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Primeval Saints: Studies in the Patriarchs of Genesis
James Jordan reveals the fascinating weave of lives that bind together the heroes and villains of Genesis. Progressively, these lives image and reverse one another in an ascending narrative of action, a narrative all too commonly broken apart and missed.
These heroes of the city of God - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and others - come to flesh and blood in ways that undo our normal assumptions. In stark contrast to the selfish heroism of pagan literature, the heroism of Genesis triumphs by breaking all the standard rules. Jordan inverts so many of the traditional negative judgments against these patriarchs' alleged weaknesses and "sins" of deception, struggle, and tyranny that they stand forth as heroes rather than scoundrels.
And yet this book is not just about the heroes of Genesis. Throughout, Jordan draws a picture of how Christian culture should be imagined and lived in our own day, from creativity and work to tyranny and freedom. You will never be able to read Genesis the same way again.
These heroes of the city of God - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and others - come to flesh and blood in ways that undo our normal assumptions. In stark contrast to the selfish heroism of pagan literature, the heroism of Genesis triumphs by breaking all the standard rules. Jordan inverts so many of the traditional negative judgments against these patriarchs' alleged weaknesses and "sins" of deception, struggle, and tyranny that they stand forth as heroes rather than scoundrels.
And yet this book is not just about the heroes of Genesis. Throughout, Jordan draws a picture of how Christian culture should be imagined and lived in our own day, from creativity and work to tyranny and freedom. You will never be able to read Genesis the same way again.
160 pages, Paperback
First published December 21, 2001
102 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
About the author
James B. Jordan
56 books142 followersJames B. Jordan is a Calvinist theologian and author. He is director of Biblical Horizons ministries, a think tank in Niceville, Florida that publishes books, essays and other media dealing with Bible commentary, Biblical Theology, and liturgy.
Jordan was born in Athens, Georgia, and he attended the University of Georgia, where he received a B.A. in comparative literature and participated in Campus Crusade for Christ. He served as a military historian in the United States Air Force and attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi but ultimately earned an M.A. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a master's thesis on slavery in the Bible. In 1993, he received a D.Litt. from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. From 1980 to 1990 Jordan was an associate pastor of a Presbyterian church in Tyler, Texas.
Jordan was born in Athens, Georgia, and he attended the University of Georgia, where he received a B.A. in comparative literature and participated in Campus Crusade for Christ. He served as a military historian in the United States Air Force and attended Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi but ultimately earned an M.A. and Th.M. from Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a master's thesis on slavery in the Bible. In 1993, he received a D.Litt. from the Central School of Religion for his dissertation on the dietary laws of Moses. From 1980 to 1990 Jordan was an associate pastor of a Presbyterian church in Tyler, Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
April 7, 2017
James Jordan is one of the very best teachers on how to read the Bible. He studies the Bible like an English Literature professor studies Shakespeare. He digs in and looks for clues for what the text is saying in ways that I've not seen done by anyone else. "Primeval Saints" is a study of the patriarchs in Genesis.
Here is a simple example of what I mean. Did you know that the "keeper of the prison", where Joseph was held, after being accused of attempted rape, in Genesis 39-40, was Potiphar, the very same man who was the man whom he had served as a slave? The text says it, if you read closely, but I never saw that myself, nor have I ever heard it said before.
Or, have you ever read or heard a positive explanation of why Joseph tested his brothers in the way he did? Jordan argues that he was testing them, "Joseph acted to redeem them from bondage and enthrone them with him as lords of the world." I won't get into all the details of the argument, but again, it is there for those who take the time to actually study the text closely, and it is quite a lesson.
The book is full of a wide range of insights including a thorough defense of Jacob, who is widely criticized as a fraud and cheat, who stole his birthright from his brother. But this is not at all what the Bible actually teaches. From the beginning, Jacob was chosen to be the heir of Isaac. He's described as being the same kind of man as Noah, Abram, and Job: "perfect, complete; sound, wholesome; complete, morally innocent". Yet nearly all translations offer "plain" or "quiet"--as their translation of the Hebrew root.
Jacob was loved by Rebekah because he was the same sort of man as Abram. Isaac preferred Esau against the prophetic word that God has said, saying "the older will serve the younger." But not only that, Esau had married outside of the covenant, and had already despised his birthright. For Isaac to give him the covenant blessing and inheritance would have been to spurn the covenant of his father, Abraham.
