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.

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

God as creator from the Sistine Chapel (photo Wikipedia)

I’ve already a podcast on Jonah 1:7-8 Direct speech in biblical narratives if you want a fill in between the last podcast and this one.

Had you noticed? We were eight verses into the book and Jonah had not said one word. In Jonah 1:1-8 not a peep out of Jonah the prophet, so 1:9 where he finally speaks has to be significant…

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"It was slightly disturbing to find giant 'Thomas the Tank Engine' faces looking up from the ground" by oxyman

In these two verses we get some more clues about how to read the book of Jonah, we’ll notice how everything is big, and how the ship has personality. I’ll suggest that Jonah is in some ways like a children’s story, larger than life and painted in bright primary colours. I’ll even suggest that there are hints the telling is like Thomas the Tank Engine

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Jeremiah, Russian icon from first quarter of 18th cen. Iconostasis of Kizhi monastery, Karelia, Russia

A series of passages in Jeremiah stand out because of their contents which presents itself as powerful debates about Jeremiah, his call, his enemies and his God. In some of them Jeremiah seems to be speaking alone, in otgher God responds.

These “Confessions of Jeremiah are: Jer 11:18-20; 12:1-6; 15:10-21, 17:14-18; 18:18-23; 20:7-13 (the exact details of the list are debatable, but its broad lines are well established.

This podcast introduces Jeremiah’s confessions, subsequent podcasts in the series will examine each in turn.

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Road to Damascus today photo by upyernoz

“The Road” or “The Way” common Biblical picture language for a way of life or the direction we are “going”, but it is also used several times in Acts (almost, or probably, only in Acts) as a name for being a Christian. It is a good name because metanoia, repentance, is about turning round and going a different way. Acts also is a book about journeys, with lots of individual voyages, and also the journey of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome – from Jewish sect to global faith.

In this chapter we hear of Paul’s journeys – the one he planned and the one he ended up taking, that took him from being persecutor to preacher, from grand inquisitor to ardent follower.

The other name for Christian followers in this chapter is the adelphoi, brothers and sisters – it’s interesting question what is a good literal translation today of adelphoi for though the singular adelphos means a brother, and a different word means a sister, often the plural adelphoi explicitly includes women as well as men. So, usually in Bible (unless we have reason to believe only men are meant) the best rendering today is “brothers and sisters”.

Paul’s story is a great example too of how God takes and uses people as they are, does not remake us into different people but redeems the ones we are. So, Saul the enthusiast, stringent, hard-line Pharisee enforcer becomes Paul the ardent, flexible but demanding Christian evangelist.

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OK this story must be one of the best-known that Jesus ever told, everyone has heard it! And if not (at least if they speak English or French or just about any other European language) they know the main character’s name – The Good Samaritan. Except that, what we know if we know this, is all wrong!

Jesus was a prophet so to understand what he’s doing here we need to remind ourselves how Prophets work. So after a quick recap on prophets we think about what Jesus the prophet is doing when he tells this story.

For more on prophets try these:

• E100-36: 2 Samuel 11:1 – 12:25: David and Bathsheba?
• E100 Week 10: Prophets: three principles to unlock the code
• E100-46: Isaiah 51:1 – 53:12: Reading prophets for pleasure and profit
• E100-47: Jeremiah 1:1 – 3:5: Getting started as a prophet
• E100-50: Malachi 1:1 – 4:6: The book that makes the bridge

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The judgement of Solomon by Gaetano Gandolfi (1734–1802)

In just two chapters we get some of the most beautiful and inspiring, and some of the grubbiest and most bloodthirsty stories in the Bible. It is no wonder that telling the stories of David (with Saul and Solomon and perhaps the rest) as a serial, like a soap opera has the audience panting for more

In this podcast I’ll again point to clues to how we can, and (often of more use) how we should NOT “read” Bible stories.

I’ll also make a shameless plug for my Not Only a Father an online book about the use of motherly language and imagery to describe God in the Bible and in later Christian theology, which you can discuss, argue with or ask questions about as you read – and if you can’t see how that connection fits this passage… then listen to the podcast

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Bathsheba goes to David by Francesco Salviati (1510–1563)

These two chapters mark the turning point in David’s story.

They offer vital clues also to how we “read” biblical narratives.

• Nathan’s story within a story provides hints, abouit the nature of narrative meaning
• David’s strange behaviour  during his child’s illness and on his death provides both a clue to an interpretative rule, and some good practice

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by didbygraham

Bible stories, with a few exceptions (maybe some parables for example) do NOT have nice neat “morals”. If you want to say “and the moral of the story is…” don’t read the Bible. But by contrast if you want people with real depth, who make it difficult for us to work out what their motives are, and therefore hard to simply place them in appropriate “boxes”, the Bible is the book for you

In this reading we’ll notice depth and complexity in two of the less central characters, Michal and Nathan. In that complexity we may find clues to living our own, often also complex, lives…

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It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines when compared to Aaron.

