Category Archives: Friday Bible Study Notes

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 27: Rebekah, Protector of the Promise

Scene 1 v1-4 Isaac prepares to bless Esau

Blessing bestows physical property and tribal leadership. Isaac will follow social norms and bless his eldest son – however, normally done in a gathering of whole family – so Deception 1 – Isaac keeps arrangements private and attempts to thwart God’s plan (25:23)

Scene 2 v5-17 Rebekah schemes for Jacob

Rebekah overhears – is this sneaky? or social norm where women are confined to inner tent and not consulted? As Issac seeks to subvert God’s plan, Rebekah sees a way to keep that plan, “the younger shall serve the older” on track – but it also involves deception! Are these the ploys that vulnerable powerless people have to use?

In addition – is she righting Isaac’s failure to provide a suitable endogamous marriage for Esau?

“Obey my word” –  Mother’s boy? Tied to apron strings? Resolute? resourceful? 

Jacob fears discovery and the power of a curse – Rebekah, self-sacrificial? courageous? reassuring? practical. 

Scene 3 v18-25 Jacob deceives Isaac

Tension – uncertainty – suspicion – hearing – touch – smell – deception 2

Blessing – land, abundance, leadership, curse, blessing, 

Scene 4 v 30-40 Isaac & Esau grief 

Esau arrives too late, and Isaac realises the moment he is offered more food – no doubts for either about who has deceived them. 

Esau begs a blessing – but the original can not be taken back – he is to live away from earth’s riches, serve his brother, and throw off his yoke. 

Scene 5 41- 48 Rebekah: Protector of the Blessing

Rebekah overhears Esau platting to kill and Jacob. 

Instructs Jacob – advises Isaac – reassures Jacob – circumvents Esau. 

they will never meet again.

“Rebekah is truly a remarkable women. Having shown that in leaving her country and her kin her trust was equal to that of Abraham, she now challenges social mores in order to ensure that God’s plan will be accomplished, and she does this more than once. In violation of hierarchical standing in the family, she manoeuvres her second-born son into the position of privilege, thus demonstrating that social customs can sometimes be a hindrance to the working of God in the lives of women and men. Although ordinarily the primary man in the household arranges marriages, it is Rebekah who steps forward to do so on behalf of her new blessed son. She also saves the lineage determined by God by preventing the violent death of this son.” Bergant p115

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 21: Sarah & Hagar

We skipped past Genesis 20 where once again Abraham passes off Sarah as his sister and we then learn that they are in fact half-siblings, with a shared father and different mothers! But lets carry on with the bigger story – finally a son is born …

Genesis 21

v1 Children are the gift of God. God’s promise is fulfilled. The narrative continues in a patriarchal manner – “Sarah … bore Abraham a son.”

v3-7 Isaac is named – for laughter. 

“While Abraham and Sarah’s previous laughter was engendered by incredulity, however, this laughter springs from joy. Isaac not only reminds his parents of their lack of faith in the face of of the ridiculousness of a possible pregnancy at such an advanced age but also is the source of their joy. the advanced age of the couple is a constant reminder of the marvels that God can and does work to accomplish divine promise.” Trible p44

v8-9 laughter becomes the problem. “Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.” Is this happiness? mocking? threat? status? v6 laugh at? Isaacing? It doesn’t matter Sarah perceives a threat and in asserts power within patriarchal limits. – “her son”, “my son” – possession, intimacy, exclusivity, attachment, 

v11-12 “his Son, Ishmael” non-exclusive, non-intimate, “the lad.” Not named – distancing, God sides and names Sarah & Isaac. Sarah, “the princess” is secure within the patriarchy – “hear her voice.”

“For God to put Sarah on the pedestal saves her from a threat but nonetheless deprives her of healing and freedom. And it damages those whose she encounters.” Trible

“cast out” – Eden, Exodus, Exile.

v14 “send away”, first slave to be freed, first wife to be divorced. When pharaoh sent A/S away from Egypt, they left wealthy. “Hagar leaves Abraham’s house with Ishmael, and eager nourishment, she departs a poor woman of non stature. In these two stories, the verb “send away” reverberates with dissonance.”

