Before The Beginning
Introduction To Genesis
Cloyce Sutton 1
NT
OT
David Watts, Sr. 2
The Value Of The OT
Rom. 15:4: For whatever things were written
before were written for our learning, that we
through the patience and comfort of the
Scriptures might have What’s Not Right
What’s Right hope.
2 Tim. 3:16–17: 16 All Scripture is given by
inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of
God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
How To Get Right
every good work.
How To Stay Right
Kevin Kay 3
Comparing The Two
Old Testament New Testament
Foreshadowing Fulfillment
Promise Performance
Problem Solution
Commencement Consummation
Kevin Kay 6
OT NT
A Savior A Savior
Is Coming Has Come
8
NT
OT
Gen
David Watts, Sr. 9
J. Sidlow Baxter
―...besides being introductory, Genesis is
explanatory. The other writings of the Bible are
inseparably bound up with it inasmuch as it gives
us the origin and initial explanation of all that
follows. …. Here we have in germ all that is later
developed. It has been truly said that „the roots of
all subsequent revelation are planted deep in
Genesis, and whoever would truly comprehend
that revelation must begin here.‟‖ (Explore The Book,
n.p.)
Kevin Kay 10
Genesis:
The Book of Beginnings
Heavens & Earth Civilization & Culture
Plants & Animals Government
Man & Woman Races & Nations
Marriage & Home Hebrew Race
Language Revelation
Sin Messianic Prophecy
Religion & Worship Etc.
Kevin Kay 11
Genesis & Revelation
Genesis Revelation
How it all began How it all will end
Paradise Lost Paradise Regained
Man‘s repossession thru
Man‘s dispossession thru sin
forgiveness
Sin‘s curse imposed Sin‘s curse removed
Tree of life disinherited Tree of life re-inherited
Beginning of sorrow & death End of sorrow & death
Garden defiled by sin City undefiled
Evil triumph of Satan Ultimate triumph of Christ
David Watts, Sr. 12
Important Questions
―Who am I?‖
―Where did I come from?‖
―Why am I here?‖
―Where am I going?‖
Kevin Kay 13
Derek Kidner
―There can scarcely be another part of
Scripture over which so many battles,
theological, scientific, historical and literary,
have been fought, or so many strong
opinions cherished. This very fact is a sign of
the greatness and power of the book, and of
the narrow limits of both our factual knowledge
and our spiritual grasp.‖ (Genesis: An Introduction &
Commentary, 9)
Cloyce Sutton 14
Presentation Overview
Title, Torah & Canonicity (1-4)
Authorship (5-12)
Date & Historicity (12-29)
Structure, Outline & Literary Features
(29-37)
Reading & Interpreting Genesis (37-41)
Cloyce Sutton 15
Titles
Hebrew: Bereshit = “in the beginning”
Greek: genesis = origin, source, race, creation
Latin:
– Liber Genesis = ―The Book of Genesis‖
– Liber Genesis, Hebraice Bereshit = ―The Book of
Genesis, [known] in Hebrew [as] Bereshit‖
– Incipit Liber Bresith id est Genesis = ―Here begins
the book Bresith which is Genesis‖
Cloyce Sutton 16
Titles
Medieval:
– ―First Book‖
– ―Book of the Creation of the World‖
– ―Book of the Righteous‖
– ―Book of Formation‖ (Hamilton, NICOT, 1:1-2)
Cloyce Sutton 17
The Tanakh
Torah Gen.; Ex.; Lev.; Num.; Deut.
(Law)
Former Prophets: Josh.; Jdg.; Sam.; Kings
Nebi’im
(Prophets)
Latter Prophets: Isa.; Ezek.; Jer.; Twelve
Poetical Books: Psa.; Prov.; Job
Ketubim Five Rolls: Song; Ruth; Lam.; Esth.; Eccl
(Writings)
Historical Books: Dan.; Ezra-Neh.; Chron.
