What did we learn when we read 1 Peter? The author identifies himself as Peter at the beginning and mentions two traditional companions of Peter at the end, Silas and Mark. However, he never mentions anything Peter did or said in the gospel stories, Acts, or Paul's writings. He only says he was a witness to Christ's suffering. It is unclear to me if that is supposed to be literal or metaphorical.
No other New Testament people are mentioned, except Jesus. The author does not claim to be writing the words of god or to be inspired. At the end, it is implied that Silas did the actual physical writing and Peter dictated. The letter claims to be written to Believers in the region of Anatolia/ modern Turkey. This letter actually calls believers christians, which no other other New Testament writer did, except the author of Acts. A phrase at the end of the letter implies it is coming from Rome, but does not directly say that. No other New Testament places are mentioned.
There are no New Testament events mentioned except the crucifixion of Christ. The only Old Testament event mentioned is the story of Noah's flood. Besides Noah, only Abraham and Sarah are mentioned. Several Old Testament scriptures are quoted, sometimes differently than what is found in my Old Testament, and often out of context, as usual.
The author does not seem to be promoting any departure or separation from Judaism. It is clear that he assumes his readers are familiar with Jewish scriptures, which makes them exiled Jews or Gentile followers of Yahweh. It could be a combination of both.
There are no deeds, words, or teachings, of Jesus recorded in this letter. I find that particularly strange from someone who was supposedly his constant companion for one to three years. There are no mentions of any Christian rituals besides baptism, which many people forget was a Jewish ritual before it became a christian one. Angels and the Devil are mentioned. Heaven is waiting.
Unique to this book is the teaching that after Jesus was crucified, he went to the realm of the dead and preached the gospel to the souls that had been imprisoned there since the flood. It has supposedly already happened, not something that will happen in the future as some groups teach. In this book, Jesus is not the high priest of the heavenly temple, but simultaneously its cornerstone and capstone. He is also a stumbling block to nonbelievers. Believers are living stones in this spiritual house, and a holy priesthood. Biblical authors do not have any qualms about mixing metaphors. Jesus is also called the lamb of god, without blemish, chosen before the creation of the world.
To be fair, positive things like hospitality and love are also taught. Malice, deceit, hypocrisy, and slander are not acceptable. These Christians are urged not to repay evil with evil or insult with insult.
The theme of the book appears to be salvation through submission and obedience to all authority, the ultimate authority being god, of course. The reward for obedience is a "crown of glory that will never fade away." The reader is told to expect and rejoice in suffering as a christian, especially if it is for doing good. All this suffering is supposed to be for a short time because "the end of all things is near."
Next, we will look at 2 Peter.
Showing posts with label Sarah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah. Show all posts
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Friday, May 31, 2019
1 Peter part four
We have arrived at 1Peter 2:18. Last time, the author was telling his "free" readers to submit to the governing authorities. Now he is telling the slaves to submit to their masters, "with all respect." Not only to the good ones, but also the abusive ones that make them suffer unjustly. Why? Because it's commendable! And who is going to commend them, the bad master? Look what a great job you are doing being brave while he beats you. God loves you for it. Really? Or is this teaching because the author doesn't want christians to have a reputation for fighting against injustice? It's embarrassing and draws unwanted attention. Instead, he wants them to believe that the real credit is in suffering for doing good. The same exact suffering, for rebelling, gets you no points with god.
Then the author tells the readers they were "called" to suffer, because Christ suffered for them, leaving them an example. They should follow in his footsteps. Just so you know, Jesus suffered for about six hours in the entire story of his life, as found in the gospels. So that's all the reader has to suffer, right? The author then tries to stress the suffering of Jesus by quoting Isaiah 53:9, "He committed no sin (had done no violence in stead of committed no sin), and no deceit was found in his mouth." The words in parentheses are what my Old Testament version of that verse says. This committing no sin supposedly happened "when they (who is they?) hurled insults at him." At the time he was suffering, he didn't retaliate, he just trusted god. Be like Jesus, go to your grave suffering in silence.