From Abraham’s great wealth – Hagar and Ishmael are given meagre resources to survive in the desert. In contrast “the disobedient couple stay in the “garden”, while the “fruits” of their unfaithfulness are expelled. Within the “garden”, Sarah and Abraham, claims life with Isaac; outside in the wilderness, Hagar and “the child” face death. For certain the design of God do not conform to the logic of justice.”

v15 “cast” better translated “put” as in “lays a body in a grave”. The child is dying, she prepares him and she prepares herself. – distancing, helplessness, loneliness, “she becomes the mother of all weepers. Yet she does not cry out to God. Instead, her voice sounds and resounds in the desolate wilderness of exile and despair. A madonna alone, she laments the approaching death of her only child.”

v17 God hears “the lad.” God’s messenger speaks to Hagar – “Do not be afraid,…”  The promise Hagar was given at Sher, now shifts to the “the lad,” Hagar continues to live under Patriarchy  – but now the Patriarch is her son.

v19 God opens her eyes, she sees the well, physical restoration begins

v 20 The wilderness becomes home to Ishmael, he learns to live in and to thrive. 

v21 Hagar’s last action, “”Hagar redirects the divine promise her way.In finding  for Ishmael an Egyptian wife, she seeks for herself a future that God has diminished. For the last time Hagar appears in the Hebrew Bible, and for the first time she is called “mother.”

The story of Hagar, Sarah, and their children is a story of struggle – struggle with each other and against patriarchal oppression. As we study the story and the trajectory of its interpretation through history and into the twenty-first century, we sees the seeds of conflict and struggle we have inherited. the question for us now seems to be : How can we get women and their children back together? Is there anyway to overcome the hidden and not so hidden injuries of class, race, gender, economics and politics that use our faith traditions to excuse continuing conflict? (Russell p185)

“As Muslims, Jews and Christians we are all children of struggle even to the thousandth generation. One discovery we can make as we reflect together on the enmity between Hagah and Sarah is that the struggle between us will not cease unless we become children who struggle for the wider gift of God’s justice, peace, and wholeness in our lives and the whole creation. (Russell, p 197)

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 26: The Wells

Between Esau giving away birthright for bowl of potage and Jacob tricking Isaac into a blessing meant for Esau. We have this account of Isaac’s nomadic existence amongst alien people. “Mosaic” of stories, probably a very early tradition, No reference to Jacob-Esau. Abraham reference in v 15 appears to be a later addition. 

1-5 Reassertion of  promise given to Abraham that through Isaac their offspring will settle in this land. Although this talks about Abrham’s merit rather than God’s grace. 

6-11 Repeat the story of seeking refuge from famine and passing wife off as sister

12 Isaac prospers growing corn and as a herdsman. He is blessed one hundredfold 

Matt 19:29 – And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. (cf Mk 10:30)

Lk 8:8 Some fell into good soil, and when it grew, it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!

14 Philistines – historical problem, Philistine pottery begins to emerge from 1200 BCE. They may be the Sea People who waged war against Egypt and Eastern Mediterranean in 13thCentury BCE. They seem too late to be associated with early Isaac stories, but as they will become traditional enemies of Israel this may be a device to document that tension. or it might mean the people living in the land where the Philistines will eventually settle. 

16 Envy at wealth and power

17 Well of Esek – Contention 

18 Well of Sitnah – Enmity

22 Well of Rehoboth – The Lord has made room for us 

Church as wells of Contention and Enmity. Where that happens – do we move on looking for Rehoboth – broad spaces, room, a place to be left in peace? How do we create safe spaces for ourselves and those who are vulnerable? 

23 Beersheba – is where the altar is built and will become an important religious centre. 

26-28 Where do we need to meet with Abimelech – put aside our rivalries, our differences, risk dialogue, feast and make a covenant with one another. Note that whilst Isaac is doing that hard work of making peace, his servants are doing the hard work of digging in the desert – and the hard work of the whole community only comes to completion when Peace is made and Water is found and the well is called Shibah, 

Shibah? risking dialogue … making a covenant with one another …

– if we are also involved in hard work of digging wells, creating community, refreshing deserts, creating peace.