Kevin Kay 18
Torah
―The word torah in its widest sense
means ‗guidance, instruction, discipline,‘ and
only in its most narrow sense ‗law.‘ The
Torah is the definitive ‗guide-book‘ of ancient
Israel, and it guides in the form of both
narrative and law so that the two become
inseparable and indispensible.‖ (Mann The Book of
the Torah: The Narrative Integrity of the Pentateuch, 7; Alter, The Five
Books of Moses: A Translation with Commentary, x)
Cloyce Sutton 19
English OT Arrangement
Law: Gen.; Ex.; Lev.; Num.; Deut.
Josh.; Jud.; Ruth; 1 & 2 Sam.; 1 & 2
History:
Ki.; 1 & 2 Chr.; Ezra; Neh.; Esth.
Poetry: Job; Psa.; Prov.; Eccl.; Song.
Major: Isa.; Jer. Lam. Ezek.; Dan.
Prophecy: Minor: Hos.; Joel; Amos; Obad.;
Jon.; Mic.; Nah.; Hab.; Zeph.; Hag.
Zech.; Mal.
Kevin Kay 20
Authorship of Pentateuch
Mosaic: Written by Moses
A mosaic: Portions written by different authors
and redacted (―The Documentary Hypothesis‖)
“J” [Jehovistic/Yahwist] (ca. 850 BC)
“E” [Elohist] (ca. 850-750 BC)
“D” [Deuteronomist] (ca. 620 BC)
“P” [Priestly] (ca. 550-450 BC)
Kevin Kay 21
Southern Traditions
Northern Traditions
J
850 BC E
750 BC
J-E
650 BC
Josiah‘s Reform
Book D
621 BC
J-E-D Exilic Priestly
550 BC Material
P
450 BC
J-E-D-P
400 BC
Cloyce Sutton 22
Objections To
Mosaic Authorship
Torah is anonymous
No explicit reference to Moses as author
Moses referred to in 3rd person
– Writer never uses ―I‖ or ―we‖ (cf. Nehemiah & Luke)
Anacronisms
Moses‘ humility (Num. 12:3)
Moses‘ death (Dt. 34)
Cloyce Sutton 23
Assumptions Of DH
Israelite culture evolved over time
Writing developed much later than Moses
Different names for God
Duplicate stories
Anachronisms
Composite stories
Different vocabulary or literary styles
Cloyce Sutton 24
“Like Father Like Son”
Abraham Isaac
12:10 Famine in the land 26:1
12:10-11 Sojourn in Egypt cf. 26:2
20:1 Sojourn in Gerar 26:1
12:11, 14 Beautiful wife 26:7
12:11-13
“She is my sister” 26:7
20:2
Kevin Kay 25
“Like Father Like Son”
Abraham Isaac
12:17-20 Rebuke for
26:8-11
20:9-13 deception
13:1-2
Subsequent blessing 26:12-14
20:14-16
21:25-31 Disputes over wells 26:17-22
Quarrel between
13:5-7 26:20-22
herdsmen
Kevin Kay 26
“Like Father Like Son”
Abraham Isaac
13:14-17 Renewal of promises 26:23-24
12:7
An altar for worship 26:25
13:3-4
A covenant with
21:22-34 26:26-33
Abimelech
Kevin Kay 27
Anachronisms
Camels (Gen. 12:16)
―Ur of the Chaldeans‖ (Gen. 11:28, 31; 15:7)
―Dan‖ (Gen. 14:14; cf. Jdg. 8:27-29)
Edomite kings ―before any king reigned over
the children of Israel‖ (Gen. 36:31)
―Then in the land‖ (Gen. 12:6; 13:7)
“To this day” (Gen. 19:38; 22:14; 32:32;
47:26)
“Land of Rameses” (Gen. 47:11)
Cloyce Sutton 28
Composite Stories
Noah‘s flood (Gen. 7-8)
Jacob‘s flight (Gen. 28)
Sale of Joseph (Gen. 37)
Jacob‘s son‘s 1st trip to Egypt (Gen. 47)
Cloyce Sutton 29
Critique Of DH Assumptions
Cultures sometimes decline or stagnate.