But Samson! He’s super strong, has a fatal weakness, and a secret identity (as a Nazirite

However in this podcast we’ll look closer, and in noticing some details of how the story is told uncover what is really going on

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-29-judges-131-%e2%80%93-1631-samson-a-biblical-superhero/feed/ 0 0:05:25 It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines whe[...] It’s certainly hard to find a superhero in the Bible! Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and even Moses – all fail – though some of them look good the way we try to… by comparison with their neighbours, family or friends think of how Moses shines when compared to Aaron. But Samson! He’s super strong, has a fatal weakness, and a secret identity (as a Nazirite However in this podcast we’ll look closer, and in noticing some details of how the story is told uncover what is really going on E100, Judges, Narrative, Reading Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/#comments Mon, 24 May 2010 16:27:35 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=424

The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example).

In this case the details, what Western minds call “facts” and worship above all other sorts of information, are strikingly different between the two tellings:

• In chapter 4: there is a focus on Canaanite oppression of the people of Israel, the battle concerns particularly the tribes of Naphtali & Zebulon, the victory is assured when Yahweh “confused” the Canaanites, in telling Jael’s killing of Sisera (the Canaanite general) her actions are presented as a parody of motherhood: “don’t be afraid” she says, then fed him milk and tucked him up.
• In chapter 5: the issues at stake seem to concern the free passage of trade, Yahweh ensures Canaanites’ defeat by sending a storm, various (Northern) tribes are involved, including Ephraim, Benjamin, Issachar etc. as well as Naphtali and Zebulun, the telling of Jael’s actions stresses her hospitality, giving him milk, even cream, instead of just water etc.

Another reminder that the focus of the tellers of Bible stories was not on the information content (that we focus on) but more on the relationships and especially on the primary relationship between us (as hearers of the telling) and God. Both tellings are full or irony, and both upset our notions of appropriate gender roles, as well as our stomachs. Stories in Judges are always disturbing.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-27-judges-41-%e2%80%93-531-deborah-%e2%80%93-a-twice-told-tale/feed/ 0 0:04:59 The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example). In this case [...] The story of Deborah, the prophetess and judge, is one of those biblical stories told to us twice, first in a prose narrative and then in a poetic celebration (the Exodus crossing of the sea in Ex 14 & 15 provides another example). In this case the details, what Western minds call “facts” and worship above all other sorts of information, are strikingly different between the two tellings: In chapter 4: there is a focus on Canaanite oppression of the people of Israel, the battle concerns particularly the tribes of Naphtali & Zebulon, the victory is assured when Yahweh “confused” the Canaanites, in telling Jael’s killing of Sisera (the Canaanite general) her actions are presented as a parody of motherhood: “don’t be afraid” she says, then fed him milk and tucked him up. In chapter 5: the issues at stake seem to concern the free passage of trade, Yahweh ensures Canaanites’ defeat by sending a storm, various (Northern) tribes are involved, including Ephraim, Benjamin, Issachar etc. as well as Naphtali and Zebulun, the telling of Jael’s actions stresses her hospitality, giving him milk, even cream, instead of just water etc. Another reminder that the focus of the tellers of Bible stories was not on the information content (that we focus on) but more on the relationships and especially on the primary relationship between us (as hearers of the telling) and God. Both tellings are full or irony, and both upset our notions of appropriate gender roles, as well as our stomachs. Stories in Judges are always disturbing. E100, History, Judges, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-14-genesis-43-44-the-tension-mounts/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-14-genesis-43-44-the-tension-mounts/#comments Wed, 05 May 2010 16:09:09 +0000 tim http://timbulkeley.com/5minutebible/?p=267

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!

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

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-13-genesis-42-keeping-up-appearances-3/feed/ 0 0:05:23 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 [...] 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, Genesis, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-12-genesis-39-41-older-and-wiser/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-12-genesis-39-41-older-and-wiser/#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 16:14:29 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=243

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?

]]> http://5minutebible.com/e100-12-genesis-39-41-older-and-wiser/feed/ 0 0:05:11 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[...] 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, Gapping, Genesis, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/e100-11-genesis-37-providence/ http://5minutebible.com/e100-11-genesis-37-providence/#comments Sun, 02 May 2010 15:23:20 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=240

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!

Until Jeremy of Free Old Testament audio mentioned it the other day in his Exodus 32 – Who Brought the People out of Egypt? I had never really noticed how this text, the “Golden Calf” episode, offers three different answers to the question: Who brought Israel out of Egypt!