Beer-sheba (well of the oath, or well of the seven)

Isaac narrative invites reflection on a world teeming with generously given life. That abundant life is recognised as blessing to those who will receive and share it. the chapter presents a world-view in which affirmation of the world and gratitude to God are held integrally together. 

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 25: Isaac & Rebekah

The beginning of  a series of conflict tales – Esau v Jacob, Isaac and the Wells, Rebekah & Jacob v Esau, Jacob v Laban, Jacob, Leah, Rachel v Laban, Jacob v YHWH, Jacob v Esau.

v 19 Isaac’s descent 

v 20 Rebekah’s descent

v 21 barrenness again. Despite the careful arrangements to ensure “good stock” “ there are no natural guarantees for the future and no way to secure inheritance” (Bruggemann) 

“The role of the mother and father in this birth narrative is prayer. It is their task to cast themselves solely on God. To pay as they must is to know that life is given as a gift.”  cf John 1:12-13, James 1:18, 

“When Jacob and Esau are born, their life is already decisively shaped by this Other One to whom their parents pray. their life is encompassed in a mystery of graciousness before they see the light of day” (WB) 

v22 “struggle” – ‘means “smash” or “crash against” implying a violent encounter … represent the rivalry of siblings, the strife between two opposing nations, and the conflict between two competing ways of life.” (Dianne Bergant)

Jacob, “is born to a kind of restlessness so that he must always insist, grasp, and exploit. His life is trouble not only for himself but for those around him” (WB) 

v23 this struggle will reverse social customs of primogeniture. “the first will be last and the last will be first”

God does not align Gods-self only with the obviously valued ones, the first born. Matt 5:3-7. Social privilege is not to be taken for granted in the way God orders matters. Human conventions are not to be taken for granted.

“God chose what is low and despised in the world to bring to nothing the things that are.” 1 cor 1:28

v24 Esau named for his appearance, Jacob for his character – “supplanter,” which is often interpreted as someone who seizes, circumvents, or usurps. or “heel, – one who kicks his way out.”

v27 The boys have different ways of life – hunter/urban, rough/sophisticated, loud/quiet, irresponsible & boorish/shrewd and sophisticated, Edom\Israel

v 28 The parents have chosen sides. 

“Jacob is a scandal from the beginning. the powerful grace of God is a scandal. It upsets the way we would organise life.”

v 29 The brothers negotiate what God has already determined! 

  • Jacob drives a hard bargain – but Esau gets his food
  • Esau/Edom is destined for pottage and no more – Jacob/Israel is destined for birthright. Birthright concerns security, prosperity, fertility, and land.
  • Esau is hungry and can not wait, Jacob may also be hungry – but he can wait. Waiting can be done if one trusts God and does not doubt the outcome
  • contrast between material blessings that can be taken managed and controlled and well-being that must be received only as a gift. “Here (but not always in his life) Jacob is a man who will depend not on seizing  and grasping but the sureness of God’s promise. 

Hebrews 11:20-21 – By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. 21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, “bowing in worship over the top of his staff.”

Hebrews 12:12-17 See to it that no one becomes like Esau, an immoral and godless person, who sold his birthright for a single meal. You know that later, when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, even though he sought the blessing with tears.

Romans 9:6-13 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as descendants. … Even before they had been born or had done anything good or bad (so that God’s purpose of election might continue,not by works but by his call) she was told, “The elder shall serve the younger.” As it is written,“ I have loved Jacob, but I have hated Esau.”

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 24: Rebekah

This is a long tale, told twice. Abraham has decided that he needs to be proactive in ensuring that there will be future generations, as Isaac has been a bit slow in getting on with things. He entrusts his [unnamed] servant to journey to Abraham’s own people to find the right wife for Isaac. In doing so he puts faith in the servant, but also that God will guide the venture. At the well, we see the wisdom and faithfulness of the servant. He waits at the right place, he offers prayers for guidance and he sets a test that will observe the young woman’s hospitality, and ability to work hard. Offering water to a train of camels is (apparently) no easy matter! In doing so, he discovers Rebekah, not only is she from the right family and is wise enough to allow the correct protocols to be followed, but she is ready for a new adventure. 