Some aspects of Israelite worship settled early
Writing developed long before Moses
Different names for deity used in other ANE
texts – rhetorical effect
Duplicate stories more differences than
similarities – ―Type scenes‖
Cloyce Sutton 30
Early Marks Of Civilization
(Gen. 4:16-22)
Urbanization (v. 17)
Domestication (v. 20)
Music (v. 21)
Metallurgy (v. 22)
Kevin Kay 31
Civilization Developed Early
P. J. Wiseman: "No more surprising fact has
been discovered by recent excavations than the
suddenness with which civilization appeared in
the world. This discovery is the very opposite of
that anticipated. It was expected that the more
ancient the period, the more primitive would
excavators find it to be, until traces of civilization
ceased altogether and aboriginal man appeared.
Neither in Babylonia nor Egypt, the lands of the
oldest known habitations of man, has this been the
case.― (―New Discoveries In Babylonia About Genesis,‖ p. 28)
Kevin Kay 32
Early Writing
Joseph Free & Howard Vos: ―The Code of
Hammurabi was written several hundred years
before the time of Moses (c. 1500-1400
B.C.)….This code, from the period 2000-1700
B.C., contains advanced laws similar to those in
the Mosaic laws….In view of this archaeological
evidence, the destructive critic can no longer insist
that the laws of Moses are too advanced for his
time.‖ (Archaeology and Bible History, 1992, 103, 55, via Lyons &
Smith, ―Mosaic Authorship of the Pentateuch – Tried And True, Reason
& Revelation, Jan. 2003, 23:1:2)
Kevin Kay 33
“Type-Scenes”
Rivalry between wife & co-wife or concubine
Patriarch driven by famine to southern region
Birth of a child to barren woman
Finding one‘s future spouse at a well
Epiphany in a field
Initiatory trial
Danger in the desert
Discovering a well in unlikely place
Last words of dying hero
Cloyce Sutton 34
Critique Of DH Assumptions
Anachronisms
Early promises (Gen. 17:16; 35:11)
Inspiration (Ex. 25:22; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet.
1:20-21; cf. Dt. 17:14-15)
Composite stories
Different vocabulary or literary styles
Cloyce Sutton 35
Composite Stories
Highly subjective explanation
No single account tells the whole story. Each
account leaves inexplicable gaps
– ―J‖: Ark without its construction
– ―P‖: Noah & family entering ark
– ―J‖: God shut Noah in
– ―J‖: Sending out bird
Cloyce Sutton 36
Mosaic Authorship
Account of Amalek‟s defeat (Ex. 17:14)
Words of the Lord (Ex. 24:3-4)
Ten Commandments (Ex. 34:27-28)
Israel‟s journeys in wilderness (Num. 33:1ff)
Kevin Kay 37
Mosaic Authorship
Law (Dt. 31:9; cf. Josh. 8:32; 2 Chr. 34:14)
Song of Moses (Dt. 31:22)
Deuteronomy (Neh. 13:1; cf. Dt. 23:3-4; 2 Chr.
25:4; cf. Dt. 24:16)
Exodus (Mk. 12:26; cf. Ex. 3:6)
Kevin Kay 38
Mosaic Authorship
Pent. NT
I am God of Abraham, Mk. 12:26; Lk.
Ex. 3:6
Isaac, & Jacob 20:37
Ex. 20:12 Honor father & mother Mk. 7:10
Ex. 21:17 He who curses father & mother Mk. 7:10
Lev. 12:2-8 Day of purification Lk. 2:22
Lev. 18:5 If a man does, he shall life Rom. 10:5
Lev. 20:9 He who curses father & mother Mk. 7:10
Lev. 20:10 Adulterers put to death Jn. 8:5
Dt. 5:16 Honor father & mother Mk. 7:10
Kevin Kay 39
Mosaic Authorship
Pent. NT
Dt. 18:15, Acts 3:22-23;
Prophet like me
18-19 7:37
Dt. 19:15 Mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses Heb. 10:28
Dt. 22:22-24 Adulterers put to death Jn. 8:5
Dt. 24:1-4 Divorce & remarriage Mt. 19:7; Mk. 10:4
1 Cor. 9:9; 1 Tim.
Dt. 25:4 Don‟t muzzle ox
5:18
Mt. 22:24; Mk.
