CHAPTER 4CHAPTER 4

THE PENTATEUCH, THE PENTATEUCH, CREATION, COVENANT, CREATION, COVENANT,

AND THE EXODUSAND THE EXODUS

JESUS CHRIST:JESUS CHRIST:GOD’S REVELATION GOD’S REVELATION

TO THE WORLDTO THE WORLD

The Writing of the The Writing of the PentateuchPentateuch

Traditionally, Moses has been named the Traditionally, Moses has been named the author of the Pentateuch.author of the Pentateuch.

However, scholarship shows that the However, scholarship shows that the Pentateuch reached its final form after Pentateuch reached its final form after

centuries of retelling, adapting, and centuries of retelling, adapting, and reinterpreting oral tradition.reinterpreting oral tradition.

Sources of the PentateuchSources of the Pentateuch

YAHWIST—vivid, earthy style of writing YAHWIST—vivid, earthy style of writing with an anthropomorphic view of Godwith an anthropomorphic view of God

ELOHIST—emphasis on prophesies; ELOHIST—emphasis on prophesies; Abraham is central figureAbraham is central figure

DEUTERONOMIST—emphasis on DEUTERONOMIST—emphasis on morality and the Law; highlights Moses’ morality and the Law; highlights Moses’

speechesspeeches

PRIESTLY—census lists, genealogies, PRIESTLY—census lists, genealogies, numbers, dates, proper ways to worshipnumbers, dates, proper ways to worship

The Creation StoriesThe Creation Stories

BOTH REVEAL IMPORTANT TRUTHS ABOUT GOD, CREATION, AND HUMAN

BEINGS

The First The First Creation Creation

StoryStoryThere is only There is only

one God.one God.

God planned God planned creation.creation.

Everything that Everything that God made is God made is

good.good.

The Sabbath is The Sabbath is a special day of a special day of

rest and rest and worship.worship.

The Second The Second Creation Creation

StoryStoryPortray God as a Portray God as a potter who molds potter who molds

Adam’s bodyAdam’s body

Very intimateVery intimate

Creation of Eve from Creation of Eve from Adam’s rib shows the Adam’s rib shows the

equal dignity of equal dignity of women and menwomen and men

YHWH wants the YHWH wants the couple “to become couple “to become

one,” to enter into a one,” to enter into a close relationship close relationship that mirrors God’s that mirrors God’s

own relationship with own relationship with themthem

Sin Enters the WorldSin Enters the WorldThe story of Fall explains The story of Fall explains why human beings are why human beings are

not always happy and do not always happy and do not live forever.not live forever.

The Serpent became the The Serpent became the symbol of evil.symbol of evil.

Sin comes from the free Sin comes from the free will of human beingswill of human beings

“Adam and Eve committed a personal sin, but this

affected the human nature that they would then

transmit in a fallen state.”

The The ProtoevangeliumProtoevangelium““I will put enmity between you and the I will put enmity between you and the

woman, and between your offspring and woman, and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you hers; He will strike at your head, while you

strike at his heel.” (Gn 3:15)strike at his heel.” (Gn 3:15)

Abrahamic CovenantAbrahamic Covenant

Relied solely on God’s fidelityRelied solely on God’s fidelity

This covenant was tested when God asked This covenant was tested when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but the Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, but the

Lord’s messenger stopped the sacrifice.Lord’s messenger stopped the sacrifice.

Abraham is a model of faith.Abraham is a model of faith.

The Patriarch The Patriarch IsraelIsrael

Jacob secured his Jacob secured his father’s inheritance father’s inheritance over his twin brother over his twin brother

Esau.Esau.

God repeated the God repeated the covenant to Jacob in a covenant to Jacob in a dream on the road at dream on the road at Bethel; years later, Bethel; years later,

Jacob wrestled a Jacob wrestled a stranger who gave stranger who gave Jacob a new name, Jacob a new name, IsraelIsrael— “one who — “one who

contends with God.”contends with God.”

