GENESIS INTRODUCTION

How do we approach Genesis?

Genesis provides us with a view as:

How do we approach Genesis? Genesis provides us with a view as: A basic guide to how we view the ENTIRE BIBLE

We as Orthodox Christians Tend to follow the Ancient Churches view

We as Orthodox Christians Tend to follow the Ancient Churches view Which calls for the believer to LISTEN!

We as Orthodox Christians Tend to follow the Ancient Churches view Which calls for the believer to LISTEN! Listening of the Biblical Texts, Repeatedly shows the Believers that They the Texts call us to ONE REALITY

From the Hebrew verb “qara” The reality is to answer the call of the texts MEANING To hear aloud, listen, obey, and to Abide by these words

ONE REALITY The Words of “LIFE”

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life These are Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the L ORD has spoken: “I reared children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” the “Words of Life”-Isaiah 1:2-3

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life This became the Basis of how the Early Christian Church views the Scriptures Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life “ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life ‘ Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full.

ONE REALITY- The Words of Life I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ”

Our Orthodox Approach We will be using the Writings of St. John Chrysostom And St. Basil the Great

Genesis sets the Tone God has made himself manifest in both His words and His Doings

Genesis sets the Tone His doings, since from Noah, and from Abraham to his offspring to Job and to Moses.

Genesis sets the Tone He discoursed not by Writings, But rather Himself by Himself, Finding their pure mind! St. John Chrysostom

Toledot The Biblical Story of the Book of Genesis from chapters 1 through 11 Is divided by sub-stories called in Hebrew “Toledot”

Toledot

The word is from the Hebrew root word “YALAD” Which means to: Give Birth Have generations

Toledot Always used in the terms of “Heaven and Earth”

Toledot This means that a person in the Stories is always a part and parcel of his “PROGENITOR” –noun 1. a biologically related ancestor: a progenitor of the species. 2. a person or thing that first indicates a direction, originates something, or serves as a model; predecessor; precursor: the progenitor of modern painting.

Toledot We see this in the idea that The Individual is a product of his Progenitor And thus provides a basis not on the individual But rather is the “seed” fruitful

Toledot As seen in Matthew 7:17-20 “Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Toledot Thus the “toledot” even offers us a person’s “after story” A person rooted in some ones toledot Who was rooted in some one elses toledot

Toledot This applies even to the First Man: Adam’s toledot is found in Genesis 5:1 This is the written account of Adam’s line. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.”

Toledot Adam is the toledot of Heaven and Earth:

Toledot In the Original Hebrew the author uses The word for dust “ha’adam” which is masculine From the earth “ ‘eres” which is feminine MEANING THAT: The Creation Story of Genesis 1-4 is not the “toledot” of Adam

Toledot In the Original Hebrew the author uses The word for dust “ha’adam” which is masculine From the earth “ ‘eres” which is feminine MEANING THAT: The Creation Story of Genesis 1-4 is not the “toledot” of Adam BUT RATHER: The story of “Heaven and Earth”

Toledot Thus we as Orthodox Christians reject The Often Western view of an EGOCENTRIC CREATION Where Man is not the measure of all things

Next Lesson The First Day of Creation!