Genesis as Torah: Reading Narrative as Legal Instruction

by Brian Neil Peterson

Should Genesis rightly be identified as law--that is, as torah or legal instruction for Israel? Peterson argues in the affirmative, concluding that Genesis serves a greater function than merely offering a prehistory or backstory for the people of Israel. As the introductory book to the Torah, Genesis must first and foremost be read as legal instruction for Israel. And how exactly is that instruction presented? Peterson posits that many of the Genesis accounts serve as case law. The Genesis narratives depict what a number of key laws in the pentateuchal law codes look like in practice. When Genesis is read through this lens, the rhetorical strategy of the biblical author(s) becomes clear and the purpose for including specific narratives takes on new meaning.

"In this creative and insightful study Brian Peterson demonstrates that Genesis is far more than an account of Israel's prehistory. It is fundamentally torah, in which the narratives illustrate at a practical level key laws that follow in the Pentateuch. This is a fascinating read that will enhance understanding of the purpose of Genesis and proclamation of its theological significance."
--Robert B. Chisholm, Jr., Chair and Senior Professor of Old Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary

"Peterson shows again in his newest study a mastery of the Old Testament. His demonstration of the way Genesis' narratives give real-life instruction regarding Israel's life under covenant law is a significant step forward in biblical scholarship. The intertextual connections between narrative and legal instruction confirm the coherence and holistic character of biblical revelation." 
--Kenneth Mathews, Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School

Brian Neil Peterson is Associate Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. His most recent books are Ezekiel in Context (2012), The Authors of the Deuteronomistic History (2014), John's Use of Ezekiel (2015), What Was the Sin of Sodom? (2016), and Voice, Word, and Spirit (coauthor, 2017).

264 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2018

Reviews

[Will Cunningham-Batt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Peterson seems on the right track in asking how Israel on the edge of Canaan would have read and interpreted Genesis. He spots many useful connections between Genesis and the rest of the Pentateuch that show how this first book provides legal and moral instruction for the people of God, called to be a light to the nations. But in light of the Pentateuch's own prophetic anticipation of Israel's failure to obey and the need for a future Messiah, one can't help feeling that Peterson has got it all backwards – i.e. that Genesis is not merely meant to help Israel be more moral, but rather to help live by faith in God's unchanging promises amidst their own moral failure. Perhaps that explains why there is no attempt at Christian application in the book?

[Philip Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely reminder that trying to understand how Genesis functioned for the intended original audience is a good step before going on to seeing its fulfillment in Jesus (however one defines that). Full of interesting topics and plenty of OT text links (can’t remember the proper term for that).

[Jess Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Une bonne introduction au rôle du livre de la Genèse dans le pentateuque