Walter Brueggemann says of this encounter that it is a story of faith set “between the old place abandoned and the new place not yet received.”

1-9 Preparation & Instruction.

Exogamous marriage – unions between different tribes or clans. Will often involve treaties and the exchange of daughters in marriage to strengthen the ties between the two groups and foster cultural exchange. Often used by groups enjoying a strong sense of identity, not threatened by diversity of change.

Endogamous marriage – unions between people of the same tribe or clan. Groups that practice  this form of marriage determine the degree of blood relationship. True siblings rarely marry, Marriages between cousins however are quite common. These marriages ensure the purity of the male bloodline. (Dianne Bergant)

11-27 Servant & Rebekah

The servant trusts God. We have no direct intervention by God, but the servant (and Abraham) trust that God will reveal the right woman to be Isaac’s wife.

Rebekah’s qualities – fair to look upon, a virgin (her dress would show she is unmarried), hardworking, generous, hospitable, and finally – from the right family.

Isaac’s qualities – a gold nose-ring, two gold bracelets.

v 27 & 48  nahah – led. Only occurrence in Genesis. It will return in Exodus and in the Psalms. cf Ps 23 He leads me beside still waters/he restores my soul/He leads me in path of righteousness/for his names sake. 

28-61 Servant and Rebekah’s kin.

running to her mother’s household

Hospitality, Introductions, story repeated for Laban 

– bounded by blessing (v 31,35 & 48,50)

– Laban shares trust in Yahweh (unless you are cynical in which case he puts his trust in the gold and says the right things to make a deal) 

– Even if Laban’s motifs are not pure – God is at work here. v44 “let her be the one whom the Lord has appointed.”

– v50 “The thing comes from the Lord … let her be the wife of your master’s son.”

v 58 “Will you go with this Man” She said, “I will” Rebekah seems to have a degree of choice, her servants on the other hand do not.

62-67 Servant introduces Isaac as my master – has Abraham died?

Rebekah – ground level & veiled. 

Sarah’s tent? Is she still alive, or is tent prepared for new matriarch?

He loved her …  ahem – “covenantal connotations implying an enduring legal commitment”.

“The faith offered her is for those who are willing to be led. The mandate of Abraham (v7) looks back to 12:1, and sets faith precisely where it must be lived, between the old place abandoned and the new place not yet received. In retrospect, such persons are able to confess God’s incredible and prompt attentiveness. (v15: cf Isa 65:24) (Bruggemann)

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 22: Abraham and Isaac

Another story that seems horrific. All sorts of questions arise, how does God even ask such a thing? How can Abraham even contemplate such an act? What might God ask of us? 

Bruggemann suggests that our understanding of God is as a tester at the beginning of the text and as a provider at the end, is the frame within which we must read this story. Earlier theologians also struggled, “Calvin says. ‘The command and promise of God are in conflict.’ Luther says, This is a ‘contradiction with which God contradicts himself.”

v1 “Some time later” – Isaac is old enough to carry the wood, and to know what constitutes a sacrifice. 

v2 Ishmael has been forgotten, “only son” 

relationship is recognised “who you love”

v3 Abraham had argued for the lives of the people in Sodom – but here he obeys without any argument. Is this faith or blind obedience?

“God is shown to be freely sovereign just as he is graciously faithful. That God provides shows his gracious faithfulness. That God tests is a disclosure of his free sovereignty.”

v5-9 Is Abraham carrying out God’s orders but excepting intervention? The narrator does not let us in on Abraham’s emotions, just tell us what is happening – the emotion is for the reader to imagine.

v10 Parallels with Job? “Like Job, Abraham is prepared to trust fully the God who gives and who takes away (cf Job 1:21).

“Neither the Joban poetry nor this Abraham story are about evil or the justice of God. Rather, they ask about faith which as Kierkegaard has shown, drives us to dread before the self is yielded to God.”

