This is the first Study Guide (SG) in Genesis, copyright 2019 by JWA. Not every program will have an accompanying SG, but only those that contain information that is unfamiliar to the majority of our TFW radio audience. Pastor Jim usually refrains from giving much detail about words in the original languages (e.g., Hebrew & Greek) or from using technical terminology. However, there are times when he feels this is necessary.

The purpose of this SG is to help the listener absorb the content with a minimum of distraction from a significant amount of new information. It has been adapted from Pastor Jim’s sermon notes, and it only contains the necessary content for the average listener to comprehend the passage. For more help, consult a study Bible (avoid the 2011 NIV version due to gender-neutral language).

“Let’s first talk about Genesis as a book. Moses wrote the first five books of the Old Testament (called The Pentateuch or The Law).”

“The Hebrew word bereshith and the Greek word genesis both refer to the same thing—a beginning.”

“The Greek exegesis means ‘to dig out the true meaning.’”

“A genre is a literary category; Genesis is in a literary genre by itself (sui generis–Latin). Chapters 1-11 are not myth, yet they are not intended to be a precise, scientific account either. Nor is it a historical description in the ordinary sense. It is not exactly poetry, but more like elevated prose that has a theological purpose.”

“The commentators Keil & Delitzsch [p. 39], list 3 competing cosmologies (theories of origins) among secular scientists and philosophers:

The hylozoistic view held that the source of life was some pre-existing primeval matter. (Darwinism follows this track somewhat.)

The pantheistic view held that the whole world emanated from a common divine substance, so that ALL is God or All is God. (Eastern religions such as Hinduism and some schools of philosophy are on this page.)

The mythological view sees the origins of gods and men as emerging from ‘rival forces’ colliding in primeval chaos or alternatively, like a chicken, from a world egg. (The Big-Bang Theory shares commonality with this school of thought.)”

In Genesis 1-11, some things in these chapters are paradigmatic (meaning the content serves us as timeless models or patterns of certain realities – the tactics of Satan, the outcomes of sin, etc.), some are aetiological (meaning they are intended to clue us about the source or origins of peoples, practices or behaviors or cultures, etc.), and some are foundational (intended to establish the historical basis or authority for an institution, e.g., marriage).

Copyright 2019 by JWA

“In Genesis 1-11, some things in these chapters are paradigmatic (meaning the content serves us as timeless models or patterns of certain realities – the tactics of Satan, the outcomes of sin, etc.), some are aetiological (meaning they are intended to clue us about the source or origins of peoples, practices or behaviors or cultures, etc.), and some are foundational (intended to establish the historical basis or authority for an institution, e.g., marriage).”

“Definition of SCIENCE: Study of God’s created order. Definition of scientism: Worship of man’s understanding of a godless Universe”

“ex nihilo creation (Latin, meaning ‘out of nothing’).”

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“The Hebrew verb bara (created) can mean one of two things. The usual sense of the verb, which is only used of God and of no other creature or person, is ‘to create by a divine supernatural act.’ However in this case, it means ‘to create something entirely new that did not exist previously by a divine supernatural act.’ This is confirmed by the analogy of Scripture, which means that the ENTIRE biblical revelation explains and clarifies the individual part or parts. See Colossians 1:16-17, Romans 11:36, Isaiah 45:7-10 and John 1:1-3.”

“So, to summarize, this verb in itself does not say the creation was out of nothing; in fact it is used elsewhere in this chapter where God creates using what He had already created. But in this case (1:1), ‘out of nothing’ clearly stated in those passages above that were penned by inspired writers. So we rightly affirm it.”

“The Hebrew plural noun Elohim (God) is the generic name for “God” just as ho theos is in Greek. God also reveals Himself by other names which define relationships (Yahweh, which means “Lord,” and “Father God,” by which we mean that the One who is God is also the One who, in Christ, is our Heavenly Father).”

“El Gibbor” means Mighty One.

“Since Moses used a plural noun (Elohim) with a singular verb (bara), this is an indication of the Trinitarian nature of God. Biblical revelation tends to move from the seminal to the substantive, to move progressively into fuller and fuller light on a subject. ‘The New Testament is in the Old somewhat concealed; the Old is in the New more fully revealed.’”

“The phrase used for the ‘heavens and the earth’ is a Hebrew term that means the whole cosmos of Creation.”

“The Hebrew term for ‘earth’ means the land portion of our globe.”

“The Hebrew terms tohu and bohu mean ‘formless and void.’”

“The Latin phrase ex nihilo means ‘out of nothing.’”

“The Hebrew word for spirit or Holy Spirit is ruach.”

Copyright 2019 by JWA

The distinction between macro- and micro-evolution is critical; the biblical position is that the macro (change between species) is untenable. Nobody denies microevolution (change within a given species).

The definition of phenomenal language is “a description of appearance, not objective reality, e.g., ‘the sun is setting.’”

Keil & Delitzsch call the Hebrew term for “seas” a “plural of intensity” not a numerical plural.

The term proleptically means “by anticipation.”