Then the reader is told that Jesus bore their sins in his body on the tree (presumably referring to the cross.) so that they might "die to sins and live for righteousness." Why? Because they have been healed by his wounds. How does that work? How does one person's physical wounds heal another persons sins? How can a physical body carry the world's sins on it? Sins aren't even actual entities to be carried. They have no weight. They are offenses against an invisible god that does not choose to prove he actually exists.
The next group of people who are told to submit to authority are wives. They are to submit to their husbands in the same way that slaves are to submit to their masters and christ submitted to humiliating suffering. That is what it says. Don't go 'splaining how biblical slavery and biblical marriage was so much better than early American slavery. Didn't we just read about suffering, beatings, insults, and injustice?
Why should the women submit? The author says it's to convince their husbands about the truth of "the word." How are they to do this? They are to forgo finery and all attempts at outward beauty. Instead they are to practice inner beauty by having a "gentle and quiet spirit." That's the way god likes his women. The author tells us that Sarah was submissive like that to Abraham. As if. Go back and read the stories. Sarah was a shrew and possessed such great external beauty that kings and Pharaohs wanted her. The author conveniently forgets that and tells the readers they will be Sarah's daughters if they take her example. He must be writing to Jews. Gentiles would not know anything about Sarah or care if they are her daughters.
Next time we take a look at husbands. Till then. Share this site if you are enjoying the content. Thanks!
Then the author tells the readers they were "called" to suffer, because Christ suffered for them, leaving them an example. They should follow in his footsteps. Just so you know, Jesus suffered for about six hours in the entire story of his life, as found in the gospels. So that's all the reader has to suffer, right? The author then tries to stress the suffering of Jesus by quoting Isaiah 53:9, "He committed no sin (had done no violence in stead of committed no sin), and no deceit was found in his mouth." The words in parentheses are what my Old Testament version of that verse says. This committing no sin supposedly happened "when they (who is they?) hurled insults at him." At the time he was suffering, he didn't retaliate, he just trusted god. Be like Jesus, go to your grave suffering in silence.
Then the reader is told that Jesus bore their sins in his body on the tree (presumably referring to the cross.) so that they might "die to sins and live for righteousness." Why? Because they have been healed by his wounds. How does that work? How does one person's physical wounds heal another persons sins? How can a physical body carry the world's sins on it? Sins aren't even actual entities to be carried. They have no weight. They are offenses against an invisible god that does not choose to prove he actually exists.
The next group of people who are told to submit to authority are wives. They are to submit to their husbands in the same way that slaves are to submit to their masters and christ submitted to humiliating suffering. That is what it says. Don't go 'splaining how biblical slavery and biblical marriage was so much better than early American slavery. Didn't we just read about suffering, beatings, insults, and injustice?
Why should the women submit? The author says it's to convince their husbands about the truth of "the word." How are they to do this? They are to forgo finery and all attempts at outward beauty. Instead they are to practice inner beauty by having a "gentle and quiet spirit." That's the way god likes his women. The author tells us that Sarah was submissive like that to Abraham. As if. Go back and read the stories. Sarah was a shrew and possessed such great external beauty that kings and Pharaohs wanted her. The author conveniently forgets that and tells the readers they will be Sarah's daughters if they take her example. He must be writing to Jews. Gentiles would not know anything about Sarah or care if they are her daughters.
Next time we take a look at husbands. Till then. Share this site if you are enjoying the content. Thanks!
Friday, April 14, 2017
Galatians chapter 4 part 2
*In verses 21-31, Paul is trying to redeem his metaphor of God and God's relationship to the jews and gentiles by comparing it to Abraham's relationship to his two sons, born of Sarah and Hagar. Hagar was a slave, Sarah was a free woman. Abraham's son by Hagar was "born in the ordinary way." That is Abraham consented to have sex with his wife's slave, at his wife's urging. Whether the slave consented doesn't enter into the matter. The child that was born would have been a slave also. The children of slave women, even by their masters, were slaves. This has been a fact of slavery even up to the age of American enslavement of Africans. Let's be clear, "Biblical slavery" was not any different than the slavery that was fought against in more modern times. It certainly wasn't a kinder more humane slavery. Slaves were only treated as well as their masters wanted to treat them.
