Bibl 104 Study Notes
What is the term toledot, and why is it important? Toledot is like a stylistic marker introducing each section, generations, accounts of things. The importance is that it is the opening account, an introduction to the whole book.
What is the significance of the two creation accounts? How are they similar, and how are they different? They are a description of the origin and structure of the universe. Genesis 1 is an introduction, its function is to briefly answer the question, "where did the world come from?" Genesis 2 is a focus on man and his relationship to the rest of creation and his Creator.
What is the significance of the use of the different names of God in Genesis 1 and 2? The different names of God helps in pointing to a God who is both transcendent and relational. It reflects different roles of God. YHWH-Elohim "the Lord God".
What are the different views on the seven days of creation in Genesis 1:1-2:3? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? One group views it as mythological or even poetry - It is viewed as prescientific attempt to explain the orgin of the world. Followers of this view dismiss the entire account as a poetic way of saying God created the universe, and the "days" are mere literary devices used by the writer to give structure.
Another group notes that the Hebrew word for "day" can also mean an extended period of time. Those who follow this view look at the various physical phenomena used to date the universe, taking everything into account they propose a long period of development that would allow God to use various tools, such as evolution to produce the world we have today.
The third group states that we should take the account as a straightforward presentation. Those who follow this view observe that the word "day" with a number as used elsewhere in the OT referes only to a litereal day. They argue that all of the methods used to measure the age of the universe are based on various assumptions which may or may not be valid.
What is the significance of the two creation accounts? How are they similar, and how are they different? They are a description of the origin and structure of the universe. Genesis 1 is an introduction, its function is to briefly answer the question, "where did the world come from?" Genesis 2 is a focus on man and his relationship to the rest of creation and his Creator.
What is the significance of the use of the different names of God in Genesis 1 and 2? The different names of God helps in pointing to a God who is both transcendent and relational. It reflects different roles of God. YHWH-Elohim "the Lord God".
What are the different views on the seven days of creation in Genesis 1:1-2:3? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each? One group views it as mythological or even poetry - It is viewed as prescientific attempt to explain the orgin of the world. Followers of this view dismiss the entire account as a poetic way of saying God created the universe, and the "days" are mere literary devices used by the writer to give structure.
Another group notes that the Hebrew word for "day" can also mean an extended period of time. Those who follow this view look at the various physical phenomena used to date the universe, taking everything into account they propose a long period of development that would allow God to use various tools, such as evolution to produce the world we have today.
The third group states that we should take the account as a straightforward presentation. Those who follow this view observe that the word "day" with a number as used elsewhere in the OT referes only to a litereal day. They argue that all of the methods used to measure the age of the universe are based on various assumptions which may or may not be valid.