Dt. 25:5-10 Levirate marriage law
12:19; Lk. 20:28
Dt. 32:21 “I will provoke you to jealousy” Rom. 10:19
Kevin Kay 40
Mosaic Authorship
―Law of Moses‖ (Lk. 2:22; 24:44; Jn. 7:23; Acts
13:39; 15:5; 28:23; 1 Cor. 9:9)
―Book of Moses‖ (Mk. 12:26)
―Custom of Moses‖ (Acts 15:1)
―Moses‘ law‖ (Heb. 10:28)
Kevin Kay 41
Mosaic Authorship
Mk 12:26: But concerning the dead, that they
rise, have you not read in the book of Moses,
in the burning bush passage, how God spoke
to him, saying, ‗I am the God of Abraham, the
God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob‘?
Lk. 20:37: But even Moses showed in the
burning bush passage that the dead are
raised, when he called the Lord ‗the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of
Jacob.‘
Kevin Kay 42
Mosaic Authorship
Lk 16:29-31: 29 Abraham said to him, ‗They
have Moses and the prophets; let them hear
them.‘ 30 And he said, ‗No, father Abraham; but
if one goes to them from the dead, they will
repent.‘ 31 But he said to him, ‗If they do not
hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they
be persuaded though one rise from the dead.‘‖
2 Cor. 3:15: But even to this day, when Moses
is read, a veil lies on their heart.
Kevin Kay 43
Mosaic Authorship
Lk. 24:27: And beginning at Moses and all the
Prophets, He expounded to them in all the
Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
Lk. 24:44: Then He said to them, ―These are
the words which I spoke to you while I was still
with you, that all things must be fulfilled which
were written in the Law of Moses and the
Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.‖
Kevin Kay 44
Mosaic Authorship
Jn. 1:45: Philip found Nathanael and said to
him, ―We have found Him of whom Moses in
the law, and also the prophets, wrote — Jesus
of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.‖
Jn. 5:46-47: 46 For if you believed Moses, you
would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But
if you do not believe his writings, how will you
believe My words?‖
Kevin Kay 45
Mosaic Authorship
Acts 15:21: For Moses has had throughout
many generations those who preach him in
every city, being read in the synagogues every
Sabbath.‖
Acts 26:22: Therefore, having obtained help
from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to
small and great, saying no other things than
those which the prophets and Moses said
would come—
Kevin Kay 46
Mosaic Authorship
Acts 28:23: So when they had appointed him a
day, many came to him at his lodging, to whom
he explained and solemnly testified of the
kingdom of God, persuading them concerning
Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the
Prophets, from morning till evening.
Kevin Kay 47
“Scriptures” For Josephus
(ca. AD 37-100)
―8. (38) For we have not an innumerable multitude of
books among us, disagreeing from and contradicting
one another [as the Greeks have], but only twenty-
two books, which contain the records of all the past
times; which are justly believed to be divine; (39) and
of them five belong to Moses, which contain his
laws and the traditions of the origin of mankind till his
death. This interval of time was little short of three
thousand years; (40) but as to the time from the death
of Moses till the reign of Artaxerxes, king of Persia,
48
“Scriptures” For Josephus
(ca. AD 37-100)
who reigned after Xerxes, the prophets, who were
after Moses, wrote down what was done in their times
in thirteen books. The remaining four books contain
hymns to God, and precepts for the conduct of
human life. (41) It is true, our history hath been
written since Artaxerxes very particularly, but hath
not been esteemed of the like authority with the
former by our forefathers, because there hath not
been an exact succession of prophets since that
time; (42) and how firmly we have given credit to
Kevin Kay 49
“Scriptures” For Josephus
(ca. AD 37-100)
those books of our own nation, is evident by what we
do; for during so many ages as have already passed,
no one has been so bold as either to add anything to
them, to take anything from them, or to make any
change in them; but it becomes natural to all Jews,
immediately and from their very birth, to esteem
those books to contain divine doctrines, and to
persist in them, and, if occasion be, willingly to die for
them….‖ (Emphasis added, Against Apion, I:7-8)
Kevin Kay 50
Explanations
Some scribal glosses
Use of sources (cf. Gen. 5:1)
Portions written by someone else (cf. Dt. 34)
Inspiration
Kevin Kay 51
Date Of Writing
Time of Moses:
– 15th cen. BC (ca. 1446)
– 13th cen. BC (ca. 1230)
Four Common Views:
– Early Exodus & Long Sojourn
– Early Exodus & Short Sojourn
– Late Exodus
– Reconstructionist
Cloyce Sutton 52
Length of Egyptian Bondage
Ex. 12:40: Now the sojourn of the children of
Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred
and thirty years.
