Freelance Writing Jobs | Today's Articles | Sign In

Bible Study: Genesis

Lesson 3: Genesis 2: A Far Glory

Let us now turn to a literary analysis of Genesis Two.

Explanation of Genesis Two, Part 1

I. Literary Analysis of Genesis Two

A. Genre

1. narrative: a broad category distinguishing from other broad categories such as poetry, prophecy or apocalyptic; but, remember the boundaries are fluid

2. tale: "short narrative characterized by a minimum number of characters .... the tale will establish the circumstances for its plot, then develop a point of tension as the subject of the plot. The plot unfolds as an arc running from the tension to a resolution of the tension." (Coats 7)

3. proto-history (Wenham) or suprahistorical (Waltke): acknowledges the narrative intends to convey historical data; also acknowledges that this is not bare historical record, but also intends to be normative, and representative of every human being

B. Structure

1. structure of the garden episodes

a. scene arrangement (Wenham, Matthews)

A Narrative: God sole actor, man passive (2:5-17)

B Narrative: God, man actors; woman, snake passive (2:18-25)

C Dialogue: snake and woman (3:1-5) D Narrative: man and woman (3:6-8)

C' Dialogue: God, man and woman (3:9-13)

B' Narrative: God, man actors; woman, snake passive (3:14-21)

A' Narrative: God sole actor, man passive (3:22-24)

b. scene balance (Wenham)

i. scenes 1 and 7

-- distinctive vocabulary: "on the east," "tree of life," "garden of Eden," "till," "guard" -- inversion: man made from the dust of the ground and placed in the garden; man removed from the garden and doomed to return to dust

ii. scenes 2 and 6

-- both deal with man's relationship to creation and woman; at first ideal, then trouble -- both conclude with statements about woman's role as wife and mother and about clothing

iii. scenes 3 and 5

-- in the garden but not at its center -- both dialogues about eating the fruit and its consequences -- three comments about the tree by snake and woman in scene three; three questions from God in scene five iv. scene four

-- human actors are alone -- in the middle of the garden -- decisive act of the narrative

2. structure of chapter two

a. descriptive

I. Introduction

A. Description of precreation

B. Creation of man

II. Creation of Paradise

A. General introduction

B. Creation of the Garden

1. Trees

2. Rivers

C. Responsibility