As we continue on our journey through the Bible, beginning our third week in this adventure, we've encountered some pretty interesting characters... Having read through the Abraham saga, we're now wrapping up Jacob/Israel's story, with the unfolding of the Joseph novella... and a novella it is, or maybe, soap opera... but we'll get to Potiphar's Wife tomorrow...  

 

You may have noticed the different names used for God in the Old Testament so far... From The LORD, to GOD (Yahweh or Elohim, or varieties on Elohim, such as El Elyon, or El Shaddai)... and every so often we get LISTs... sometimes called The Begats because of how the King James Bible rendered them into English. If Abraham and Jacob are our rascals (what's with passing their wives off as sisters, anyway?!) and Joseph's brothers who sold him to the Ishmaelites/Midianites are ruffians, then the Great Biblical Listmaker is the Redactor...

 

The Documentary Hypothesis is an idea that arose from Biblical Scholars during the 18th and 19th centuries, as they tried to make sense of the patchwork nature of the Pentateuch-- you know, the two creation stories, or different versions of a tale, right next to each other.  There's some pretty good information on the Documentary Hypothesis here.  The idea is that a "Priestly Redactor" (editor) came along and put several traditions together, rather wove them together, or united them as a stained glass artist would... My Hebrew Bible professor likened the work of the Redactor to the lead between the colored glass.   The Priestly Redactor is concerned with detail detail detail... covenant, ritual cleanliness.... and LISTS.  So when you encounter those LISTS... that's our friend, the Priestly Redactor.

 

If you find this all intriguing and want to learn more, I encourage you to talk to Mary Wavrik about taking Education for Ministry (EfM). It's a great chance to spend time with scripture, and scholarship, a truly enriching spiritual journey.

 

And if you are interested in some daily meditations based on our daily readings, you can visit the Center for Biblical Studies Daily Meditations page here.

 

Remember, if you have any questions, or want to start a conversation about some of the adventures of this Challenge, don't hesitate to email me at pblair@stpetersdelmar.net . So far there has been no clamor for an in-person gathering... but if that changes, please let me know.

 

Peace!

Paige+