1 Ki. 6:1: And it came to pass in the four
and eightieth year (Sam.; children
hundred ―Egypt and Canaan‖ after theLXX)
of Israel had come out of the land of Egypt, in
the fourth year of Solomon‘s reign over Israel,
in the month of Ziv, which is the second month,
that he began to build the house of the LORD.
Kevin Kay 53
Length of Egyptian Bondage
Jdg. 11:26: While Israel dwelt in Heshbon and
its villages, in Aroer and its villages, and in all
the cities along the banks of the Arnon, for
three hundred years, why did you not recover
them within that time?
Kevin Kay 54
Genealogies in Genesis
Gen. 4:16-24: Cain‘s descendants
Gen. 5: Adam‘s descendants
Gen. 10: Table of Nations
Gen. 11: Shem‘s descendants
Cloyce Sutton 55
Genealogies & Chronology
Incomplete genealogies
Ambiguous relationships
Variations in ancient versions
Symmetry suggests mnemonic purpose
Odd overlaps
External archaeological data
Cloyce Sutton 56
MT Samaritan Pent LXX Josephus
Son‘s Son‘s Son‘s Son‘s
Death Death Death Death
Birth Birth Birth Birth
Adam 130 930 130 930 230 930 230 930
Seth 105 912 105 912 205 912 205 912
Enosh 90 905 90 905 190 905 190 905
Kenan 70 910 70 910 170 910 170 910
Mahalalel 65 895 65 895 165 895 165 895
Jared 162 962 62 847 162 962 162 962
Enoch 65 365 65 365 165 365 165 365
Methuselah 187 969 67 720 167 969 187 969
Lamech 182 777 53 653 188 753 182 777
Noah 500 950 500 950 500 950 500
57
950
MT Samaritan Pent LXX Josephus
Son‘s Son‘s Son‘s
Add‘l Yrs Add‘l Yrs Add‘l Yrs Son‘s Birth
Birth Birth Birth
Shem 100 500 100 500 100 500 —
Arpachshad 35 403 135 303 135 430 135
Cainan — — — — 130 330 —
Shelah 30 403 130 303 130 330 130
Eber 34 430 134 270 134 370 134
Peleg 30 209 130 109 130 209 130
Reu 32 207 132 107 132 207 130
Serug 30 200 130 100 130 200 132
Nahor 29 119 79 69 179 129 120
Terah 70 135 70 75 70 135
58
70
Genealogies Omit Names
Mt. 1:8 1 Chr. 3:11f Ezra 7:3-4 1 Chr. 6:6ff
Joram Joram Zerahiah Zerahiah
Ahaziah Meraioth Meraioth
Joash Amariah
Amaziah Ahitub
Uzziah Azariah Zadok
Mt. 1:11 1 Chr. 3:14f Ahimaaz
Josiah Josiah Azariah
Jehoiakim Johanan
Jeconiah Jeconiah Azariah Azariah
Amariah Amariah
Kevin Kay 59
Evidence Of
Intentional Omissions
3 groups of 14 names (Mt. 1:17)
– ―David‖ = DWD = 4 + 6 + 4 = 14
– 14 = 2 x 7
– Helpful mnemonic device
“Son” = Descendant (Mt. 1:1)
Kevin Kay 60
Gaps In Genealogies
2 Ki. 9:2: 2Now when you arrive at that place,
look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat,
the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise
up from among his associates, and take him to
an inner room.