*According to Paul, Sarah's son was not born in the ordinary way, but was born as the result of a promise. Well, folks, in case you didn't know, there is only one way for children to be born. That is pretty ordinary, promise or no promise. Abraham was a man. Sarah was a woman. If they actually lived and had a child, he was born in the ordinary way. What did god do to cause this birth? Guide the sperm to the right egg? Produce a one time egg in a dried up old woman? Let's not forget that Sarah was ninety years old and have a little chuckle at the thought. Human female fertility ends well before the age of sixty. If I found out I was pregnant at ninety, I would probably die from the shock. I would probably die laughing if a 100 year old man tried to have sex with me when I am 90.
*Paul says, in a round about way, that his metaphor is equating the children of the slave woman Hagar with the present day Israelites, who are children of the covenant friom Mount Sinai (the law of Moses). This is how the metaphor works so far: Abraham= father/god. Hagar= Slave Mother/Mount Sinai/Jerusalem. Hagar's children=Jews/slave children born in the ordinary way. This is turning the tables on the Israelite identity. The Israelites banked on being the legitimate children of god and Abraham, the children of the promise. Paul is saying that may have been the physical reality, but not the spiritual one. I'm sure this did not go over well with the Jews.
*Paul goes on to say that there is a "Jerusalem that is above" that is free. If you follow the metaphor, Sarah=Free (non-slave) mother/spiritual Jerusalem. Isaac=Galatian christians/ gentile christians/ all christians/ children of promise born by the power of the spirit. In the Abrahamic story, the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the spirit. "It is the same now." Wow. Is Paul actually saying the Jews are persecuting the christians? Well, he did it himself once, didn't he? (Gal. 1:13) Wait. It gets even more interesting.
*Paul goes on to ask, "What does the scripture say?" Then he claims scripture says," Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son" (!!!) It's true. Genesis 21:10 does say this. It is Sarah speaking, not God. Paul knows this. He goes on to say "we" (christians) are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. Do you realize what Paul is implying here, in light of his extended metaphor? Spiritual Jerusalem (Sarah) advocates getting rid of physical Jerusalem's (Hagar's) children (the jews) in favor of her own children (christians.) He says the slave woman's son (Jews) will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son (christians.)
I'm blown away by today's reading. This is something I never heard in church. Sure we read this passage, but it was usually not dissected the way I've done here. Hagar was usually associated with every non believer, not just Jews. But I think it is quite clear that Paul is advocating a complete separation with Judaism, even going so far as to say Jews will not recieve the promised inheritance. We haven't been told what that inheritance is yet, but maybe that is to come.
*According to Paul, Sarah's son was not born in the ordinary way, but was born as the result of a promise. Well, folks, in case you didn't know, there is only one way for children to be born. That is pretty ordinary, promise or no promise. Abraham was a man. Sarah was a woman. If they actually lived and had a child, he was born in the ordinary way. What did god do to cause this birth? Guide the sperm to the right egg? Produce a one time egg in a dried up old woman? Let's not forget that Sarah was ninety years old and have a little chuckle at the thought. Human female fertility ends well before the age of sixty. If I found out I was pregnant at ninety, I would probably die from the shock. I would probably die laughing if a 100 year old man tried to have sex with me when I am 90.
*Paul says, in a round about way, that his metaphor is equating the children of the slave woman Hagar with the present day Israelites, who are children of the covenant friom Mount Sinai (the law of Moses). This is how the metaphor works so far: Abraham= father/god. Hagar= Slave Mother/Mount Sinai/Jerusalem. Hagar's children=Jews/slave children born in the ordinary way. This is turning the tables on the Israelite identity. The Israelites banked on being the legitimate children of god and Abraham, the children of the promise. Paul is saying that may have been the physical reality, but not the spiritual one. I'm sure this did not go over well with the Jews.
