The Plot-Structure of Genesis

'Will the Righteous Seed Survive?' in the Muthos-Logical Movement from Complication to Dénouement
Erscheinungsjahr 2018
ISBN: 978-90-04-36250-5
Verlag: Brill

Buch, Englisch, Band 160, 246 Seiten, Format (B × H): 160 mm x 239 mm, Gewicht: 454 g

Reihe: Biblical Interpretation Series

In The Plot-structure of Genesis Todd L. Patterson argues that Genesis is organized by a development from complication to dénouement. The question 'Will the righteous seed survive?' drives the narrative to climax. Gen 4 sets up the complication. Cain and Abel are the seed of the woman who should lead humanity back to God's creation-sanctuary. Because Cain does not master sin, his unrighteousness threatens the survival of the seed. Each narrative tôledôt division develops this theme until dénouement in the Joseph narrative when God ensures the survival of the promised seed.

By showing how plot integrates with the widely recognized tôledôt structure, prominent motifs, and enigmatic features of the text, Todd L. Patterson provides a surprisingly novel interpretation of Genesis.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Patterson, Todd L

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Christentum, Christliche Theologie Bibelwissenschaften Altes Testament: Exegese, Geschichte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgements
List of Tables
List of Abbreviations

1 Introduction: The Story of Plot and the Book of Genesis
The Story of Plot
The Moral of the Story of Plot
Two Criteria for Assessing Plot-structure
The Plot of Genesis
What is Righteousness?

2 A Muthos-logical Reading Strategy for Genesis
The Tôledôt Headings and the Plot-structure of Genesis
Thomas’ Ready-made Solution? The Influence of Genealogy on the Macrostructure of the Text
Steinberg, Tengström, and Koch and the Genealogico-narrative Arrangement of Genesis
A Suggested Macrostructure for the Book of Genesis
A Summary of the Approach

3 In the Beginning: The Return to God’s Creation-sanctuary
Genesis 1: The Sanctuary as the Controlling Metaphor for Creation
Genesis 2–3: Can Humanity Return to God’s Creation-sanctuary?
Comparing and Contrasting Genesis 3–4: Delineating Two Lines of Seed
Summary: The Complication that Drives the Narrative

4 The Noah Plexus: The Undoing of the Undoing of Creation
The Structure of the Narrative
The Creation Allusions in the Flood Narrative
Parallels in ANE Literature
A Thinking Together of the Flood Narrative
The Shem, Ham and Japheth tôledôt
The Noah Plexus Summary

5 The Terah Plexus: Testing the Righteousness of Abraham
The Structure of the Narrative
Enigmatic Features of the Terah Tôledôt Strand
Abraham as the Promised, Righteous Seed
Who is the Heir? The High Point of Confusion is the Turning Point of the Narrative
Abraham’s Lack of Righteousness Threatens the Survival of the Seed
Confluence of the Righteousness and Seed Motifs and the Climax of the Plot
The Terah Plexus Summary

6 The Isaac Plexus: Whatever Happened to the Righteousness of the Seed?
The Structure of the Narrative
The Development of the Plot of the Isaac Tôledôt
The Isaac Plexus Summary

7 The Jacob Plexus and Dénouement: God Will Ensure the Righteousness and Survival of the Seed
The Structure of the Narrative
Identifying the Plot of the Narrative: Cain and Abel Redivivus

8 Conclusion: Plot-structure in Genesis and Beyond
The Paradigm Shift of Muthos-logical Reading
Evaluating the Plot-structure with Two Control Questions
The Implications of Plot-structure in Genesis and Beyond

Bibliography
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Todd L. Patterson, Ph.D. (2012), Trinity International University, is Assistant Professor of Old Testament at Matej Bel University, Banská Bystrica, Slovakia.