Unit 4

Living the 10 Commandments  Pg in your text book  Writing assignment: Looking the 10 commandments, use 3, and explain using modern examples of why they are easily broken in today’s society (by you, and not being Catholic or Christian doesn’t count) words, due next class

Sources of the Pentateuch  Moses is normally seen as the primary author of the Pentateuch, even JC refers them as the “Book of Moses.”  However, it is believed that several authors and sources were collected into a continuous narrative, which is why we have two version of the same story (ex. Creation stories)

4 major sources of the Pentateuch  1. Yahwist (J)  2. Elohist (E)  3. Deuteronomist (D)  4. Priestly (P)

Yahwist  Displays human emotional qualities and physical traits with reference to God (ex. God’s eyes)  This version mainly focuses on Moses, and the Chosen people as they enter the Promised Land

Elohist  Elohim = God  Places emphasis on prophecy  Retells stories from N. Kingdom  Abraham is the central figure

Deuteronomist  Greek for “second law”  Focuses on morality and the Law  Highlight Moses’ speeches  “Listen, Israel” is a commonality in this book

Priestly  Census, lists and genealogies  Numbers and dates  Proper ways to worship  Determines clean and unclean animals

First Creation Story  This comes from the Priestly tradition  The style is forceful, stately, and grand  Creation is seen as awesome and a display of God’s omnipotence

Cont.  Based on the Israelite tradition a seven day week  Sabbath is the seventh and the day of rest  Each day represents a higher level of creation (humans being the best)  Does not give a scientific explanation of the universe  God decides the religious truths He wants to reveal

And behind door number…  1. There is only one God. There were a lot of gods in those days, this got rid of that  2. God planned creation. Creation was not created from chaos or warring gods  3. Everything that God made is good. Many people believed that reality was evil and at war with spirituality. God reaffirms that everything was made in His likeness (which is “good”)

Cont.  4. The Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship. God technically doesn’t need to rest, but the point is the God’s creatures need it, and should use this rest to be thankful

Second Creation Story  Comes from the Yahwist tradition  It is more down-to-earth  God connects with his creations (Adam and Eve)  God also displays emotion (ex. Sadness, anger)

Cont.  God is seen as a potter who mold Adam, then “breathes” life into him  It shows the intimacy between God and man, instead of the common view of being fearful of God

God and Man  God gives MAN the charge of other creatures by allowing him to name the animals  Back then power to name signaled control over what was named

God and Woman  God creates WOMAN out of man  This shows their equality with men, they are “cut from the same cloth”  God wants the couple “to become one” which mirrors God’s love for each of them  They complement each other (ex. Sexual organs for reproduction)

The Fall of maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn…  God created man in his image and in His friendship  We are created to be happy and to live forever  But…  These are not true for the people on earth, the second creation story tells us why

Cont.  Adam and Eve were tempted and preferred themselves above God  Their actions had consequences for them and their descendants, which is Original Sin  Serpent = evil (aka. Devil)  Sin does not originate from within humans, but humans freely consenting to outside temptation

The Serpent  This serpent in Genesis distorts God’s truth  Adam and Eve believe if they consume the fruit that they will be God  The fruit symbolizes knowledge that only God can have – the knowledge of good and evil  Adam and Eve did obtain “new” knowledge (shame and guilt)

The alienation  A and E alienated themselves (ie. Nakedness)  A and E alienated themselves from God (lost grace, justice, and feared God)  A and E learned out to blame each other  Broke their harmony with each other and the natural world  As a result, they had to work, endure painful child birth, and death  Lastly, they were banished from Eden

Protoevangelium  God did not abandon us  God condemned evil and promised that one day it will be destroyed by the offspring of man  Jesus = New Adam  Mary = New Eve

Adam vs. JC  Adam disobeyed God, JC obeyed God  Adam gave us Original Sin, JC led to forgiveness of sin  Adam gave us death, JC defeats death by opening gates of heaven

Abram(Abraham)  Egypt not doing so good (famine)  Abram is promised to be a father of many  Sarai his wife could not bear children, but does so (Isaac)  Abraham is told to sacrifice Isaac, and is about to, and an angel stops him and gives him a lamb instead  Prophetically, the lamb will be God’s son, that God will sacrifice

Jacob and his 2 experiences with God  1. Dream – angels descended from a ladder and God as well and told him to remember his covenant with Abraham  2. Wrestling – a stranger wrestled with him all night, and he refused to give up, given new name, Israel = one who contends with God”

Joseph  Most beloved son of Jacob  Brothers were jealous, sold him to slavery  Joseph is charming and his bosses wife tried to seduce him, and the after being rejected falsely accused him  Becomes a dream whisperer and confidant of pharaoh  Joe’s brothers come begging and Joe forgives them and saves them from famine (connection: JC forgives executioners, saves all humanity)

Moses  Hebrew: Mashah = to draw  Rescued from river by Egyptian princess  Raised as royalty, kills an Egyptian, flees  Comes back with Aaron to free Hebrews  10 plagues = Pharaoh says get out of here

Passover  Last plague – angel of death (kills first borns)  Lambs blood on sides and top of door to deter angel (connection: JC’s blood saves us from death)  Cross Red Sea, lots of desert, God provides water and food (Manna and quail)

Sinai Covenant  “You shall be my people, and I will be your God”  Bound God and Chosen people in a loving union  Revealed special love and mercy for Chosen people  Stipulated how Chosen People were to act (10 Commandments)