*Paul goes on to say that there is a "Jerusalem that is above" that is free. If you follow the metaphor, Sarah=Free (non-slave) mother/spiritual Jerusalem. Isaac=Galatian christians/ gentile christians/ all christians/ children of promise born by the power of the spirit. In the Abrahamic story, the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the spirit. "It is the same now." Wow. Is Paul actually saying the Jews are persecuting the christians? Well, he did it himself once, didn't he? (Gal. 1:13) Wait. It gets even more interesting.
*Paul goes on to ask, "What does the scripture say?" Then he claims scripture says," Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son" (!!!) It's true. Genesis 21:10 does say this. It is Sarah speaking, not God. Paul knows this. He goes on to say "we" (christians) are not children of the slave woman but of the free woman. Do you realize what Paul is implying here, in light of his extended metaphor? Spiritual Jerusalem (Sarah) advocates getting rid of physical Jerusalem's (Hagar's) children (the jews) in favor of her own children (christians.) He says the slave woman's son (Jews) will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son (christians.)
I'm blown away by today's reading. This is something I never heard in church. Sure we read this passage, but it was usually not dissected the way I've done here. Hagar was usually associated with every non believer, not just Jews. But I think it is quite clear that Paul is advocating a complete separation with Judaism, even going so far as to say Jews will not recieve the promised inheritance. We haven't been told what that inheritance is yet, but maybe that is to come.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Genesis chapter 23
After reading chapter 23:
*Sarah dies at 127 years of age at Hebron. Abraham went there to mourn for Sarah. It would seem he wasn't there when she died. He negotiated with a land owner named Ephron for land to bury Sarah.
He paid for a field and a cave, in the presence of witnesses. Abraham then buried Sarah in the cave.
*This passage makes a point of showing that Abraham owned that land, which probably means a question of ownership will come up later.
*It also makes a point of showing that this land belonged to the Hittites, who were Canaanites, according to Genesis 10:15. It is very unlikely that they are the same group of people known as the Hittites in history books.
*Sarah dies at 127 years of age at Hebron. Abraham went there to mourn for Sarah. It would seem he wasn't there when she died. He negotiated with a land owner named Ephron for land to bury Sarah.
He paid for a field and a cave, in the presence of witnesses. Abraham then buried Sarah in the cave.
*This passage makes a point of showing that Abraham owned that land, which probably means a question of ownership will come up later.
*It also makes a point of showing that this land belonged to the Hittites, who were Canaanites, according to Genesis 10:15. It is very unlikely that they are the same group of people known as the Hittites in history books.
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Genesis chapter 21
After reading chapter 21:
* Now, the promised child is born to Abraham and Sarah when they are about 100 and 91 years old. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! He is named Isacc and circumcised at eight days.
*Isaac grew, and on the day of the celebration of Isaac's weaning, teenager Ishmael was being rude. Sarah told Abraham to get rid of Ishmael and his mother. There was no way her son would share an inheritance with him.
*Abraham actually showed some feeling for Ishmael. God, however, tells him to do what Sarah says. It's okay because both Isaac's and Ishmael's descendents will become great nations. So it doesn't matter how Ishmael and his mother feel about it. Off they were sent into the desert with only some water. Every thing worked out though, because an angel called out from heaven and told them God heard them crying.
*Abraham and Abimelech make a treaty of mutual cooperation and Abimelech acknowledges Abraham's ownership of the well at Beersheba, which will appear again later. Abraham plants a tree there and calls upon the name of the name of the lord (Yahweh) the eternal God (El). He stayed in that land of the Philistines a long time.
*This is the first mention of Philistines. There is no clear historical record of who the Philistines were, but there is lots of speculation.
* Now, the promised child is born to Abraham and Sarah when they are about 100 and 91 years old. Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles! He is named Isacc and circumcised at eight days.