So for Rebekah to work to ensure the inheritance and blessing went to Jacob was not only to benefit Jacob, but "to shock and restore Isaac." At the same time, it was an act of prayer, by sending Jacob in the guise of his brother, Esau, she prayed that Esau too would receive a blessing. Jordan writes, "We can see this in the way she ritually combined both her sons together when she sent Jacob in to deceive Isaac."
Suffice it to say, this is a wonderful book that is a model for engaging, insightful study of God's Word. If more theologians would engage the Bible this way, I expect more people would glean far more from the Bible than they do.
Here is a simple example of what I mean. Did you know that the "keeper of the prison", where Joseph was held, after being accused of attempted rape, in Genesis 39-40, was Potiphar, the very same man who was the man whom he had served as a slave? The text says it, if you read closely, but I never saw that myself, nor have I ever heard it said before.
Or, have you ever read or heard a positive explanation of why Joseph tested his brothers in the way he did? Jordan argues that he was testing them, "Joseph acted to redeem them from bondage and enthrone them with him as lords of the world." I won't get into all the details of the argument, but again, it is there for those who take the time to actually study the text closely, and it is quite a lesson.
The book is full of a wide range of insights including a thorough defense of Jacob, who is widely criticized as a fraud and cheat, who stole his birthright from his brother. But this is not at all what the Bible actually teaches. From the beginning, Jacob was chosen to be the heir of Isaac. He's described as being the same kind of man as Noah, Abram, and Job: "perfect, complete; sound, wholesome; complete, morally innocent". Yet nearly all translations offer "plain" or "quiet"--as their translation of the Hebrew root.
Jacob was loved by Rebekah because he was the same sort of man as Abram. Isaac preferred Esau against the prophetic word that God has said, saying "the older will serve the younger." But not only that, Esau had married outside of the covenant, and had already despised his birthright. For Isaac to give him the covenant blessing and inheritance would have been to spurn the covenant of his father, Abraham.
So for Rebekah to work to ensure the inheritance and blessing went to Jacob was not only to benefit Jacob, but "to shock and restore Isaac." At the same time, it was an act of prayer, by sending Jacob in the guise of his brother, Esau, she prayed that Esau too would receive a blessing. Jordan writes, "We can see this in the way she ritually combined both her sons together when she sent Jacob in to deceive Isaac."
Suffice it to say, this is a wonderful book that is a model for engaging, insightful study of God's Word. If more theologians would engage the Bible this way, I expect more people would glean far more from the Bible than they do.
May 3, 2011
Jordan doesn't waste any words here. That was fine with me (most of the time), but it might work against him if he's hoping to make sense to people who haven't read his other stuff or made friends with a few of his key premises--premises like, everything in Scripture is a picture of something else, and every picture is connected to at least seven other pictures. The book would work well delivered as a series of lectures so that we could get Jordan's Jedi hand wave at the same time: "These are the truths you were looking for."
November 10, 2021
2021: Good refresher. My favorite chapters are the ones about Rahab and Esau.
The author has some very interesting points of view that made me think and go back to the Bible to re-read the passages he was discussing.
The author has some very interesting points of view that made me think and go back to the Bible to re-read the passages he was discussing.
February 14, 2024
Wonderful insights. I'll have to get a physical copy of this book down the road.
It's interesting reading while also doing the Bible Projects bible in a year plan. BP takes an extremely negative view to the patriarchs at almost every turn (which is how I've generally read them) and Jordan offers wonderful push back on all of this. I wouldn't say I'm thoroughly committed either way but very helpful to be able to read the stories in another way and to be challenged in my basic assumptions.
James Jordan continues to be a joy to read.
It's interesting reading while also doing the Bible Projects bible in a year plan. BP takes an extremely negative view to the patriarchs at almost every turn (which is how I've generally read them) and Jordan offers wonderful push back on all of this. I wouldn't say I'm thoroughly committed either way but very helpful to be able to read the stories in another way and to be challenged in my basic assumptions.
James Jordan continues to be a joy to read.
November 11, 2015
The strengths and weaknesses of this book are the same. Jordan has an eye for detail and a quite brilliant eye for patterns (especially literary patterns). This is all to the good and makes this book a gem. But I fear he also sees patterns that are not there, or rather, he sees things that are not there so as to fit patterns (whether there or not). He is just way too confident in stating things when he hasn't proved them (he seems to pull a good deal of it straight out of his ass, in other words). But much of it is convincing and beautiful and edifying. With more caution or argument from the author I would have given this book a five.
Loved it.
Loved it.