“It is evident in Exodus 20:20, Deuteronomy 8:16, 13:3,33:8 that testing is a common theme for a time of syncretism, like the Ahab-Jezebel period (cf 1 Kings 17-19). The term testing (nasah) is prominent in Deuteronomy, which faced syncretism most directly. The testing of Israel by God is to determine if Israel will trust only Yahweh or if it would look at the same time to other gods.”

v 11-14 God provides. “To assert that God provides requires a faith as intense as the conviction that God tests… In a world beset by humanism, scientism, and naturalism, the claim that God alone provides is as scandalous as the claim that he tests.” 

“Abraham’s obedience, though difficult to understand at times, is active not passive. He accepts and he responds. He does not initiate because it is God’s plan that is unfolding, not his. If that plan is to be brought to completion, and if Abraham is to play any part in it, he will have to accept the role into which he has been cast and trust the one whose story is being told – and that one is God.” Dianne Berget

v15-19 Promise repeated.

v20-24 a family tree – and Rebekah is introduced. More on her next time.

Friday Bible Study Notes

Genesis 18 & 19: Sodom

Abraham: Friend of God James 2:23

As God’s two companions head towards Sodom, so Abraham and Yahweh stand on the hillside discussing theological ethics.

v23 Abraham asks, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? and we are forced to ask “Is this a God of judgement and retribution or a God of mercy and grace?”

Abraham’s role is the look for the well-being of all humanity. The chosenness (known) of Abraham to be “doing righteousness and justice”  cf Isaiah 5:7, Amos 5:7, 24; 6:12; Jeremiah 23:5, 33:15

“Abraham calls into question the sense of humanity operative in the sinful city and on the part of Yahweh. Yahweh’s sense of humanity is no more acceptable to Abraham than is the practice of Sodom.” Bruggemann p 169

“Besides being individuals in their own right, people are also members of corporate bodies. They share in and contribute to a corporate identity. … they enjoy the common benefits of the group and they carry corporate responsibilities.”Bergant p75

v25 Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” Abraham haggles with God. Is that what our prayers of intercession are to do?

God is now more attentive to and more moved by those who obey than those who do not. Such an argument questions every caricature of God as the score-keeper and guardian of morality who is ready to pounce and judge and punish. No, God is more ready to celebrate, acknowledge , and credit for all the right-relatedness of a few. 

cf Hosea 11:8-9, Isa 53:5,10, Matt 5:43-48, Rom 3:21-26, Eph 2:14-16

God is not an indifferent or tyrannical distributor of rewards or punishments. Rather, God actively seeks a way out of death for us all. 

Genesis 19

So we reach Sodom, Is this an an old-fashioned story of retribution?  The opportunity for some fire & brimstone teaching?

v1-2 Hospitality

v3 protection

v4 the sin of Sodom is gang-rape

v6 Lot bargains for honour of his guests – although his alternative is no less shocking.

v8 Cf Judges 19 

v9 Another sin of Sodom is xenophobia

v10 Angels react and prepare to save Lot and his family

v12 son-in-law

v16 hesitation

v19 bargaining!

v20 escape

v24 retribution

v26 Lot’s wife – looking back

v29 The remembering of Abraham here is as crucial here as the remembering of Noah in 8:1. This narrator does not permit even remembering Abraham to make a difference to the total narrative. Abraham’s impact is limited to Lot. In that respect the impact of Abraham is less than that if Noah in the parallel narrative. This narrative still waits for a “better” gospel. WB p167

Friday Bible Study Notes, Minister

Abraham & Sarah, Genesis 18

I’ve jumped passed it. This chapter is attributed to the Priestly source. It is written in a very ponderous, disciplined way and once again finds Abraham doubting (and laughing at) the promise. However it is also the moment when  Abram & Sarai become  Abraham and Sarah – and that is how they are known from now onwards; introduces a covenant relationship and a mark of belonging to this distinctive community through circumcision. 

