The Skull Crushing Seed of the Woman: Inner-Biblical Interpretation of Genesis 3:15 James Hamilton James Hamilton is Assistant Profes- Introduction particular, namely, the hypothesis that sor of Biblical Studies at Havard School The use of the OT in the New has been from start to fi nish, the OT is a messianic for Theological Studies, Southwestern much discussed, with some coming to document, written from a messianic per- Baptist Theological Seminary, Houston, the conclusion that, to put it simply, the spective, to sustain a messianic hope.5 Texas. He received his Ph.D. from The authors of the NT wrongly interpreted Adopting this perspective might go a long Southern Baptist Theological Seminary the OT.1 This being the case, their exege- way toward explaining why the NT seems and is an ordained Southern Baptist sis cannot be legitimately imitated today. to regard the whole of the OT as pointing minister. Dr. Hamilton is the author of nu- Those who come to this conclusion to and being fulfi lled in the one it presents merous scholarly articles, book reviews, are sometimes mystifi ed as to how the as the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth. Fur- and the forthcoming God’s Indwelling authors of the NT could possibly see a ther, it might be in line with texts such as Presence: The Ministry of the Holy reference to the Messiah in texts the NT Luke 24:27, 44–45, which could indicate Spirit in the Old and New Testaments applies to him, at points even arguing that Jesus read the OT in precisely this (Broadman & Holman, 2006). that particular applications of OT texts way (cf. also Matt 5:17 and John 5:46).6 If to Jesus in the NT do not actually refer Jesus and the authors of the NT did read to him at all.2 Another argument against the OT in this way, they were apparently the imitation of apostolic use of the OT not alone. Craig Evans notes, “The saying is that their hermeneutical methods are of Rabbi Yohanan, though uttered in the not valid today.3 This means that while post-NT era, probably refl ects what was an understanding of the hermeneutical assumed by many in the fi rst century: milieu can help us make sense of what ‘Every prophet prophesied only for the the authors of the NT were doing, it does days of the Messiah’ (b. Ber. 34b).”7 not validate their method for us. Others The only way to verify such a hypoth- would agree with Moisés Silva’s objection esis is to test it against the data. The to this conclusion: “If we refuse to pattern evidence is, of course, disputed. I am not our exegesis after that of the apostles, we suggesting that we should look for “Jesus are in practice denying the authoritative under every rock” or in every detail of character of their scriptural interpreta- the description of the temple, a straw tion—and to do so is to strike at the very man which at times seems to be the only heart of the Christian faith.”4 thing conceivable to certain “OT only”8 It seems to me that certain presuppo- interpreters when they hear the kind of sitional starting points have the potential suggestion I am making. We need not to ameliorate every intellectual diffi culty abandon the discipline of looking care- with the way that the NT interprets the fully at what the texts actually say to see OT, regardless of the hermeneutical tools the OT as a messianic document.9 Nor is employed. I have in mind one thing in the objection that there is proportionally 30 very little about the messiah in the OT (3:16a); and, the relations between male necessarily devastating to this proposal, and female, which are necessary for the for it is always possible that a certain fea- seed to be born, will be strained (3:16b). ture is not everywhere named in the text Judgment falls on the man as well, as the because it is everywhere assumed.10 Still, ground from whose fruit the seed will be such suggestions are greatly strengthened fed is cursed, and in painful, sweaty toil by evidence. he will labor until he eventually returns A full scale demonstration of the to the dust (3:17–19). hypothesis is beyond the scope of this In the short span of Gen 3:14–19, the article, so this study will examine one God of the Bible is shown to be both just foundational element of the theory. If, and merciful. The scene puts God on dis- for instance, we were to argue that the play as one who upholds righteousness Messianism of the OT is introduced in and yet offers hope to guilty human reb- Gen 3:15, such an assertion would be els. He is a God of justice and so renders more plausible if the influence of this just condemnation for the transgressors. text could be shown