Unit 5b Patr Narr Bkgrnd Hist

UBBL100 Exodus/Deuteronomy: 

UBBL100 Exodus/Deuteronomy The Background and Historical Nature of the Patriarchal Narratives

1. RELIGION: 

1. RELIGION 1. The narratives of Gen. 12-50 do not provide a complete picture of the religious beliefs and practices of the patriarchs; the purposes of the narratives are theological, dwelling on the divine call and promises and their fulfillment (and non-fulfillment).

1. RELIGION: 

1. RELIGION 2. We can gather enough, however, to give a general description and to set the religion of the patriarchs in its cultural context, which archeological discoveries have illuminated.

1. RELIGION: 

1. RELIGION 3. We cannot in any way trace Abraham's religious experience, for the Bible tells almost nothing about what he once was. But it stresses the new intervention in human affairs that God's call of Abraham in Gen. 12:1-3 represents. Although he still moved in the religious context of his day, his departure for Canaan at the bidding of God was also a departure from the polytheism of his past into a single-minded devotion to the one God who revealed himself to Abram.

A. God of the Father: 

A. God of the Father 1. The most important feature of patriarchal religion is revealed by the characteristic identification of the Patriarchal God as the "God of my/your/his father(s)" (31:5, 29; 43:23; and esp. Ex 3:6, 13, 15). --Others were "the God of Abraham" (Gen. 31:53), "the God of Isaac" (28:13), "the God of Nahor " (31:53), and "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Ex 3:6, 15).

A. God of the Father: 

A. God of the Father 2. These titles show that the patriarchal God was thought of as the clan's patron deity, to which each patriarch referred by a special name, indicating a close personal tie between the patriarch and his God. --This can clearly be seen in Gen 31:36-54, where Jacob swears by the "Fear of his father, Isaac,” and Laban by the "God of Nahor " (31:53f.). God is also known as the "the Mighty One of Jacob" (49:24).

A. God of the Father: 

A. God of the Father 3. This "God of the father" terminology has close parallels in the Mari and Amarna texts (all 2nd millennium B.C.) as well as less exact parallels in texts from Arabic and Aramean peoples from the later intertesta-mental and early Christian periods. The early parallels demonstrate that such terminology is appropriate to patriarchal times.

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh 1. Another important feature of the patriarchal knowledge of God is revealed by the fact that they worshiped God under a variety of 'El names: a. 'El Shaddai (17 :1; 27:3; 35:11; 43:14; etc.)—a foreign title for deity, probably based on Akkadian shadu , “mountain.”

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh b. 'El ' Elyon (14:18-22)—another foreign term based on the word ‘ alah , “to go up.” This may be another term used in reference to deities living in high places.

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh c. 'El ' Olam (21:33)—roughly means “Eternal God.”

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh d. 'El Ro‘i (16:13)—title given to God by Hagar after she and her son were spared in the desert. It means “God who sees me.”

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh e. 'El Bethel (31:13; 35:7)—title given to God by Jacob after his vision of the staircase, it means “God of Bethel,” the location where he had the vision.

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh 2. The great majority of the patriarchal narratives use either the generic term ' Elohim , "God," or the personal name Yahweh (usually translated "LORD"). a. Ex 6:3 "I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai ), but by my name the LORD (Yahweh) I did not make myself known to them." --Seems to teach that the patriarchs knew God as 'El Shaddai , not Yahweh, a name that was revealed only to Moses (Ex. 3:13-15).

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh: 

B. God as ‘El and Yahweh b. The frequent use of "Yahweh" in the Genesis narratives has been explained by understanding "name" in the sense of "character" or translating Ex. 6:3 in such a way that it asserts that the patriarchs knew the name of Yahweh.

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 1. The texts give little information about the religious practices of the patriarchs: a. They built altars (Gen. 12:7f.; 13: 18; 26:25; etc.).

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices a. They built altars (Gen. 12:7f.; 13: 18; 26:25; etc.). b. They offered sacrifice (31:54; 46:1; cf. ch . 22), often at places that were already used by the Canaanites (e.g., 12:7).

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 2. Associated with these sites were sacred stones ( masseboth ) (28:18, 22; 31:45; 35:20) and sacred trees (12:6; 13: 18; 21:33). --These were cultic objects that later became so identified with the Canaanite fertility religion that they were not allowed in Israel (Ex. 34:13; Dt. 7:5; 12:2; Hos. 4:13, etc.).

