulating ideas in his discussion of the “fall” story in Genesis 3. Probably none are more stimulating, or easy to fail to grasp as his thought about “conscience” – at least difficult for people for whom the idea that conscience is the “voice of God within” is deeply embedded, since Bonhoeffer almost reverses that idea, noticing that it is conscience that drives the first humans away from God!

Working with what the Bible doesn’t say

tim — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:29:00 +0000

In this post I’ll start looking at how we respond to the Bible’s silences, often there are questions we want to ask the Bible, which the Bible does not answer. What do we do then? Some of these questions, like the one I start with produce classic biblical puzzlers…

By the way, if the sound quality is not as good as usual, or if you hear building work or children playing in the background, that’s because I recorded this post in the middle of a refugee camp! See another blog for more information.

Babel 2: Gen 11 a straight up and down story

tim — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 09:05:00 +0000

This podcast takes a second look at Babel, with a focus on the structure of the story, and its themes. It includes “homework” for which you should ideally have a photocopy of Genesis 11:1-9 (preferably in a fairly literal translation like NRSV, RSV, TNIV, NIV, ESV…) and some coloured markers or crayons.

Babbling about Babel: Gen 11:1-9: Part 1

tim — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 17:32:00 +0000

Stephen suggested I do a ‘cast about the Babel story, so here it is… a first ‘cast about Babel. In this one I’ll begin with points of view and language. Since this will have to be a series we’ll follow up from there later!

For more about “point of view” and “frames” you could see my Introduction to Narrative and Narrative Poetics which is not as technical as it may sound!

Biblical Narrative: Fraught with Background: Genesis 24

tim — Mon, 28 May 2007 20:29:00 +0000

Eric Auerbach’s famous quote about Biblical Narrative being “fraught with background” can sound puzzling. Here I’ll try to explain it with reference to some trivial but intriguing details in Genesis 24. Reading the chapter in the Hebrew class we spotted several minor details in the telling that suggest, or hint… well, listen and find out what!

What is the Bible? (Part 1)

tim — Thu, 17 May 2007 07:49:00 +0000

How do we picture Scripture? That is what is/are the (unconscious) models in our heads as we read and use the Bible?
This ‘cast refers particularly to Gen 18:20ff. and Amos 7.

Genesis 1: Beginning right

tim — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 17:24:00 +0000

This chapter is the beginning of the Bible, and beginnings are important. We learn why the world was made, and how God is “different”.

Among other structural details we will notice is this one (the diagramme may help as you listen):

Day	Creation	Day	Creation
One	Light	Four	Luminaries
Two	Water and Sky	Five	Birds and Sea Creatures
Three	Land and Vegetation	Six	Land animals (inc. Humans)

A Text without Contexts is Dumb!

tim — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 11:42:00 +0000

This latest one is aimed at real beginners in biblical study and addresses why multiple contexts are important for reading/hearing texts, particularly the Bible.