2 Ki. 9:20: 20So the watchman reported,
saying, ―He went up to them and is not coming
back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu
the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!‖
David Eakin 61
Gaps In Genealogies
Ezra 7:3-4 1 Chr. 6:6-10
Zerahiah Zerahiah
Meraioth Meraioth
Amariah
Ahitub
Zadok
Omitted by Ezra
Ahimaaz
Azariah
Johanan
Azariah Azariah
Amariah Amariah
David Eakin 62
Gaps In Genealogies
Matthew 1:8, 11 1 Chr. 3:11-12, 14-16
Two
Joram Points Joram
Ahaziah
• The Known Genealogical Gaps Would
Omitted by Joash
Matthew
Not Account For Millions Of Years
Amaziah
• We
Uzziah Uzziah (Azariah)
Know These Gaps Exist In Some
Genealogies Because They Do Not
Josiah
Exist In Others Josiah
Omitted by Jehoiakim (Eliakim)
Matthew
Jechoniah Jehoiachin (Jeconiah)
Kevin Kay 63
Gaps In Genealogies???
Arthur C. Custance : ―We are told again and
again that some of these genealogies contain
gaps: but what is never pointed out by those who
lay the emphasis on gaps, is that they only know of
the existence of these gaps because the Bible
elsewhere fills them in. How otherwise could one
know of them? But if they are filled in, they are
not gaps at all! Thus in the final analysis the
argument is completely without foundation."
(Genealogies of the Bible, 1967, p. 3)
Don Patton 64
Adam To Abraham
(Gen. 5 & 11)
Adam 7th from Adam (Jude 14) Shem
Seth Arphaxad
Enosh Any Gaps Would Salah
Cainan Not Affect Eber
Chronology
Mahalaleel Peleg
Jared Reu
Enoch Any Gaps Must Come Serug
After Enoch
Methuselah Nahor
Lamech Terah
Noah Millions of Years In 13 Generations Abram
291,125 Years Between Each Generation
Don Patton 65
Gaps & Chronology
James B. Jordan: ―Gaps in genealogies, however, do
not prove gaps in chronologies. The known gaps all
occur in non-chronological genealogies. Moreover, even if
there were gaps in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11,
this would not affect the chronological information therein
recorded, for even if Enosh were the great-grandson of Seth,
it would still be the case that Seth was 105 years old when
Enosh was born, according to a simple reading of the text.
Thus, genealogy and chronology are distinct problems with
distinct characteristics. They ought not to be confused.‖ (―The
Biblical Chronology Question,‖ Creation Social Sciences and
Humanities Quarterly, Winter, 1979/1980, p. 12)
66
Kevin Kay 67
Kevin Kay 68
Historicity Of Genesis
Jesus‘ genealogy to Adam (Lk. 3:23-38)
Adam‘s sin (Rom. 5:12ff; 1 Cor. 15:22, 45)
Consequences of first sin (1 Tim. 2:12ff; 2 Cor.
11:3)
Curse on ground (Rom. 8:19ff)
Curse on serpent (Rev. 12:17; Rom. 16:20)
Cain‘s sin (1 Jn. 3:11-12; Jude 11)
Cloyce Sutton 69
Historicity Of Genesis
Sarah as model wife (1 Pet. 3:1-6)
First marriage (Mt. 19:3-10)
Role of women tied to creation (1 Cor. 11:7-12)
Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac,
Jacob, Joseph = models of faith (Heb. 11:1-22)
Noah & baptism & judgment (1 Pet. 3:20-21;
Mt. 24:37-39)
Enoch & godliness (Jude 14-15)
Cloyce Sutton 70
Historicity Of Genesis
Jacob & Esau & election (Rom. 9:10-13)
Esau & godless impenitence (Heb. 12:15-17)
Melchizedek & Christ‘s priesthood (Heb. 5:5-
10; 6:20; 7:1ff)
Abraham & justification by faith (Rom. 4:1ff)
Promises to Abraham & redemption (Gal. 3:1ff;
4:21ff)
Cloyce Sutton 71
Jesus Endorsed Genesis
Creation (Mk. 13:19)
Adam & Eve (Mt. 19:4-8; Mk. 10:6-8)
Abel (Mt. 23:35; Lk. 11:51)
Noah and the flood (Mt. 24:37-39; Lk. 17:26-
27)
Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (Mt. 8:11)
Sodom & Gomorrah (Lk. 17:28-30)
Lot‟s wife (Lk. 17:32)
Kevin Kay 72
NT Writers Endorsed
Genesis
God‟s rest on the 7th day (Heb. 4:4)
The first man Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
Adam & Eve (Eph. 5:31; 1 Tim. 2:13)
The Fall (Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor.