March 17, 2023
Excellent work on Genesis. This book enlightened my imagination, challenged my assumptions, and enriched my knowledge of God's Word. In typical Theopolitan fashion, Jordan ends up over-speculating at points, but nothing was particularly egregious, and all was held in loose fingers. Wonderful book.
February 28, 2022
One of my favorites from Jordan. The last section on Freedom and Security is gold.
April 2, 2023
Fantastic! Highly recommend, fun to read and will help shape how you read Genesis. A very necessary book. Even Jordan skeptics (which I’m not) could enjoy this and find it largely agreeable.
July 7, 2025
Some interesting things to think about, but most of it was pretty tenuous, presented as absolutely certain. He also thinks Mordecai is the villain of Esther, which is straight-up indefensible.
May 26, 2009
This is my favorite Jordan book outside of Through New Eyes. A great, simple reading of Genesis that draws on biblical themes. Sometimes Jordan can be hard to read, but here he is at his best. Challenging on several levels and will force you to read Genesis differently.
November 25, 2015
I want to read the bible like James Jordan. Really refreshing perspectives on passages that had grown familiar.
March 13, 2016
My third Jordan book. He makes the Bible come alive. Simply explained, he ties together symbols, history, people and theology, creating a unified perspective unlike any other. He changes your view.
April 30, 2023
Very thought provoking, as usual.
March 28, 2023
Simply smashing. The patriarchs have been subject to a great deal of innocent misunderstanding and not-so-innocent slander over the centuries. Jordan gives us a collective knuckle-rapping and orders us to knock it off. Even if you don't agree with every detail of every take, you really ought to come away from this at least sheepishly saying, "Yyyyyyeah...I probably shoulda more enthusiastically believed what Hebrews 11 has to say about these Old Testament saints."
February 13, 2013
A brief review of the highlights of Genesis. I didn't agree with his take on every story, but many essays offer a worthy challenge to traditional interpretations. Jordan tends to be either way off base or really insightful.
Jordan sees things in the Bible that others don't. A good example is Genesis 15:1. God comforts Abraham by saying that God is His shield. I always wondered where this came from, but the passage just before it is the rescue of Lot. Abraham is afraid of Chedorlaomer's return. Abraham's survival and hold on the land is in danger. This new (to me at least) insight fits perfectly with the bigger redemptive-historical theme in Scripture: the promised line in danger.
Another example is the unleavened bread and Passover connection to the story of Lot leaving Sodom (Gen 19:3).
Jordan offers intriguing insights about culture, church and state. Sometimes it feels like those views are driving his reading of the text. But usually I got to the end and thought, no, that really fits with what the Bible itself says.
Each of the 12 essays is only 10-15 pages long. I read it in conjunction with my devotions through Genesis. This book is a helpful thought provoker as you read about Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob, for instance, and wonder who was in the right and who in the wrong.
Jordan sees things in the Bible that others don't. A good example is Genesis 15:1. God comforts Abraham by saying that God is His shield. I always wondered where this came from, but the passage just before it is the rescue of Lot. Abraham is afraid of Chedorlaomer's return. Abraham's survival and hold on the land is in danger. This new (to me at least) insight fits perfectly with the bigger redemptive-historical theme in Scripture: the promised line in danger.
Another example is the unleavened bread and Passover connection to the story of Lot leaving Sodom (Gen 19:3).
Jordan offers intriguing insights about culture, church and state. Sometimes it feels like those views are driving his reading of the text. But usually I got to the end and thought, no, that really fits with what the Bible itself says.
Each of the 12 essays is only 10-15 pages long. I read it in conjunction with my devotions through Genesis. This book is a helpful thought provoker as you read about Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob, for instance, and wonder who was in the right and who in the wrong.
March 29, 2023
2023 Review:
Liked it even more second time through. Review is pretty much the same though I enjoyed the Joseph and Pharaoh stories a lot more this time. I was also glad to see that he corrected an error of his from Through New Eyes, where he thought Adam was Priest and King grasping after Prophetic status in his sin. He correctly understands the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to be specifically related to kingship rather than prophecy.
2020 Review:
I really enjoyed this book. He offers a different perspective on the various people in Genesis. He challenges you to look at these men in a different light and to consider different, often overlooked, details in their stories. While I didn't agree with all his thoughts, I liked being challenged on my own thoughts. Of his chapters, I especially liked the ones on Ham and Nimrod & Lot. One thing I really didn't like was the way he'd occasionally go into " story mode" where he starts telling the story of the individuals in his own words.