through the rest of Yet he is also a God of mercy, and so he the OT and into the New. Here I will put makes plain that his image bearers will on these lenses—lenses that assume that triumph over the wicked snake.12 the OT is a messianic document, written My aim in the present study is to from a messianic perspective, to sustain highlight the theme of the head crushing a messianic hope—and point to the ways seed of the woman in the Bible.13 Even if at that Gen 3:15 is interpreted in the Old and many points my interpretation of the data New Testaments.11 is disputed, this study will nevertheless contribute a catalog of the intertextual use The Context of Genesis 3:15 of the theme of the smashing of the skulls God’s fi rst act of judgment in the Bible is of the enemies of God.14 accompanied by his fi rst promise of salva- In order to understand the Bible’s pre- tion, and the salvation will come through sentation of the victory of the seed of the the judgment. As the serpent is cursed, he woman over the seed of the serpent, we is told that he will proceed on his belly must fi rst discuss the tension between and that he will eat dust (Gen 3:14). Fur- the one and the many in the Bible. Is the ther, enmity is placed between him and seed of the woman to be understood as a the woman, and between his seed and particular person, or is it to be understood the seed of the woman. This enmity will as a group of people? I will suggest that issue in the seed of the woman crushing the texts indicate that the answer is “yes” the head of the serpent (3:15). This salva- to both questions. The seed of the woman tion from the serpent’s sneaky ways (3:1) can be both a particular descendant and is a salvation that comes through judg- the group of descendants who hope for ment. Obviously, judgment falls on the the victory of their seed. Having pointed serpent as his head is crushed, but there to evidence for this conclusion, I will is also judgment on the seed of the woman note the confl ict between the seed of the as the serpent crushes his heel. There woman and the seed of the serpent in the is judgment for the woman, too, for the Bible in broad terms, before narrowing bearing of the saving seed will be painful in on the use of the imagery arising from 31 Gen 3:15 in the rest of the Bible. Perhaps uses of the term seed could be a singular one reason Gen 3:15 is generally excluded descendant. In this case, we might render from discussions of the use of the OT in 22:17b–18a as follows: “and your seed (one the OT or in the NT is that scholars have descendant, not all of them this time) will explored “intertextuality” mainly on the possess the gate of his enemies. And they basis of verbal connections. Meanwhile will be blessed by your seed (one descen- imagery—such as a crushed head or an dant, not all of them)—all the nations enemy underfoot, which, as will be seen of the earth.” I agree with Alexander’s below, can be communicated in a variety argument that the text switches from a of ways—has not received as much atten- collective referent to a singular one,22 and I tion.15 introduce this consideration here to point out this fl exibility between the individual The Collective-Singular Seed “seed” and the collective “holy seed” (cf. The noun zera‘ (seed) never occurs in Isa 6:13) found in the OT.23 the plural in the OT.16 Accordingly, the This ambiguity between the one and singular term can be used “collectively,” the many is witnessed in the variation that is, the singular form is used for both between the singular and plural forms of an individual seed and a group of seeds.17 second person address in Deuteronomy: In the case of humans, it can refer to a sin- “the singular emphasizes Israel as a unity gle descendant or to multiple descendants. the plural is an arresting variation, Jack Collins, however, has demonstrated focusing (paradoxically perhaps) on the through a syntactical analysis that “when responsibility of each individual to keep zera‘ [seed] denotes a specifi c descendant, the covenant.”24 This interplay could also it appears with singular verb infl ections, be what opens the door to the possibility adjectives, and pronouns.”18 This leads of one person standing in place of the Collins to conclude that “on the syntacti- nation, as when Moses offers himself for cal level, the singular pronoun hû’ [he] in the people (Exod 32:30–33), or when we Genesis 3:15 is quite consistent with the read of a servant who at places appears to pattern where a singular individual is in be the nation (Isa 41:8; 44:1) and at others view.”19 an individual (42:1; 52:13).25 As Dempster T.