11:3; 1 Tim. 2:14)
Cain & Abel (Heb. 11:4; 12:24; 1 Jn. 3:12;
Jude 11)
Enoch (Heb. 11:5)
Kevin Kay 73
NT Writers Endorsed
Genesis
The flood (Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:19-20; 2 Pet.
2:4-5; 3:3-6)
Call of Abraham (Acts 7:2-4; Heb. 11:8)
Promises to Abraham (Acts 3:25-26; Gal. 3:8)
Melchizedek (Heb. 7:1-10)
Sodom & Gomorrah (2 Pet. 2:6; Jude 6-7)
Lot‟s deliverance (2 Pet. 2:7)
Kevin Kay 74
NT Writers Endorsed
Genesis
Birth of Isaac (Acts 7:8; Rom. 9:9; Heb. 11:11-
12)
Hagar & Ishmael (Gal. 4:21-31)
Offer of Isaac (Heb. 11:17-19; Jas. 2:21)
Jacob & Esau (Rom. 9:12-13)
Joseph (Acts 7:9-14)
Kevin Kay 75
Genesis & NT Teaching
Permanence of marriage (Mt. 19:3-6)
Prohibition of cursing (Jas. 3:9)
Role of women (1 Tim. 2:12-15)
Salvation thru baptism (1 Pet. 3:20-21)
Promises about Second Coming (Mt. 24:37ff)
Promise of resurrection (1 Cor. 15:21-22)
Coming condemnation of ungodly (Jude 14f)
End of world (2 Pet. 3:3-7)
David Watts, Sr. 80
Antiquity & Internal Evidence
Divine names used only in Genesis
Patriarchal names used only in Genesis
Place names found only in Genesis
“Angelology”
Unique practices only in Genesis
Would-be anachronisms
Cloyce Sutton 81
Patriarchal Family Life
Adoption of an heir verified
Barren woman using surrogate verified
Adoption of son-in-law as legal heir verified
Long-distance marriage arrangements verified
Sale of birthrights confirmed
Deathbed blessings verified
Cloyce Sutton 82
Patriarchal
Business & Law
Slave prices verified
Treaty or contract forms verified
Cloyce Sutton 83
Egypt in Genesis
Settlement in Goshen valid only in the
period represented in Genesis
Accurate Egyptian terminology
Accurate portrait of Egyptian ideals,
culture, lifestyle
Cloyce Sutton 84
Historicity Of Genesis
Walter Kaiser: ―Gn 1-11, according to my own
rough count, contains sixty-four geographical
names, eighty-eight personal names, forty-eight
generic names and twenty-one identifiable cultural
items….Each one of these items has the potential
for exposing the text to error, for the names of the
material of that day as well as the names of the
individuals must be appropriate to the times and
places in which these items are located….
Cloyce Sutton 85
Historicity Of Genesis
Gn 1-11 clearly does not fit into the categories
of myth, legend, parable, allegory, fairy tale,
typology or saga…. Gn 1-11 is totally reliable and
trustworthy when judged by the written claims of
the author and judged according to the literary
conventions of the day in which that author wrote.‖
(The Old Testament Documents: Are They Reliable & Relevant?, 82-
83)
Cloyce Sutton 86
If We Reject Genesis….
