Creation, Un-creation, Re-creation: A Discursive Commentary on Genesis 1-11
Overview
Joseph Blenkinsopp provides a new commentary on Genesis 1–11, the so-called “primeval history” in which the account of creation is given. Blenkinsopp argues that, from a biblical point of view, creation cannot be restricted to a single event, nor to two versions of an event, as depicted in Genesis 1–3. Rather, it must take in the whole period of creation arranged in the sequence of creation, uncreation, and recreation as see in Genesis 1–11.
Through the course of the commentary, presented in continuous discussion rather than in a rigid verse-by-verse form, Blenkinsopp takes into account premodern interpretations of the texts, especially in the Jewish interpretative tradition, as well as modern, historical-critical interpretations. While Blenkinsopp takes into account reconstructions of the text’s sources, he analyzes its canonical form, enabling him to focus upon the literary structure and theological message of this section of Scripture as a whole.
If you like this resource be sure to check out T&T Clark Studies in the Hebrew Bible: The Torah (6 vols.).
Top Highlights
“It is important to note that what is common to all these myths of origins is the belief that humanity appears on the scene as an episode in a narrative already in progress, one which they do not own, which they do not control and in which they are involuntarily involved.” (Page 15)
“The steep decline in longevity as we move from the archaic to the ‘historical’ period is also one of several indications that Genesis 1–11 was conceived as a distinct composition with its own structural and thematic integrity.” (Page 2)
“In short, it should be obvious by now that questions about cosmology, palaeo-anthropology and related matters belong not to the Bible but to the relevant sciences.” (Page 11)
“Read and interpreted together, Genesis 1:1–2:4 and Isaiah 40–48 provide the essential core of a biblical theology of creation.” (Page 24)
“Only when all this is in place does God create humanity, male and female, and the means to sustain them. The author wishes to exhibit in this way the possibility of order by sanctifying human existence along the temporal axis (the liturgical calendar) which is inseparable from the spatial axis (the cosmos as temple), as time is inseparable from physical extension. On this view, human beings are created and sustained for the worship of God, and the world is created as a cosmic temple in which that worship takes place, a theme for which parallels can be found in Mesopotamian myth.” (Page 21)
Joseph Blenkisopp is professor emeritus of biblical studies at the University of Notre Dame and the author of several books.
Reviews
11 ratings
Richard C. Hammond, Jr.
1/5/2023
JT
2/2/2022
An excellent resource for those who wish to explore a well rounded contemporary approach to understanding the first few chapter of Genesis. As some have noted (and seemingly without actually reading the book), the author does approach Genesis for what many scholars understand it to be, the inspired word of God that has come to us from a primeval setting filtered through ancient contexts and so, necessarily, does not lend itself to literal 'scientific' reading. Some Christian expressions find this an impossible hurdle, so clearly this resource will not be useful to them. However, if one can get over that (or has no issue with it in the first place), the actual interpretive propositions are most useful.JT
2/2/2022
Mike O
8/2/2021
Reuven Milles
11/18/2020
Jesame von Tronchin
9/14/2020
Malcolm Hawkins
6/2/2020
Christof Kälin
4/21/2020
Reading this: „The sequential order of incidents in Genesis 1–11, the kind expected in a history, is also deceptive. Several episodes presented as sequential—the man and woman in the garden, Cain and Abel, the mating of superhuman males with human females—were originally distinct origin stories in their own right which have been linked together into a sequence to serve the author’s agenda. In somewhat the same way, the chronological order of the seven days of creation is in counterpoint to a logical order which is non-sequential, thus obviating the need to ask questions of a ‘scientific’ nature, for example, how there could be light before the creation of the sun.“ For me, that was enough to know, that this is standard liberal verbiage with tons of out-of-thin-air assertions but without evidence. The only real evidence, we have (God's word) is ridiculed thereby. Don't waste any time with this.
Top8305
4/2/2020
Thanks, Brother Lee. Pax Christi Modernists; you can't live with 'em. All over the Verbum Library, so - "gots to be careful..." Blessed Virgin Mary, Destroyer of all Heresies, ora pro nobis Pope St Pius X, ora pro nobis St Peter, Apostle, ora pro nobis St Paul, Apostle, ora pro nobis St Polycarp (69-155), ora pro nobis St Irenaeus of Lyons (~125-c202), ora pro nobis St Anthony of the Desert (ca. 251–356), ora pro nobis St Eusebius of Vercelli (283-371), ora pro nobis St Hilary of Poiters, Doctor (300-368), ora pro nobis Pope St Damasus I, Doctor (305-384), ora pro nobis St Methodius of Olympus (d.311), ora pro nobis St Martin of Tours (315/316-397), ora pro nobis St Basil the Great, Doctor (329/330–379), ora pro nobis St Ambrose, Doctor (337-397), ora pro nobis St Jerome, Doctor (~340-420) ora pro nobis St Augustine of Hippo, Doctor (354-430), ora pro nobis St John Cassian (360-435), ora pro nobis St Cyril of Alexandria (376-444), Doctor, ora pro nobis St Athanasius (396-373), ora pro nobis Pope St Sixtus III (d.440), ora pro nobis Pope St Leo the Great, Doctor (400 d.461), ora pro nobis St Maximus the Confessor (580-662), ora pro nobis St John of Damascus, Doctor (~676-~754-787), ora pro nobis St Dominic Guzman (1170-1121), ora pro nobis St Anthony of Padua, Hammer of Heretics (1195-1231), ora pro nobis St Thomas Aquinas, Doctor (1225-1274), ora pro nobis Bl John of Ruysbroeck (1293-1381), ora pro nobis St Teresa of Avila, Doctor (1515-1582) St Peter Canisius S.J. (1521-1597), ora pro nobis St Robert Bellarmine S.J., Doctor (1542-1621), ora pro nobis St Francis de Sales, Doctor (1567-1622), ora pro nobis St Alphonsus de Liguori, Doctor (1696-1787), ora pro nobis Pope St Pius X (1835-1914), ora pro nobis Pope Bl Pius XI (1857-1939), ora pro nobisThan Ngoc Minh
4/1/2020
