JESUS CHRIST GODS REVELATION TO THE WORLD CHAPTER

JESUS CHRIST: GOD’S REVELATION TO THE WORLD CHAPTER 4 THE PENTATEUCH, CREATION, COVENANT, AND THE EXODUS

The Writing of the Pentateuch Traditionally, Moses has been named the author of the Pentateuch. However, scholarship shows that the Pentateuch reached its final form after centuries of retelling, adapting, and reinterpreting oral tradition.

Sources of the Pentateuch NOT A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF THE UNIVERSE YAHWIST—vivid, earthy style of writing with an anthropomorphic view of God ELOHIST—emphasis on prophesies; Abraham is central figure DEUTERONOMIST— emphasis on morality and the Law; highlights Moses’ speeches PRIESTLY—census lists, genealogies, numbers, dates, proper ways to worship USED POPULAR IMAGES TO CONVEY RELIGIOUS TRUTH

Babylonian Creation • • Summary: The gods are ticked at the new noisy generation of gods. Tiamat (sea dragon) starts wiping them out. Marduk stops her, violently, and forms the world out of her corpse. Humans are a result of the blood splatter. The world is born from violence. The gods are annoyed by their creations. The world is a gutted corpse and you are born from the blood of a dragon goddess of chaos.

Greek Creation Story • • • Summary: Earth and Sky have ugly kids and some good looking kids: a couple of generations of father/son conflict results in Zeus being in charge. Zeus creates humans as dumb brutes, Prometheus steals fire/reason gives it to humans. Each generation is at war with the next. Violence everywhere. There’s a god eating his kids… Human reason is the result of theft.

The Creation Stories 1 st—forceful, stately, grand; awesome dramatic act by glorious, majestic God 2 nd—lighter in tone, down-to-earth; paints picture of anthropomorphic God BOTH REVEAL IMPORTANT TRUTHS ABOUT GOD, CREATION, AND HUMAN BEINGS

The First Creation Story There is only one God planned creation. Everything that God made is good. The Sabbath is a special day of rest and worship.

The Second Creation Story Portray God as a potter who molds Adam’s body Very intimate Creation of Eve from Adam’s rib shows the equal dignity of women and men YHWH wants the couple “to become one, ” to enter into a close relationship that mirrors God’s own relationship with them

Why include two Creation Stories in the Bible? Goodness, love, intimate God Aweinspiring, great, mysterious, powerful

Sin Enters the World The story of Fall explains why human beings are not always happy and do not live forever. The Serpent became the symbol of evil. Sin comes from the free will of human beings “Adam and Eve committed a personal sin, but this affected the human nature that they would then transmit in a fallen state. ”

The Protoevangelium “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel. ” (Gn 3: 15)

Covenant with Abraham Relied solely on God’s fidelity This covenant was tested when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but the Lord’s messenger stopped the sacrifice. Abraham is a model of faith.

The Patriarch Israel Jacob secured his father’s inheritance over his twin brother Esau. God repeated the covenant to Jacob in a dream on the road at Bethel; years later, Jacob wrestled a stranger who gave Jacob a new name, Israel— “one who contends with God. ” Included in Jacob’s family were his twelve sons from whom came the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

The Senses: In Summary Literal sense: teaches history; what the words say in a historical context Allegorical sense: teaches what you should believe; what the words means in the larger context of Salvation History Moral sense: teaches what you should do regarding how to live your life Anagogical sense: teaches where you are going; building up the virtue of hope while leading us to Heaven

The Exodus and the Giving of the Law Foundational event in the history of the Chosen People

The Prophet Moses Central figure in the Old Testament God appeared to Moses in a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire. God instructed Moses to lead the Chosen People to freedom.

The Passover YHWH instructed the Chosen People to celebrate a sacred meal to remind of God’s deliverance. Each Mass commemorates Jesus’ sacrifice and saving actions on the cross and makes it present. CENTRAL TO BOTH THE JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN FAITHS

The Sinai Covenant Bound God and the Chosen People in a personal loving union Revealed God’s special love and mercy for them Stipulated how God’s People were to respond to his love THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SUMMARIZE THE LAW “You shall be my people, and I will be your God”

The Exodus and the Giving of the Law Challenges in the Desert The people grew frustrated with Moses and made a golden calf to worship. Numbers records the “murmuring” of the People against Moses. It took forty years before the Chosen People could enter the Promised Land. Other Themes from Leviticus and Deuteronomy Leviticus stresses theme of God’s holiness and our need to worship him with love. Deuteronomy centers on God’s love of Israel and exhorts the nation to choose between obedience to God and the Law.