*Isaac grew, and on the day of the celebration of Isaac's weaning, teenager Ishmael was being rude. Sarah told Abraham to get rid of Ishmael and his mother. There was no way her son would share an inheritance with him.
*Abraham actually showed some feeling for Ishmael. God, however, tells him to do what Sarah says. It's okay because both Isaac's and Ishmael's descendents will become great nations. So it doesn't matter how Ishmael and his mother feel about it. Off they were sent into the desert with only some water. Every thing worked out though, because an angel called out from heaven and told them God heard them crying.
*Abraham and Abimelech make a treaty of mutual cooperation and Abimelech acknowledges Abraham's ownership of the well at Beersheba, which will appear again later. Abraham plants a tree there and calls upon the name of the name of the lord (Yahweh) the eternal God (El). He stayed in that land of the Philistines a long time.
*This is the first mention of Philistines. There is no clear historical record of who the Philistines were, but there is lots of speculation.
Genesis chapter 20
After reading chapter 20:
*Abraham does what nomads do, and moves from place to place. In Gerar he tells everyone that Sarah, who is 90 years old, is his sister. Who knows why. In spite of her age, the king of Gerar takes her away from Abraham, and Abraham doesn't seem to have a problem with it.
*Just like with Pharoah before, God is not happy. This time he threatens Abimelech with death, in a dream. Abimelech pleads innocent of wrong doing, which of course God already knows. God says to give Sarah back and Abraham will pray for him! Of all the nerve. For the first time we are told that Abraham is a prophet.
*The next day, Abimelech understandably questions Abraham's reasoning. Abraham, God's prophet, says he was afraid he would be killed on account of his 90 year old wife. Besides, he didn't actually lie. She is his half sister! Apparently, when they got married, Abraham told her that if she loved him she would tell everyone he was her brother.
*Abimelech showers Abraham with conciliatory gifts, which surely wasn't what Abraham was after, was it? Then Abraham prays, so that the curse on Abimelech's house will be lifted. It seems that God had made it impossible for anyone to have a child while Sarah was there. Exactly how long was that? Who knows.
*Abraham does what nomads do, and moves from place to place. In Gerar he tells everyone that Sarah, who is 90 years old, is his sister. Who knows why. In spite of her age, the king of Gerar takes her away from Abraham, and Abraham doesn't seem to have a problem with it.
*Just like with Pharoah before, God is not happy. This time he threatens Abimelech with death, in a dream. Abimelech pleads innocent of wrong doing, which of course God already knows. God says to give Sarah back and Abraham will pray for him! Of all the nerve. For the first time we are told that Abraham is a prophet.
*The next day, Abimelech understandably questions Abraham's reasoning. Abraham, God's prophet, says he was afraid he would be killed on account of his 90 year old wife. Besides, he didn't actually lie. She is his half sister! Apparently, when they got married, Abraham told her that if she loved him she would tell everyone he was her brother.
*Abimelech showers Abraham with conciliatory gifts, which surely wasn't what Abraham was after, was it? Then Abraham prays, so that the curse on Abimelech's house will be lifted. It seems that God had made it impossible for anyone to have a child while Sarah was there. Exactly how long was that? Who knows.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Genesis chapter 18
*The lord (Yahweh) appears to Abraham as one of three men. We find out in the next chapter that the other two are angels. Abraham washes their feet and gives them food. Spiritual beings have bodies and require cleansing and nourishment?
*Sarah was listening from the tent and hears the lord say that she will have a child. She laughs because she is old, just as Abraham laughed in the last chapter. The lord asks why Sarah laughed. As if he didn't know! Then he promises to return the next year when Sarah has a son.
*The lord and the two men get ready to walk on their way, but first the lord repeats the promise of Abraham being a father of many nations. Then the lord says he is on his way to Sodom and Gomorrah to check out the truth of the rumors of their bad behavior. As if he didn't already know!
*The men walk on, but the lord stays there and Abraham approaches him. Here is another person seeing the God that no one has ever seen. Abraham has a discussion with God about how many righteous people it will take for God to spare the city from destruction. It turns out ten is the minimum number. So the omnicient God leaves to go count righteous people.
*Sarah was listening from the tent and hears the lord say that she will have a child. She laughs because she is old, just as Abraham laughed in the last chapter. The lord asks why Sarah laughed. As if he didn't know! Then he promises to return the next year when Sarah has a son.
*The lord and the two men get ready to walk on their way, but first the lord repeats the promise of Abraham being a father of many nations. Then the lord says he is on his way to Sodom and Gomorrah to check out the truth of the rumors of their bad behavior. As if he didn't already know!
*The men walk on, but the lord stays there and Abraham approaches him. Here is another person seeing the God that no one has ever seen. Abraham has a discussion with God about how many righteous people it will take for God to spare the city from destruction. It turns out ten is the minimum number. So the omnicient God leaves to go count righteous people.
Genesis chapter 17
After reading chapter 17:
*This chapter takes place 13 years after chapter 16, when Abram is 99 and Sarai is 90, or approximately 1953 B.C.E.
*Abram has another personal revelation from the lord (Yaweh) who says he is the almighty God (El ). God renews his covenant with Abram. He changes Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah.
* The terms of the covenant:
~Abraham will be given the whole land of Canaan
~He will be the father of many nations
~Every male in his entourage, slave and free, must be circumcised as an everlasting sign of the covenant, whether they wanted to be or not. That was at least a few hundreds of men( Gen. 14:14), not to mention the billions of descendants to follow. Any uncircumcised male will be cut off from the the rest of the family.
~Abraham and Sarah will have a son and will call him Isaac. He will be the heir of the covenant even though he is technically the Younger Brother.
~Ishmael will be blessed and will be the father of twelve rulers.
* What does Abraham have to do for all this? Just be God's man and blameless. One wonders what blameless means, since Abraham has lied, traded his wife for riches to save his own neck, treated a woman with contempt, and is the owner of many slaves.
*Abraham laughed at the thought if having a son at his age, but he went ahead and circumcised every male in his clan on that very day. Nobody would be doing any baby making quite yet.
*The earliest record of circumcision is from about 2,400 B.C.E. in Egypt. It had probably been practiced for hundreds of years before that. Ra the sun god was said to have circumcised himself. Check out he Wikipedia article on circumcision for more info.
*This chapter takes place 13 years after chapter 16, when Abram is 99 and Sarai is 90, or approximately 1953 B.C.E.
*Abram has another personal revelation from the lord (Yaweh) who says he is the almighty God (El ). God renews his covenant with Abram. He changes Abram's name to Abraham and Sarai's name to Sarah.
* The terms of the covenant:
~Abraham will be given the whole land of Canaan
~He will be the father of many nations
~Every male in his entourage, slave and free, must be circumcised as an everlasting sign of the covenant, whether they wanted to be or not. That was at least a few hundreds of men( Gen. 14:14), not to mention the billions of descendants to follow. Any uncircumcised male will be cut off from the the rest of the family.
~Abraham and Sarah will have a son and will call him Isaac. He will be the heir of the covenant even though he is technically the Younger Brother.
~Ishmael will be blessed and will be the father of twelve rulers.
* What does Abraham have to do for all this? Just be God's man and blameless. One wonders what blameless means, since Abraham has lied, traded his wife for riches to save his own neck, treated a woman with contempt, and is the owner of many slaves.
*Abraham laughed at the thought if having a son at his age, but he went ahead and circumcised every male in his clan on that very day. Nobody would be doing any baby making quite yet.
*The earliest record of circumcision is from about 2,400 B.C.E. in Egypt. It had probably been practiced for hundreds of years before that. Ra the sun god was said to have circumcised himself. Check out he Wikipedia article on circumcision for more info.
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Genesis chapter 16
After reading chapter 16:
*In spite of Abram's talk with God, Sarai believes God is keeping her from having children. So, she demands that Abram impregnate her Egyptian slave Hagar. Abram has no problem with this and does as he is told. Of course no one asks Hagar if it is ok.
*The slave becomes pregnant and despises Sarai. Who can blame her? Sarai turns the tables and gets mad at Abram for doing exactly what she told him to do. Abram tells Sarai to do whatever she wants to Hagar. So, Sarai mistreats Hagar badly enough for her to want to run away to the desert while pregnant, and Abram couldn't care less. Great guy.
*Here we have the first appearance of an angel of the lord. An angel is basically a messenger. Notice the lack of wings, halo, and white robe.
*The angel tells Hagar to go back and submit to Sarai, and promises to personally make her descendants numerous. Can angels do that? There appears to be some confusion about this angel, because he is also said to be the lord (Yahweh). Plus, Hagar claims to have seen God (El). How can that be when other verses in the bible say no one has seen God? John 1:18
*The angel says Hagar is to name her son Ishma-el. Verse 15 says Abram named the boy.
*Abram was 86, which would have made Sarai about 76. She still expected to have a child? The year was approximately 1970 B.C.E., if we follow Ussher's chronology.
*In spite of Abram's talk with God, Sarai believes God is keeping her from having children. So, she demands that Abram impregnate her Egyptian slave Hagar. Abram has no problem with this and does as he is told. Of course no one asks Hagar if it is ok.
*The slave becomes pregnant and despises Sarai. Who can blame her? Sarai turns the tables and gets mad at Abram for doing exactly what she told him to do. Abram tells Sarai to do whatever she wants to Hagar. So, Sarai mistreats Hagar badly enough for her to want to run away to the desert while pregnant, and Abram couldn't care less. Great guy.
*Here we have the first appearance of an angel of the lord. An angel is basically a messenger. Notice the lack of wings, halo, and white robe.
*The angel tells Hagar to go back and submit to Sarai, and promises to personally make her descendants numerous. Can angels do that? There appears to be some confusion about this angel, because he is also said to be the lord (Yahweh). Plus, Hagar claims to have seen God (El). How can that be when other verses in the bible say no one has seen God? John 1:18
*The angel says Hagar is to name her son Ishma-el. Verse 15 says Abram named the boy.
*Abram was 86, which would have made Sarai about 76. She still expected to have a child? The year was approximately 1970 B.C.E., if we follow Ussher's chronology.
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Genesis chapter 12
After reading chapter 12:
*Approx. 1981 B.C.E., when Abram is 75, he and Lot and thier families set out for Canaan, which God has supposedly promised to give Abram's descendants. Abram appears to be the only one to have seen or heard this pronouncement from God.
*They pitched their tents east of Bethel, which is named that by Abram's grandson Jacob in chapter 28. Huh?
*They travel to Egypt to escape a famine and pharaoh falls for Abram's wife Sarai, who is at least 65 by this time. For fear of his life, Abram does not tell pharaoh Sarai is his wife, but instead accepts slaves and animals in exchange for her.
*Pharoah's household gets sick and it is obvious to him that Abram's wife is the cause. He sends her back and kicks them out of Egypt.
*Amenemhat I was Pharoah from about 1991-1962 B.C.E.
*Approx. 1981 B.C.E., when Abram is 75, he and Lot and thier families set out for Canaan, which God has supposedly promised to give Abram's descendants. Abram appears to be the only one to have seen or heard this pronouncement from God.
*They pitched their tents east of Bethel, which is named that by Abram's grandson Jacob in chapter 28. Huh?
*They travel to Egypt to escape a famine and pharaoh falls for Abram's wife Sarai, who is at least 65 by this time. For fear of his life, Abram does not tell pharaoh Sarai is his wife, but instead accepts slaves and animals in exchange for her.
*Pharoah's household gets sick and it is obvious to him that Abram's wife is the cause. He sends her back and kicks them out of Egypt.
*Amenemhat I was Pharoah from about 1991-1962 B.C.E.
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