When there are “rough edges” like this in a text it is a critic’s job, any sort of critic worth their salt, to pick at them and hope to see more of how or why the text is constructed. That’s what I do here, encourage you to pick at the edges from a narrative, relational perspective, and to ask so what’s going on here when God ascribes it to Moses, the people to a fine new golden statue, and Moses says God dunnit?

There are many ways in which the story-tellers of the Bible ensure that their tellings are lively and engaging. One is through the way they report speech. There is usually more “direct speech” (where the words of a character are “quoted”) then “indirect speech” (where the teller tells us the gist of what the character said). This direct speech is often skillfully crafted to give a lively and rich portrayal of the person. The podcast begins with cases where a group of people speak (we already heard one of these in the post Humour in the Bible: Part 2: Still Introducing Saul). Another example of this is found in Jonah 1:8 though here different emotions are expressed. The book of Ruth uses skillfully differentiated speech to help portray the characters. In this podcast we’ll look at Boaz’ two speeches to Ruth from chapter 2 (Ruth 2:11-12; 8-9).

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.

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..)

Gapping, where hearers have to “fill in” information that is missing in the text, is a really significant part of biblical story-telling. So, I’ll need to introduce the idea to next year’s Biblical Narrative class. Normally we “gap” unconsciously, and not just when reading narratives as I hope I’ll show you in this podcast. We’ll also begin to think about what makes gapping more – or less – legitimate. (See 2 Corinthians 11)

]]> http://5minutebible.com/an-introduction-to-gapping/feed/ 0 0:05:12 Gapping, where hearers have to “fill in” information that is missing in the text, is a really significant part of biblical story-telling. So, I’ll need to introduce the idea to next year’s Biblical Narrative class. Normally w[...] Gapping, where hearers have to “fill in” information that is missing in the text, is a really significant part of biblical story-telling. So, I’ll need to introduce the idea to next year’s Biblical Narrative class. Normally we “gap” unconsciously, and not just when reading narratives as I hope I’ll show you in this podcast. We’ll also begin to think about what makes gapping more – or less – legitimate. (See 2 Corinthians 11) Gapping, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/twisted-tales-or-should-the-book-of-judges-be-censored/ http://5minutebible.com/twisted-tales-or-should-the-book-of-judges-be-censored/#comments Thu, 13 Dec 2007 15:00:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=28

Judges is definitely not suitable for Sunday School reading, the bits that are told are firmly censored, and few of us go back to notice what we are missing. But, if we do, what we find is a book chock full of horrid twisted tales, brutal, brutish and sadly not short. Why? Can such a nasty collection of stories be justified, or should it simply be banned?

The puzzle of Jonah’s actions, and other strange goings-on don’t stop in Jonah 1:3, but deepen (pun intended) as we begin to read on… we meet the ship that had plans of its own and hear echoes of Santa Claus in the telling of Jonah’s story…

]]> http://5minutebible.com/jonah-13-5-whats-jonah-doing/feed/ 0 0:04:45 The puzzle of Jonah’s actions, and other strange goings-on don’t stop in Jonah 1:3, but deepen (pun intended) as we begin to read on… we meet the ship that had plans of its own and hear echoes of Santa Claus in the telling of Jonah[...] The puzzle of Jonah’s actions, and other strange goings-on don’t stop in Jonah 1:3, but deepen (pun intended) as we begin to read on… we meet the ship that had plans of its own and hear echoes of Santa Claus in the telling of Jonah’s story… Jonah, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/jonah-12-three-little-words/ http://5minutebible.com/jonah-12-three-little-words/#comments Fri, 24 Aug 2007 16:54:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=44

Continuing the series on Jonah, we rush ahead into the second verse of the book, only to spot yet again possibly more than one meaning. Jonah’s task however is clear.

By the way I am sorry about the long delays recently, I hope to post more regularly again, but not till after enjoying a two week holiday – starting on Sunday.

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!

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!

Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff.

]]> http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-2-still-introducing-saul/feed/ 0 0:05:17 Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff. Here’s a second instalment of Saul’s introduction… if when you are listening you have a Bible handy, open it to 1 Sam 9:11ff. Humour, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/ http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2007 15:39:00 +0000 tim http://5minutebible.com/?p=30

This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts…

except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 & 2 together…

]]> http://5minutebible.com/humour-in-the-bible-part-1-introducing-saul/feed/ 2 0:11:48 This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts… except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 [...] This is the first of what might need to be a long series! Just to do justice to the introduction of Saul in 1 Sam 9 I’ll need at least 2 posts… except the “video”  version is a bumper compendium edition that merges parts 1 & 2 together… Humour, Narrative Dr Tim Bulkeley clean no