Lesson 10

Question 1

What is the difference between the toledot of Shem (11:10-26) and the toledot of Adam (5:1-6:8)?

Answer 1

1. The major difference with Gen 5 is that there is no “and he died” refrain
2. Instead, this section repeats “and he had other sons and daughters.”
3. The purpose of this section is to show that God’s promises cannot be thwarted by the scattering of
   the nations at Babel

Question 2

Place the call of Abraham in the context of Gen 1-11

Answer 2

The Abrahamic Covenant will be the vehicle by which God will annul the curse and fulfilll His promises of the seed of the woman in Gen 3.
Genesis has narrowed the context down from Adam and his decendants, then Noah, then to Abraham.
The blessings of Abraham will extend out to all the earth.
Those who curse Abraham will be cursed.
Those who bless Abraham will be blessed.
1. ex. Gen 39:5 - House of Potipher is blessed because of Joseph

Question 3

What are the promises God makes to Abraham? How are the promises of land and an heir worked
out in his life?

Answer 3

Abram is given promises
1. God will give to Abram a land
2. God will make Abram a great nation
3. Abram’s name will be great (Gen 11:4 versus Gen 12:2)
4. Blessing and cursing through Abram

Question 4

What are the pros and cons of exemplary exegesis?

Answer 4

Exemplary exegesis is making the character of a story to be an example that we are to follow
or avoid
Exemplary exegesis can bring some problems
1. Does not deal adiquately with the context of the passage or why the author wrote the account
2. Moralism
3. Does it neglect the literary context?
4. The error of universalizing

Not all exemplary exegesis is faulty
i. Isaiah 51:1-3
ii. Hebrews 11 stresses the aspect of faith as a quality worth imitation (11:8-12, 17-20)
iii. All who are men of faith are blessed with Abraham who had faith (Gal 3:9)

Question 5

How does Greidanus understand Gen 22?

Answer 5

Greidanaus advocates seeing Gen 22 from the perspective of Israel and the Jewish people.
What would have happened had Issac been sacrificed? Isreal would not have existed.
This makes the substition important in that Isreal is saved as Issac is saved and the promissed seed is saved.

Question 6

Explain the modern hermeneutical question of exemplary exegesis using the Patriarchal narratives as a
test case

Answer 6

Gen 22: God calls Abraham to give up his son - Issac - and Abraham operates by faith.
An example of exemplary exegesis preaching might be asking the question.
“What are you willing to give up - by faith - for God?”

Question 7

Examine the development of the “seed” motif in the Patriarchal narratives

Answer 7

1. The “seed” motif, primarily referring to the descendants of Abraham
2. It serves as a central theme
3. evolving from an initial promise of numerous offspring to a powerful symbol of God’s covenant with Abraham
4. foreshadowing the coming of a Messiah who will bring blessings to all nations through his lineage,
5. key moments occurring in Genesis 12, 15, and 22, where the promise is progressively refined and emphasized

Question 8

Describe the plan of God in his covenant and blessing to Abraham and his line