We Must Reject The Bible
Kevin Kay 87
Structural Keys
―Toledot‖ statements
Geography
Seed Promise
Covenant
Emphasis
Cloyce Sutton 88
“Generations” Of Genesis
Heavens & Earth Terah (11:27ff)
(2:4ff)
Ishmael (25:12ff)
Adam (5:1ff)
Isaac (25:19ff)
Noah (6:9ff)
Esau (36:1ff, 9ff)
Sons Of Noah
Jacob (37:2ff)
(10:1ff)
Shem (11:10ff)
Kevin Kay 89
“Generations” Of Genesis
Provide an overall structure to the book
Connect the individual stories
Mark turning points or major transitions
Emphasize & reiterate the theme of the
promised seed
Cloyce Sutton 90
Cloyce Sutton 91
Seed Promise
To serpent (Gen. 3:15)
To Abraham (Gen. 12:1ff; 13:14-17; 15:1-20;
17:1-21; 22:1-19)
To Isaac (Gen. 26:1-5, 23f)
To Jacob (Gen. 28:13-17; 32:24-32; 35:1, 9-
12; 46:1-4)
Cloyce Sutton 92
An Outline Of Genesis
Primeval History The Patriarchs
(Gen. 1-11) (Gen. 12-50)
Creation (Gen. 1-2) Abraham (Gen. 12-25)
The Fall (Gen. 3) Isaac (Gen. 25-28)
Cain & Abel (Gen. 4) Jacob (Gen. 28-35)
The Flood (Gen. 6-9) Joseph (Gen. 37- 50)
Tower of Babel (Gen.
11)
Kevin Kay 93
Primeval History
(Gen. 1-11)
(1650 years) (650 years)
(Gen. 1-2) (Gen. 3) (Gen. 4) (Gen. 6-9) (Gen. 11)
Kevin Kay 94
The Patriarchs
(Gen. 12-50)
(215 years)
Abraham Isaac Jacob Joseph
Gen. 12-25 Gen. 25-28 Gen. 28-35 Gen. 37-50
Kevin Kay 95
Reading Biblical Narrative
Top Level: God‘s universal plan to redeem man
(creation, sin, redemption, incarnation, sacrifice)
Middle Level: Story of Israel (call of Abraham,
seed promise, land promise, patriarchs, Egyptian
enslavement, Exodus, Sinai, Monarchy, Exile, etc.)
Bottom Level: Individual stories (100s of people
throughout Biblical history)
Cloyce Sutton 96
Elements of the Story
Scene Setting
Plot Dialogue
Point of view Key words
Characterization Structure
Climax
Setting Problem Resolution Conclusion
Cloyce Sutton 97
Reading Biblical Narrative
Not stories about people but about what God
did to and through those people
Not allegories or stories filled with hidden
meanings
OT narratives do not always teach directly
Each episode does not necessarily have a
moral all its own
Cloyce Sutton 98
Interpretive Issues
“Day” in Gen. 1
Function of the genealogies (Gen. 5 & 11)
“Sons of God” (Gen. 6)
Extent of flood (Gen. 6-8)
Ungodly behavior of heroes
Relation to other portions of Scripture
Cloyce Sutton 99
Interpretative Principles
OT narrative does not usually teach a doctrine
(cf. Gen. 1:27; 2:24 & Mt. 19:3-6; Ex. 3:6 & Mt.
22:31-32)
OT narrative usually illustrates a doctrine taught
elsewhere
Narratives record what happened, not
necessarily what should have happened
Cloyce Sutton 100
Interpretative Principles
People in narratives do not always behave the
way they should
Sometimes the narrative does not tell us if
something is good or bad
Narratives are always selective and incomplete
Narratives are not written to answer all our
questions
Ultimately, God is the hero of every story
Cloyce Sutton 101
Genesis 3:15
You [Satan]
(Rev. 12:9; 20:2)
E The woman [Eve]
(2 Cor. 11:3)
N
Your seed Her seed
[Wicked] (Jn. 8:44; 1 M [Righteous] (1 Jn.
3:10)
Jn. 3:8, 10)
I
You shall bruise He shall bruise your
His heel [The T head [The crucifixion &
crucifixion] (Lk. 22:53; resurrection] (Jn. 12:27-
Jn. 14:30) Y 33; Col. 2:13-15; Heb.
2:14-15)
Kevin Kay 102
Messianic Prophecies
Gen. 3:15: ―And I will put enmity Between you
and the woman, And between your seed and
her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And
you shall bruise His heel.”
Gen. 12:3: ―I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you; And in
you all the families of the earth shall be
blessed.”
Kevin Kay 103
Messianic Prophecies
Gen. 22:18: “In your seed all the nations
of the earth shall be blessed, because you
have obeyed My voice.”
Gen. 49:10: ―The scepter shall not depart from
Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet,
Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the
obedience of the people.”
Kevin Kay 104