I am working on my thesis and need some quality references/commentaries on the book of Genesis. I am a Bible literalist/dispensationalist and my library is full of resources that support that interpretation. I would like to have resources that are distinctly Christian (not of the Jesus Seminar motif) but look at Genesis in a more etiological or allegorical view. Additionally, any resources that provide scholarly exegesis of a mythical position would be welcome. I have searched and there are so many to choose from. I was hoping some of you might point me to 3-5 quality resources. Thanks
Hamilton (NICOT?), Wenham (Word?), Cassuto, Allis "5 Books of Moses", Keil/Delitzsch (old), Ross "Creation & Blessing", Aalders (ET of Korte Verklaring), JPS series (Sarna?).
Thanks Janko, Could you elaborate a little on the position each of these texts presents (what position they take?).
Anything by Hugh Ross (The Genesis Question, Creator and the Cosmos, Origins of Life: Biblical & Evolutionary Models Face Off, etc.) Check out his site at www.reasons.org They've got a ton of great books and audio CD's you can purchase directly from the website. Even if you are a Genesis literalist, Ross offers an alternative interpretation of the creation that is extremely compelling and always biblically sound. Love him or hate him, he believes in the inerrancy of scripture and refuses to render an interpretation of any verse that will conflict elsewhere with another. He and his staff are extremely thorough. Pug
My suggestion isn't Christian, but then, neither is b'reshit. Still, from a myth and culture viewpoint, you might read over "The Torah: A Modern Commentary" edited by the truly amazing Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut and published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (now the Union for Reform Judaism, a name change I deplore).
Variously conservative, except JPS. Don't pigeonhole a commentary in advance; that's an illegitimate shortcut to seeing how it grapples with the text and letting it help you grapple with the text. I am a fervent Wauwatosan on these things. Another suggestion: a series called New American Commentary--confusingly named, suggesting the New American Bible, on which it is not based, but rather the New International Version. Best of luck to you. J.
Somehow I get the impression that you are discounting Nosborne's suggestion. Bear in mind that there were no Christians in the Old Testament. Some of the earlier writings by Jewish leaders provide good insight. You might try one or two just for the experience. You can also do an internet search on "The Great Flood", and look over the Code of Hamurabi (sp). Good Luck.
Somehow I get the idea that you're either not talking to me or you didn't read my posts carefully. I never discount Nosborne's suggestions.
Kansasbaptist: I did my masters thesis in Genesis at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and I think Janko gave you some great leads. I'm confused. Someone suggested you read up on Hugh Ross, and some other "Genesis 1/fudamentalism" stuff. Are you doing your paper on Genesis 1? I didn't catch that. If you are doing an exegesis in Genesis somewhere, I'd rec. you integrate the insights of: 1. Sarna (JPS) and Alter for a contemporary "Jewish" and insightful "literary" reading. 2. Wenham (Word) for his elaborate, although not always usefully organized footnotes. 3. Sailhamer's "Pentateuch as Narrative" for a read that is contextually based in the whole of the Pentateuch. This is a crucial step in your exegesis. 4. Ross' "Creation and Blessing," perhaps the most useful overall. 5. Gunkel, Westermann and von Rad: Various critical readings from these scholars offer helpful insight, depending on what you are looking for. Gunkel's hypothesis on Genesis shaped an era, and Westermann alongside von Rad both offer the two, standard, divergent views of Genesis 1-11 based on their understanding of general revelation. 6. Janko was right, or whoever said that NAC is good. It usually is. If you are doing an exegesis of Genesis 1, I'd recommend Sailhamer again, but his "Genesis Unbound" which is out of print. Either get a $50 copy on bookfinder.com, or contact him through Southeastern bapstist theological seminary and get a copy somehow from him. Second, for a landscape of views up to the 90's, I'd prefer Henri Blocher's "In the Beginning." Best wishes in your study of God's Word. Chris
Thanks to everyone, the responses have been really helpful. Nosborne -- I am ordered the Talmud book Janko, great feedback, I have access to several Church libraries and will certainly be looking at the sources you suggested. Howard, I just finished two classes on Near East History, in fact my first term paper was a comparison of the Noah Tradition and The Gilgamesh Epic. My thesis is to hopefully establish that the nature of God and his plan for man is revealed in Genesis independent of interpretation. For example, The creation story establishes that one must presuppose the existence of God, establishes that God is responsible for creation (regardless of method) and by creation establishes his authority. Everything else is window dressing. The same approach with Adam/Eve. Man must make an ultimate choice between good (existence with God) or evil (absence of God). This truth again presupposes the existence of God, but it really doesn't matter if Adam/Eve actually existed or not. No matter how you "read" Genesis (historical,etiological, tradition, or myth) these core truths concerning who God is and how he relates to man are evident. As Christians, we sometimes get so wrapped up in arguing about the stones at the top of the mountain, we allow the foundation to crumble. Hope that creates some framework. Thanks again to everyone. Suggestions/Comments/Criticism always welcome
Kansasbaptist: I am astonished and gratified. Your approach makes JEWISH sense. I don't know what level your Hebrew is at; Plaut gives a line-by-line translation with heavy footnotes. Anyway, there IS a set of Hebrew-English Rashi commentaries on Torah but frankly, it makes little sense unless you can read the text yourself.
Nosborne, I am much better with Greek than Hebrew. I have had Greek classes but nothing more than an intro to Biblical Hebrew (basically learning how to use the plethera of resources). I would love to have the knowledge to exegete in the original language (and not rely so heavily on the interpretation of others), but that is a different hill for a different day. My desire is simply to know God and understand His Word as best I can. Theology is strange journey. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know! Thanks again for your input.
The other problem with Rashi is that he writes in a kind of shorthand. He assumes that his readers have a background in Jewish law and custom.