Liked it even more second time through. Review is pretty much the same though I enjoyed the Joseph and Pharaoh stories a lot more this time. I was also glad to see that he corrected an error of his from Through New Eyes, where he thought Adam was Priest and King grasping after Prophetic status in his sin. He correctly understands the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil to be specifically related to kingship rather than prophecy.
2020 Review:
I really enjoyed this book. He offers a different perspective on the various people in Genesis. He challenges you to look at these men in a different light and to consider different, often overlooked, details in their stories. While I didn't agree with all his thoughts, I liked being challenged on my own thoughts. Of his chapters, I especially liked the ones on Ham and Nimrod & Lot. One thing I really didn't like was the way he'd occasionally go into " story mode" where he starts telling the story of the individuals in his own words.
August 17, 2023
Great. Very good insights I’ve overlooked.
April 1, 2024
Essential study for understanding Genesis! Nothing beats Jordan's insight and clarity on Genesis.
April 13, 2025
A brief summary of the lives and faith of several key characters in the Genesis narrative. I am fascinated by some of Jordan’s observations that are novel to me, such as those regarding Gn. 6’s “sons of God”, the sin of Ham, the scope of God’s confusing at Babel, the righteousness of Abraham’s deception concerning Sarah in Egypt and Gerar, and Pharaoh’s receiving of Joseph’s dream interpretation as a Christian conversion. This work contains the best explanation of righteous Christian deception I’ve read and as such I recommend it to consider its place in the life of the Church. My only critique is that in some other moments I wanted more explanation. I don’t doubt the soundness, but more detail would better satisfy my curiosity.
December 31, 2017
Jordan's insights are always enlightening. His commitment to seeing the Bible as the primary interpreter of the Bible forces the reader to see the ways in which much of today's Biblical interpretation is forced through modern systems. Whether or not one agrees with Jordan's specific conclusion about a portion of scripture, one is always forced to go back to scripture which is what one should be doing anyway!
For Primeval Saints in particular, Jordan makes some conclusions that oppose common modern interpretations of the patriarchs of Genesis. Perhaps the most helpful and contradictory stance that Jordan takes is his much LESS critical stance toward the patriarchs. If one reads, for example, Tim Keller's "Counterfeit God's", you will find Keller taking a very critical stance towards the patriarchs. According to Keller, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and Joseph all were sinners falling short of God's mark throughout their stories until some sort of turning point in the end. This approach tends to run the text through a modern psychological lens that, on further review, doesn't really chime with much of the rest of scripture. (particularly those divinely inspired parts that commend the lives of the patriarchs rather than condemn them for the most part.)
Jordan, on the other hand, slows down and begins to see if another approach isn't more Biblical and more helpful to understanding the lives of the patriarchs. His approach seems to hit the mark upon reading by showing that, though flawed, many of the things that modern interpreters condemn the patriarchs for should be seen in a different light that is not condemnatory at all. By slowing down, Jordan gives layering to the ways that these characters ultimately point to Jesus instead of the hasty approach of many modern evangelicals. The hasty approach gives lip service to the truth that "all scripture is about Jesus" while in reality it often psychologizes the "sins" of the characters in the OT (apart from what the whole of Scripture actually states) and quickly jumps to a logical-conversionistic lens of interpretation and drags the story unwillingly to relate to Jesus in some way.
Jordan does not do this. Jordan rather lets the story run its course. This course often flows through many different parts of the OT until it points to Jesus in a fuller, richer way that brings a greater understanding and comfort to the Christian this side of Christ.
If you are interested in a short book that will take you through Genesis in a way that is engaging and enlightening, I highly recommend this book to you.
For Primeval Saints in particular, Jordan makes some conclusions that oppose common modern interpretations of the patriarchs of Genesis. Perhaps the most helpful and contradictory stance that Jordan takes is his much LESS critical stance toward the patriarchs. If one reads, for example, Tim Keller's "Counterfeit God's", you will find Keller taking a very critical stance towards the patriarchs. According to Keller, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and Joseph all were sinners falling short of God's mark throughout their stories until some sort of turning point in the end. This approach tends to run the text through a modern psychological lens that, on further review, doesn't really chime with much of the rest of scripture. (particularly those divinely inspired parts that commend the lives of the patriarchs rather than condemn them for the most part.)
