A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
GENESIS 1:1:-2:4a
THE SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION
CREATION NARRATIVES START WITH
CHAOS (NON-WORLD)
AND PROCEED BY PROCESS
TO COSMOS (WORLD-ORDER)
AS KNOWN AND EXPERIENCED (pistis-zoa)
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
GENESIS 1:1:-2:4a
THE SEVEN DAYS OF CREATION
SOURCE CRITICISM:
– THE DOCUMENTARY HYPOTHESIS
– FOUR MAIN SOURCES OF THE
TORAH/PENTATEUCH
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
FOUR ORAL SOURCES THAT BECOME WRITTEN
• YAHWIST (J): An integrated old
epic narrative from the South, so
called because it uses YHWH for
God’s name from the start.
(written composition c. 950 BCE)
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
• ELOIST (E) : A fragmented northern old
epic narrative, so called because it uses
the name
Eloim for God until the Name is given to
Moses in Exodus 3. Written composition
between 850-750 BCE. Joined to the J
narrative c. 721 when the Northern
Kingdom (Israel) falls to the Assyrians
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
• PRIESTLY (P): A southern historical and
legal narrative written from the
perspective of the Levitical (temple)
priesthood. Emphases genealogy and
ritual law. Written composition around
the time of the Exile in Babylon, c. 550450 BCE. Also credited with final
redaction (editing of the Tetrateuch
( GEN, EX, LEV, NUM)
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
DEUTERONOMIC (D): A northern priestly
narrative of the desert experience
emphasizing Moses’ teaching (Torah)
about legal observance. (Hence,
deutero-nomos = second-law). Its core
dates from the 7th Century BCE, but it
gives rise to a subsequent historical
anti-monarchical narrative in JOSH, JGS,
1 &2 SAM, 1 & 2 KGS
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
• GENESIS 1:1-2:4a
The narrative of the seven days of creation is
from the PRIESTLY (P) Tradition (6th Century
BCE)
• GENESIS 2:4b-4:36
The narrative of the Man and the Woman in
the Garden is from the YAHWIST(J) tradition
(10th Century BCE)
A COSMOS ICON FROM
THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES
• ORGANIZATION:
– TWO SETS OF 3 DAYS
– CAPPED BY A DAY OF REST
•
•
•
•
HOW IS CHAOS REPRESENTED?
HOW IS HOLY POWER REPRESENTED?
WHERE DO HUMAN BEINGS FIT IN?
WHAT DO IS SAID ABOUT THEIR NATURE AND
ROLE?