Included in Jacob’s Included in Jacob’s family were his twelve family were his twelve sons from whom came sons from whom came the Twelve Tribes of the Twelve Tribes of

Israel.Israel.

Joseph, the Favored SonJoseph, the Favored Son

JOSEPHJOSEPH

Beloved son who had Beloved son who had jealous brothersjealous brothers

Ended up in Egypt Ended up in Egypt because of his brothers’ because of his brothers’ treacherytreachery

Judah convinced the Judah convinced the others to sell Joseph for others to sell Joseph for twenty pieces of silvertwenty pieces of silver

Faithful to his master, Faithful to his master, falsely accused, and falsely accused, and imprisonedimprisoned

Forgave his brothers and Forgave his brothers and saved them from faminesaved them from famine

JESUSJESUS

Beloved Son of God of Beloved Son of God of whom Herod was jealouswhom Herod was jealous

Holy Family ended up in Holy Family ended up in Egypt to flee King HerodEgypt to flee King Herod

Judas betrayed Jesus for Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silverthirty pieces of silver

Faithful to his Father, Faithful to his Father, falsely accused, and falsely accused, and underwent his Passion, underwent his Passion, Death, and ResurrectionDeath, and Resurrection

Forgave his executioners Forgave his executioners and saved all humanityand saved all humanity

The Exodus and the The Exodus and the Giving of the LawGiving of the Law

Foundational event in the history of the Chosen Foundational event in the history of the Chosen PeoplePeople

The Prophet The Prophet MosesMoses

Central figure in Central figure in the Old the Old

TestamentTestament

God appeared to God appeared to Moses in a Moses in a

burning bush burning bush that was not that was not consumed by consumed by

the fire.the fire.

God instructed God instructed Moses to lead Moses to lead

the Chosen the Chosen People to People to freedom.freedom.

The The PassoverPassover

CENTRAL TO BOTH CENTRAL TO BOTH THE JEWISH AND THE JEWISH AND

CHRISTIAN FAITHSCHRISTIAN FAITHS

YHWH instructed the YHWH instructed the Chosen People to Chosen People to celebrate a sacred celebrate a sacred meal to remind of meal to remind of God’s deliverance.God’s deliverance.

Each Mass Each Mass commemorates commemorates

Jesus’ sacrifice and Jesus’ sacrifice and saving actions on the saving actions on the

cross and makes it cross and makes it present.present.

The Sinai The Sinai CovenantCovenant

““You shall be my You shall be my people, and I will people, and I will

be your God”be your God”

Bound God and the Bound God and the Chosen People in a Chosen People in a

personal loving unionpersonal loving union

Revealed God’s Revealed God’s special love and special love and mercy for themmercy for them

Stipulated how God’s Stipulated how God’s People were to People were to

respond to his loverespond to his love

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS THE TEN COMMANDMENTS SUMMARIZE THE LAW SUMMARIZE THE LAW

The Exodus and the The Exodus and the Giving of the LawGiving of the Law

Challenges in the DesertChallenges in the Desert

The people grew frustrated The people grew frustrated with Moses and made a with Moses and made a golden calf to worship.golden calf to worship.

Numbers records the Numbers records the “murmuring” of the People “murmuring” of the People

against Moses.against Moses.

It took forty years before It took forty years before the Chosen People could the Chosen People could enter the Promised Land.enter the Promised Land.

Other Themes from Leviticus Other Themes from Leviticus and Deuteronomyand Deuteronomy

Leviticus stresses the Leviticus stresses the theme of God’s holiness theme of God’s holiness and our need to worship and our need to worship

him with love.him with love.

Deuteronomy centers on Deuteronomy centers on God’s love of Israel and God’s love of Israel and exhorts the nation to exhorts the nation to

choose between obedience choose between obedience to God and the Law.to God and the Law.