The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Proverbs 30-31 & Sirach 7.18-36 Gen. 1.1-2.3 Gen. 2.4-3.24 Gen. 6.5-9.17 & 11.1-9 Ps.8, 74, 89.6-19, 136.1-9 Is. 40.12-14 & 21-22 Job 9.4-13, 25.1-26.14

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Proverbs 30 – social order as divinely ordained Proverbs 31 – the virtues of a king, the ideal wife Sirach 7.18-36 – advice to a wealthy man The theme: creation is divine order, therefore social order is a reflection of the order of creation, disruption of the social order leads to chaos

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

The first Creation Narrative: Gen. 1.1-2.3 Terms: The Creation of the Heavens and the Earth

(video segment/reading from Enuma Elish)

Text from the Priestly redactor ruach tan/tanyim Enuma Elish

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

The Hymn of Creation

Separation

light/dark Waters above/below land/sea

Population

sun/moon & stars birds/fish mammals, humanity

'and God saw that it was good', 'on the 7 th rested' day He

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Man and Woman Made in the Divine Image Stewards of Creation Priestly connection to sanctity of Matrimony

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

The Second Creation Narrative: Gen. 2.4-3.24 Adam, Eve, and the Garden

(video segment)

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Gen. 2.4-3.24

The importance of language

‘man’ (

‘adam

) and ‘soil’ (‘

adamah

) name of the garden is reminiscent of both the Akkadian word for ‘steppe’ and the Hebrew word for pleasure man (

ish)

and woman (

ishah)

naked

(‘erummim)

and cunning

(‘arum)

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Gen. 2.4-3.24

The importance of language

man (

ish)

and woman (

ishah) The words ish (man) and ishah (woman) share the letters alef shin, which spell out eish: fire. The man has a yod within the word ish, and woman has a hey in the word ishah. The yod and hey together spell out the name Yah, referring to the divine Presence.

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Gen. 6.5-9.17 Noah and the Flood Gen. 11.1-9 the Tower of Babel

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Psalms 8 – God is Creator, humanity 'little less than gods' and stewards of Creation 74 – even though the Temple is destroyed, God is Lord of Creation 89.6-19 - “Yours are the heavens, yours the earth;

you founded the world and everything in it.”

136.1-9 God is Creator, “God's Love endures forever”

The Old Testament

(Hebrew Scriptures) Wisdom and Creation

Is. 40.12-14,21-22 – God is the Creator, and the savior of His people Job 9.4-13 – God made the mountains and the stars 25.1-26.14 - God made all things and gave order to Creation