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The Role of Plot in the Exegesis and Theology of Genesis

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The Role of Plot in the Exegesis and Theology of Genesis THE RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SURVIVAL OF THE SEED: THE ROLE OF PLOT IN THE EXEGESIS AND THEOLOGY OF GENESIS by Todd Patterson B.S., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1990 M.Div., Trinity International University, 2003 A DISSERTATION Submitted to the faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Theological Studies Concentration in Old Testament at Trinity International University Deerfield, Illinois December 2012 ©2012 by Todd Patterson All rights reserved Accepted: Dissertation Mentor Second Reader External Reader Program Director iii ABSTRACT The goal of this study is to contribute to the recent trend of understanding plot as the organizing principle of biblical theology. As such, it engages in two levels of inquiry. First, this study explores plot and its role in shaping historical narratives. Because plot is necessarily mimetic, it has long been perceived as problematic for historical narrative because of mimesis’ alleged tendency to distort reality. Here an argument is presented that sees mimesis, and thus plot, as an isomorphism of reality. Plot is the transferal of reality into the domain of narrative through literary convention in such a way that truth is recoverable. In addition, because plot is the arrangement of events into an Aristotelian “single act” it is the organizing principle of the narrative and thematic progression from tension to resolution. Second, this study looks at the plot of Genesis as setting the plot of Scripture in motion. Genesis has its own complete movement from tension to resolution that contributes to the plot of Scripture as a whole. The plot of Scripture is tentatively identified as the quest to return to God’s creation-sanctuary of rest and the narrative indicates that this will take place through the promised seed of the woman. The plot of Genesis is identified as the need for the seed of the woman to be righteous and survive. This is emphasized throughout the narrative while the seed’s actual righteousness and survival are increasingly brought into doubt, eventually reaching climax in the Joseph narrative. The tension is resolved when it is shown that YHWH himself will ultimately ensure the righteousness and survival of the promised seed. iv The argument for the plot of Genesis bolsters our initial reading of the plot of Scripture and the view of plot presented in the first level of inquiry, thus providing support for plot as the organizing principle of biblical theology. v This is my theologico-liturgical offering dedicated to those to whom we are indebted because we are not indebted. Thank you for your faith in our calling to serve the church in Slovakia. CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................... xiii LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................... xiv 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 2. FROM HISTORY TO STORY—AND BACK: MIMESIS IN HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION ............................................................................................... 5 Genesis as History—An Aside............................................................................ 8 Tracing the Shift from History to Story .............................................................. 10 G. Ernest Wright and the Biblical Theology Movement .................................................................................................. 11 Narrative Theology ........................................................................................ 12 Literary Approaches ....................................................................................... 14 Resistance to the Shift .................................................................................... 16 Two Poles, One Axis ...................................................................................... 17 Narrative and History in the Philosophy of History ............................................................................................................ 18 A Taxonomy of Views ................................................................................... 20 The Positivists ................................................................................................ 21 The Linguistic Turn ........................................................................................ 22 The Phenomenological Turn .......................................................................... 26 Stalemate: Looking Toward Mimesis to Understand the Representation of History in Narrative ................................................................................................ 30 Mimesis in Western Culture: The Ugly Ditch between History and Mimesis ........................................................................ 31 vii Traditional Interpretations of Plato and Aristotle on Mimesis ................................................................................. 32 Reinterpreting Plato and Aristotle .................................................................. 35 Recasting the Problem of Story in Scripture in the Light of Januflective Mimesis ............................................................. 42 History and Narrative in the Mimetic Mediation of Paul Ricœur .............................................................................. 46 Ricœur’s Mediation Between Time and Narrative .................................................................................................... 47 Reading for Plot ............................................................................................. 53 Plot and the Paradigmatic Shape of Narrative Discourse .............................................................................................. 55 Plot and the Syntagmatic Order of Discourse ........................................... 57 Tracing the Shift to Mimetic History .................................................................. 60 David J. A. Clines .......................................................................................... 62 John Sailhamer ............................................................................................... 65 N. T. Wright ................................................................................................... 68 Narrative Theory and Plot in Biblical Studies ............................................... 70 Laurence Turner and David Clines ................................................................ 73 John Goldingay .............................................................................................. 77 Craig Bartholomew and Michael Goheen ...................................................... 79 Summary ............................................................................................................. 81 3. A READING STRATEGY FOR GENESIS............................................................ 82 Functional Sentence Perspective, Thematic Progression, and Plot ...................................................................................... 82 viii ,Headings and the Beginning ּתֹולְ דֹות The Middle, and End of Genesis ........................................................................... 87 A Summary of the Approach .............................................................................. 102 4. IN THE BEGINNING: THE RETURN TO GOD’S CREATION TEMPLE ......... 104 Genesis 1: The Sanctuary as a Metaphor for Creation .......................................................................................................... 106 Literary Shaping in Genesis One ................................................................... 107 The Sanctuary Metaphor in Genesis 1 ........................................................... 115 Genesis 2-3: The Narrative Tension of the Bible ............................................................................................................... 126 Genesis 2: Focusing in on Humanity in YHWH God’s Creation-Sanctuary ............................................................ 128 Genesis 2:5-17: The Creation of Man Narrative ............................................................................................... 129 Genesis 2:18-25: The Creation of Woman Narrative ............................................................................................... 137 Genesis 3: Expulsion from the Creation- Sanctuary and the Plot of Scripture ........................................................... 139 Genesis 4: The Crux of Interpretation for the Book of Genesis ............................................................................................. 154 Comparing and Contrasting Genesis 3-4: Delineating Two Lines of Seed ................................................................. 155 The Tension of Genesis: The Righteousness and Survival of the Seed ............................................................................ 163 Looking Forward ............................................................................................ 167 PLEXUS AND THE ּתֹולְ דֹות IN THE MIDDLE OF GENESIS I: THE NOAH .5 UNDOING OF THE UNDOING OF CREATION ................................................. 170 The Structure of the Narrative............................................................................. 173 ix The Creation Allusions in the Flood Narrative ..................................................
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