Jordan, on the other hand, slows down and begins to see if another approach isn't more Biblical and more helpful to understanding the lives of the patriarchs. His approach seems to hit the mark upon reading by showing that, though flawed, many of the things that modern interpreters condemn the patriarchs for should be seen in a different light that is not condemnatory at all. By slowing down, Jordan gives layering to the ways that these characters ultimately point to Jesus instead of the hasty approach of many modern evangelicals. The hasty approach gives lip service to the truth that "all scripture is about Jesus" while in reality it often psychologizes the "sins" of the characters in the OT (apart from what the whole of Scripture actually states) and quickly jumps to a logical-conversionistic lens of interpretation and drags the story unwillingly to relate to Jesus in some way.
Jordan does not do this. Jordan rather lets the story run its course. This course often flows through many different parts of the OT until it points to Jesus in a fuller, richer way that brings a greater understanding and comfort to the Christian this side of Christ.
If you are interested in a short book that will take you through Genesis in a way that is engaging and enlightening, I highly recommend this book to you.
December 15, 2013
This book has it's advantages. First, it's one if the best edited books I've read by Jordan. Jordan's books and articles tend to appear disorganized, which potentially ends up being a disservice to one's audience. Second, It's a quick read with many helpful insights. Third, It's just an overview, so the book is very accessible to the average joe-shmoe christian. Jordan doesn't pretend to cover every detail surrounding the patriarchs of genesis. The only significant disappointment I had was his overview of the first few patriarchs, which really wasn't much about them in particular, and instead seemed to be tertiary pastoral "filler" material. His typological interpretations seem to be unnecessarily strained at times too, even though, in light of his many supplemental articles and essays available from Biblical Horizons, they often end up being well thought through.
September 28, 2016
Even if one does not agree with everything Jordan says (who does? I wonder if he always does.), the strength of this book (and all his work) is that it forces the reader to look at the details of the text, take every fact into account, and meditate on their meaning. The reader has no option just to sit back and criticize but is forced to mount a reasonable alternative explanation for the cumulative details. Jordan's analysis is good, and his synthesis in great. That's why his typological observations are so great.
June 11, 2013
Good collection of essays in Genesis. Some chapters are better than others, but Jordan really sheds light onto some of the finer, overlooked details of the stories of the patriarchs.
More time could have been given to explaining why certain conclusions were reached, but I think they are pretty solid nonetheless. Some people don't seem to like the chapters on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but I think the evidence he presents is convincing.
More time could have been given to explaining why certain conclusions were reached, but I think they are pretty solid nonetheless. Some people don't seem to like the chapters on Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but I think the evidence he presents is convincing.
February 20, 2019
Good (I had high expectations). Jordan makes a lot of connections I wouldn't be able to see on my own. But he makes just as many unsupported assertions (i.e. I still can't see the connection even after he tries to make it). You have to do a bit of sifting, but overall it's worth it just to learn how he thinks about the Bible.
February 9, 2009
Very good remonstrance against the "popular" evangelical understanding of the patriarchs. For example, if you though Isaac was in the right and Jacob was in the wrong, this book should change your view on that.
October 7, 2020
Jordan is interesting. While I constantly wondered, “Where did he get THAT from scripture?”, I found myself nodding my head and agreeing with him. Jordan has a way of making you see things. When I finish his books, a true sense of joy bubbles up within me.
October 14, 2020
For every good detail he pulled out of the text that usually gets missed, there was an equally bad interpretation or assumption. The arrogance it takes to matter of factly tell the reader what Jacob’s thoughts were, for example, is rather off-putting.
May 30, 2009
Especially good to read about Jacob and Rebekah's faithfulness.
July 24, 2009
One of the best short commentaries on Genesis wrapped around the Patriarchs
January 29, 2025
Largely enjoyable. Jordan has some very interesting takes on the patriarchs that I had never encountered or entertained. Some of these takes, I think, go too far than can be substantiated. Others are rather eye-opening, with applications that make one sit back and say 'huh'. He gives quite a novel reading of John 6:42, for example, stating that the Joseph whom Jesus is compared to is actually the patriarch rather than the carpenter. Quite an edifying read, whether one accepts all of Jordan's takes or not.
What Jordan does excellently is reframe the patriarchs, who so often get such a bad rap. While he may go too far in the other direction with a few of them, he explains brilliantly why some actions are taken and what they mean on a spiritual level. I personally found his handling of Jacob refreshing in the face of the accepted modern thesis that Jacob was crooked and sinfully manipulative at every turn.
What Jordan does excellently is reframe the patriarchs, who so often get such a bad rap. While he may go too far in the other direction with a few of them, he explains brilliantly why some actions are taken and what they mean on a spiritual level. I personally found his handling of Jacob refreshing in the face of the accepted modern thesis that Jacob was crooked and sinfully manipulative at every turn.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews