Category Archives: Scripture

Genesis Theology

In our Biblical Studies seminar here at St Andrews we heard yesterday from Joel Kaminsky, professor of Hebrew Bible and Jewish Studies at Smith College in Northampton, MA. He spoke on an article that he is writing about the theology of the book of Genesis. This was very timely for me, as I had just [...]
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This Week: Codex Vaticanus and “Performative Deification”

I have had another very busy week working on my dissertation and following the courses I’m attending.  So, unfortunately, I have not had time to do any research on this week’s OT lesson, “How Can I Do This Great Wickedness” from Genesis 34; 37-39.  And that is unfortunate, because I really love the story of [...]
Also posted in Early Judaism, Heavenly Ascents, School Journal | 3 Comments

The Jewish Legends of Jacob vs. Esau: The Birthright and the Blessing

I have had a crazy week, so all I have to offer on this week’s Old Testament Lesson 10 (“Birthright Blessings; Marriage in the Covenant) is two excerpts from Ginzberg’s Legends of the Jews. Now I realize that this work is not the best resource for reliable or primary-source material, but it is very interesting [...]
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“God Will Provide Himself a Lamb” (Old Testament Lesson 9)

The Aqedah (“binding”) of Isaac was an important part of both early Jewish and early Christian understanding of God’s plan for mankind’s salvation. Although the biblical version of the story of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is told in a way in which the similarities to Christ’s atoning sacrifice are only subtle, many ancient traditions, including [...]
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More on Melchizedek and Abraham and More Old Testament Resources

Sorry about the odd title, but I just wanted to post some further musings I had on the hypothesis that Melchizedek, as a translated being, could have been (along with two others) the visitor to Abraham at Mamre. I would also like to alert you to some great resources that I have found to augment [...]
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