Genesis 18 comes from the source known as the Yahwahist. It has a far more fluent storytelling style that is ‘“an accomplished work of epic art”: it expects  of the reader a willingness to be told a story. i.e the open-mindedness which can share in the most incidental details and understand latent subtleties and intimations.” Gerhard von Rad, Genesis, 1961.

18:1 YHWH or Angels?  singular Lord, plural three men, singular “My Lord,…” (v3)

a Revelatory encounter. 

18:2-8 The perils of welcome created an intricate ritual. Greeting – offer of shelter – acceptance – offer of food – acceptance – more food available than suggested – acceptance – served by host – creates debt – and ensure no threat to safety. 

urgency of the narrative – saw- ran – bow – brought – wash – rest – refresh – hastened – make ready – knead – make – ran – took – gave – hastened – prepare  took – set it before – stood – ate.

18:9-15 “Where is your wife, Sarah?” impolite!

“your wife Sarah shall have a son” unlike Hagar, the messenger does not speak directly to her.

Sarah laughs (cf 17:7) 

“this radical gospel requires shattering and discontinuity. Abrahm and Sarah have by this time becomes accustomed to their barrenness. they are resigned to their closed future. They have accepted their hopelessness as “normal”. the gospel promise does not meet them in receptive hopefulness but in resistant hopelessness.” Brueggemann

The call of God is nonsensical!

The Lord said to Abraham. “Why did Sarah laugh? … Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?

“I did not laugh”

“Oh yes, you did laugh”

“The laughter of disbelief seems to refute the invitation implicit in the question. Abraham and sarah’s world of possibility has been assaulted. But they have beaten off the attack. the story leaves them thinking their presumed world is still intact”

But not everything depends on their answer. The resolve of God to open a future by a new heir does not depend on the readiness of Abraham and Sarah to accept it” Bruggemann p 160. 

cf Elizabeth, Mary, 

Mk 10:27 “With humans it is impossible, but not with God for all things are possible with God.” 

Matthew 17:20 Nothing will be impossible for you. 

18:16 to set them on their way …

Friday Bible Study Notes, Minister

Hagar: genesis 16

16:1 Sarai as First Wife: “The inability bear children was a grave hardship for any woman in a patriarchal society, since the survival of the clan or tribe depended on the expansion of individual families. It was a particular affliction  or the wife of the patriarch , for it was her responsibility to provide the next leader of the group. Thus, Sarai’s barrenness was both a personal affliction and a condition that jeopardised the entire group. Dianne Bergant “Genesis: From the Beginning”

Sarai blames YHWH & looks to fix the situation  – surrogacy

16:1 Hagar: – alien – slave

“Female slaves were often given as marriage gifts by the family of the bride. Such slaves belonged to the wives and could not automatically be taken as concubines by the husbands.”

“As a slave, she has no power to make decisions about her own life. Without being asked she is given to the patriarch in order to produce a child that will not even be considered hers. the child will be adopted without her consent. She is raised in status from slave to concubine not because of any merit on her part, but because of the child whose she will bear.” Dianne Bergant “Genesis: From the Beginning”

16:3 This language promotes tension between Hagar as maid and Hagar as wife and between Sarai as wide and Hagar as second wife. The vocabulary also recalls the story of the garden. The primal woman “took” the forbidden fruit, ate it, and “gave” it to her man (Gen 3:6) Hagar becomes in effect the forbidden fruit. Like the primal man. Abram eats what is offered without question or objection.”  Phyliss Trible, “Hagar, Sarah & Their Children”

16:5 The pressures of polygamy

16:6 Hagar’s return to slavery – and then acts for herself. 

16:7 Hagar is named, recognised, spoken to directly

16:8 status is recognised – instructions given – a promise received

“Hagar is not frightened but enters immediately into a very candid conversation with this mysterious visitor. Previously, when God confronted Adamwith the question , “Where are you?” (3:9) and cain with the question “What have you done?” (4:10) both men tried to avoid a direct answer. when hagar is asked . “Where have you come from and where are you going?” she provided straightforward answers.” Dianne Bergant “Genesis: From the Beginning”

16:13 [Hagar] names the Lord who sees. “The narrator introduces her words with a striking expression that accords her a power attributed to no one else in the Bible. Hagar ‘calls the name of the Lord who spoke to her” She does not invoke the Lord, she names the Lord. She calls the name, she does not call upon the name. “You are El-roi” [God of seeing] she says. …. Hagar the theologian sees God and lives. Uniting the God who sees and the God who is seen. Hagar’s insights move from life under affliction to life after theophany. Finally they conclude the divine-human encounter in the wilderness.  Phyliss Trible, “Hagar, Sarah & Their Children”

From the beginning, Hagar is powerless because God supports Sarah. Kept in her place, the slave woman is the innocent victim of use, abuse and rejection. As a symbol of the oppressed, Hagar becomes many things to many people. Most especially, all sorts of rejected women find their stories in her. She is the faithful maid exploited, the black woman used by the male and abused by the female of the ruling class, the surrogate mother, the resident alien without legal recourse, the other woman, the runaway youth, the religious fleeing from affliction, the pregnant young woman alone, the expelled wife, the divorced mother with child, the shopping bag lady carrying bread and water, the homeless woman, the indigent relying upon handouts from the power structures, the welfare mother, and the self-effacing female whose own identity shrinks in service to other. Phyllis Trible, Texts of Terror: Literary-feminist Readings of Biblical Narratives. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984. p. 28

Hagar is a pivotal figure in biblical theology. She is the first person in scripture whom a divine messenger visits and the only person who dares to name the deity. Within the historical memories of Israel, she is the first woman to bear a child. This conception and birth make her an extraordinary figure in the story of faith: the first woman to hear an annunciation, the only one to receive a divine promise of descendants, and the first to weep for her dying child. Truly, Hagar the Egyptian is the prototype of not only special but all mothers in Israel. Phyllis Trible, Texts of Terror: Literary-feminist Readings of Biblical Narratives. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984. p. 28

Friday Bible Study Notes, Minister

Abram & Promise: Genesis 15

Once again YHWH needs to encourage Abram to trust in the promise. But there is another crucial question underlying this narrative. Can Abram trust YHWH?

15:1 “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” This reminder not to fear will become a common greeting through each God-human encounter. But perhaps Abram has good cause, we have jumped over Chapter 14, but it is worth a read as Abram becomes a war leader, but is now trying to carry on his herding life in peace. Is he in fact looking over shoulder at enemies  circling? 

“reward” = ṥkr = can be rendered wage but this usage implies gift and not quid pro quo. Here the reward is not a a prize that is earned but a special recognition given to a faithful servant of the King who has performed a bold or risky service. Abraham and Sarah are called to live their lives against barrenness. The “reward” calls them to live as creatures of hope” (Brueggemann)

cf Matt 5:4615:2-5 “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless,

What is it to be fearful, anxious? How do we respond in such situations.

Revelation, vision, disclosure – faith in the face of uncertainty 

15:6: “He believed!” cf Matt 16:15-17 Romans 4, Galatians 2-4

“the future of God’s goodness is open to those who trust themselves to that future, seeking neither to hold on to the present nor to conjure an alternative future of their own.” 

“The childless Abram will have not only an heir for his estate, but also offspring to numerous to count. Time when we lack what we desire can be discouraging, but only if we have a lost sight of the potential of the Lord to provide” Asshoto/Ngewa Africa Bible Commentary

7-21 Is this an older text? It seems to describe an ancient ritual. Two parties walk between the animals and through the blood. If one breaks the agreement then more blood will be shed.

Binding the commitment – covenant

– the promise will be kept

– the promise will be delayed

– do not fear , it holds from generation to generation

Using fire – it is only God who signs this covenant, gives the land unconditionally

The text of Genesis 15, taken as a unit asks whether Abraham can, in fact, trust. And it asks if Yahweh, can in fact, be trusted. It is faith which permits Abraham to trust and God to be trusted. It is unsure faith that wonders about delay. The issues are set here. The remainder of the Abrahamic narrative explores the question.” (Brueggemann)