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 3. We know very little about the method and cultic nature of patriarchal sacrifice. --Contrary to later Israelite practice, patriarchal sacrifice required no priesthood and was limited to no special place.

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 4. An important aspect of their religious practice was circumcision, a rite that marked their covenant identity (Gen 17). --They also offered libations (28:18) and engaged in prayer (25:21), often prostrating themselves in the common ANE manner (17:3, 17; 24:52).

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 5. Thus, for the patriarchs, God associated himself with persons , not with places as in Canaanite religious conceptions.

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 5. Thus, for the patriarchs, God associated himself with persons , not with places as in Canaanite religious conceptions. 6. The patriarchs clearly conceived God as one.

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 5. Thus, for the patriarchs, God associated himself with person s, not with places as in Canaanite religious conceptions . 6. The patriarchs clearly conceived God as one. --This concept was transmitted from one generation to the next.

C. Religious Practices: 

C. Religious Practices 7. Whether we can call this belief monotheism is a debate that is foreign to the OT conception. --The patriarchal belief is much more explicit about what it affirms than what it denies, and we should perhaps call this a practical monotheism.

2. LIFESTYLE: 

2. LIFESTYLE Another area that has led to considerable discussion and diverse interpretations has been the patriarchal way of life. A. Summary of the Known Data Since the narratives were written for other than sociological purposes, the information given in the text is limited and incomplete. Briefly summarized, the basic data are as follows:

A. Summary of the Known Data: 

A. Summary of the Known Data 1. The patriarchs were primarily herdsmen, possessing sheep and goats (13:5-7; 30:32ff.; etc.), and cattle as well (15:9; 18;7; 46:32).

A. Summary of the Known Data: 

A. Summary of the Known Data 2. The patriarchs moved freely from Canaan to Mesopotamia and back and from encampment to encampment within Canaan (13:3-6; 33;18; 35;6, 16-27).

A. Summary of the Known Data: 

A. Summary of the Known Data 3. They lived in tents (12:8; 18:1ff.; 31:24-34), and to provide water they dug wells (21:30; 26:15-22).

A. Summary of the Known Data: 

A. Summary of the Known Data 3. They lived in tents (12:8; 18:1ff.; 31:24-34), and to provide water they dug wells (21:30; 26:15-22). 4. Yet they also cultivated the soil (26:12; 37:6f.), and they regularly settled near towns (20:1ff.; 23:1-20; 33:18).

A. Summary of the Known Data: 

A. Summary of the Known Data 5. They were very wealthy, possessing flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves (12:16; 26:13f.), and Abraham could muster 318 trained men to rescue Lot (14:14).

3. DATE AND HISTORICITY: 

3. DATE AND HISTORICITY A. Factors That Led to the Non-Historical View of the Patriarchal Narratives 1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis a. Religious content in the Patriarchal Narratives was viewed as reflecting the beliefs in the period in which they were written, according to this theory. The Pentateuch was seen as a collection of texts collated and edited in the fourth century B.C. In general, the Pentateuch was composed of these documents:

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis (1) J (Yahwist)—the narrative that runs from Gen 2-Num 24. It originated in Judah between 950 and 850 B.C. and refers to God as Yahweh.

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis (1) J (Yahwist)—the narrative that runs from Gen 2-Num 24. It originated in Judah between 950 and 850 B.C. and refers to God as Yahweh. (2) E (Elohist)—Originating in the northern kingdom c. 750-700 B.C., it parallels J but from a northern perspective. It uses Elohim rather than Yahweh.

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis JE —is the term used for texts that are virtually impossible to unravel between J and E .

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis JE —is the term used for texts that are virtually impossible to unravel between J and E. (3) P (Priestly material)—concerned with legal material, genealogies, cultic laws, covenants, feasts and other things of interest to the Israelite priesthood, it originated from 5th-4th centuries B.C.

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis (4) D (Deuteronomy)— refers to the core material that makes up Deuteronomy, which originated during the 7th century B.C. while Josiah renovated the temple.

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis: 

1. The Emergence and Prominence of the Documentary Hypothesis b. The patriarchs themselves were regarded as myths, Canaanite deities, heroes drawn from pre-Israelite folklore, or personifications of the tribes. Thus they were often accorded no real historical existence.

2. Information From Mesopotamia : 

2. Information From Mesopotamia a. When these views were developed, the history and culture of the 3rd and 2nd millennia B.C. were virtually unknown. --Since that time an extraordinary amount of material has thrown light on the period.

2. Information From Mesopotamia : 

2. Information From Mesopotamia b. The large amount of material discovered in the 20 th century has given us a good idea of conditions in these eras.

2. Information From Mesopotamia : 

2. Information From Mesopotamia c. We can now clarify a great number of practices and beliefs due to the large number of texts recovered, although many gaps and uncertainties remain. --Thus we are moving in the area of history (written records), not prehistory.

3. Information From Palestine: 

3. Information From Palestine a. We know less about Palestine than Egypt or Mesopotamia. b. Part of this is due to the "accidents" of discovery, but much of it is due to the inherent nature of the physical culture of Palestine itself.

3. Information From Palestine: 

3. Information From Palestine (1) Canaan was culturally behind the great centers of civilization in Egypt and Mesopotamia, and its location between them meant that it regularly suffered from invasion, war, and pillage, leaving sparse and poorly preserved materials.

3. Information From Palestine: 

3. Information From Palestine (2) The damp climate normally prevented the preservation of the usual writing materials of papyrus, parchment, and broken pottery.

3. Information From Palestine: 

3. Information From Palestine (3) Thus for the whole period prior to 1000 B.C. we are dealing with prehistory. Since most of the events of the patriarchal narratives take place within Palestine, the above facts make it very difficult to locate the patriarchs in history. But the discoveries mentioned above produced a much more positive assessment of the historical value of the patriarchal narratives.

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical: 

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical a. Both a surface reading and a literary study of the patriarchal narratives reveal their historiographical nature and intent, which are determined by literary and theological motives rooted in the past experience of the community, and in historically based traditions. --A comparison with ANE narrative works shows that the patriarchal narratives stand closest in literary type to historically based narratives.

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical: 

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical b. Significant in the light of its correlation with the biblically derived chronology that places the patriarchs about 400 years before the Exodus (Gen 15:13; Ex 12:40), some evidence suggests that the patriarchal narratives reflect authentically the conditions pertaining in the ANE in the first half of the 2nd millennium. This evidence includes:

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical: 

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical (1) The similarities between patriarchal names and Amorite names;

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical: 

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical (1) The similarities between patriarchal names and Amorite names; (2) Patriarchal life-style and the life-style reflected in the Mari texts;

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical: 

6. Reasons for Considering the Patriarchal Narratives as Historical (1) The similarities between patriarchal names and Amorite names; (2) Patriarchal life-style and the life-style reflected in the Mari texts; (3) Patriarchal religion and second-millennium Semitic religion.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION 1. Therefore we may conclude that the patriarchs were indeed historical figures.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION 1. Therefore we may conclude that the patriarchs were indeed historical figures. --This does not imply that a single person or event in the patriarchal stories has been found in extrabiblical sources—nor is it likely that one of them will be, because the patriarchal narratives are family history.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION --The patriarchs were chiefs of pastoral-nomadic clans, whose lives had little affect on the political events of their era.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION 2. But if their political impact in their own day was negligible, their religious impact on the world has been momentous.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION 2. But if their political impact in their own day was negligible, their religious impact on the world has been momentous. a. Gen. 12-50 says much about the life-style style that must characterize the people of God: it is to be a life of trust, faith, and obedience to God.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION b. These chapters present the basic facts of the beginning of redemptive history: God freely chose one man and his descendants through whom "all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (12:3), and God solemnly promises them land and posterity.

CONCLUSION: 

CONCLUSION 3. The significance of this redemptive history is set forth in part by its explicit presentation as the answer to the universal problem of human alienation from God and one another through sin set forth in Gen 1-11. But the fulfillment of these promises and the salvation-history here begun waits for its partial realization in the dramatic events of the deliverance from slavery in the Exodus story and for its final consummation in the Son of Abraham (Matt 1:1) who draws all men to Him (John 12:32), thus providing the blessing for all the families of the earth promised at the beginning of the patriarchal story.