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The Hebrew word Adam means “man” or “mankind.”

The use of the Hebrew plural “let us” with the singular verb “make” refers to an early hint of the Trinity.

What does the phrase “image and likeness of God” mean? By adding “likeness,” Moses indicates that this does NOT mean an exact one. Not “a little god,” as heretical charismatics (esp. NAR) teach. Rather, a divinely designed similarity, including an ability to commune with God.

Copyright 2019 by JWA

This detailed creation account in chapter 2 is not, as skeptical scholars claim, a second one patched from a later source into the original narrative in chapter 1. Genesis is by no means a patchwork quilt of narratives, but a carefully crafted document of accounts or generations that move the story forward.

Genesis is organized by the author around 10 divisions. These ten generations are clearly marked by the Hebrew word toledoth, which is sometimes translated “account,” i.e., the successive accounts (lit. “generations”) of the family of the man down to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were the patriarchs of God’s chosen people. The first of those divisions is demarcated at Genesis 2:4, “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven.”

Editor’s note: Pastor Jim used Dr. Bruce Waltke’s GENESIS: A COMMENTARY (2001) as one of his resources for teaching Genesis, which is doctrinally sound. Waltke had enjoyed a sterling reputation for scholarship and theological integrity for over half a century. However, in 2010, he endorsed evolution as part of God’s creative process, which is contradicted by the textual, biblical evidence. He resigned from Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando shortly thereafter. This development was unknown to Pastor Jim at the time of recording.

Thus, to avoid appearing to endorse Waltke’s views, we have edited out his name, replacing it with “a well-known OT scholar” in programs #5 and #6 (today’s). There will be future programs as well.

Copyright 2019 by JWA

The normal Hebrew word for soul (living being) is nephesh, corresponding to psyche in the Greek NT. “The soul is, properly speaking, the animating principle of the body, and is the common property of [both] man and beast.” Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, 56. See Gen. 1:21, 24; 2:19 and Lev. 24:18 [lit. He that smiteth the soul of a beast].

The word ‘soul’ is frequently translated ‘person’ in English since the soul represents the person. [Girdlestone, op. cit.] Sometimes it is translated ‘life’ (Ex. 21:23). ‘Blood’ is sometimes used to represent the life of someone and the soul is the seat of life.

The spirit and soul of man are not synonymous terms. However, the spirit of man comes from God’s Spirit and is seated in the soul in such intimacy that speaking of the human soul includes that ‘space’ occupied by the divinely implanted spirit. A good analogy is this: The human soul is kind of like a lockbox that contains the spirit. Thus, when we speak of the “soul,” we refer to both the “soul” (the lockbox) and the “spirit” (what’s contained inside it)

So, in the Fall of man, it was not the soul (the animating life principle of the body) that was so corrupted, but what happened was the ‘death’ of the human spirit. Hence the need for a rebirth (the body did not die, the soul did not die, but the spirit died in the sense that the umbilical cord of communion between God and man was broken).

It is the gift of the human spirit, created by God’s Spirit, that creates in man his personhood, that invisible life whereby we are “enabled to feel, think, speak, and act in accordance with the Divine will.” Girdlestone, Ibid, p. 60

Lower animals have a soul like man only in the sense that they are living beings. What they lack, man possesses, which is an everlasting spirit embedded in that soul, a spirit which bears the image of God, a likeness in the form of personhood.

Note that for the first time (v.7), the Hebrew word Elohim (God) is combined with Yahweh (the Lord) to form “The Lord God.” This compound term identifies God more specifically in terms of relationship. “The God we are talking about is this God, and no other who may be called a god.” In other words, the God who is, and was and ever shall be is none other, Moses is telling us, than Yahweh (Lord in English), the God who entered into a covenant relationship with Israel in the time of Moses. Without elaboration, God established that relational connection by this double name.

“gan” = Hebrew connotes normally “an enclosed garden”

“Eden” = Hebrew means “delight, pleasure.” Thus, Eden was a district wherein God created this enclosed garden of exquisite beauty and perfect provision.

God tested Adam and Eve by putting two trees in the middle of the garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

We must not misunderstand this nomenclature. The “tree of life” does not mean a tree whose fruit is magically invested with chemical potency that imparts to the eater the gift of fullness of life (which implies also unending life). Rather we are to understand this tree as a testing tree, a tree that tested whether the original pair would choose God’s promise of the fullness of life by refraining from consuming its fruit or would they bypass that particular tree (tree of life) to which that reward was attached (full and unending life in communion with God) in favor of tasting of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil so they could experience God-like wisdom—i.e. the perfect knowledge of good and evil, knowing independently, without recourse to God, what is favorable and disfavorable to their existence on this planet? Would they elect to be independent of God and self-sufficient or would rely strictly on Him, not only for moral knowledge, but functional knowledge of the best way to run their lives? This was the one and only law God gave them in the beginning, not to eat from this tree.

When Moses says that God “planted” a garden, this is an example of anthropomorphic language, which means that God is described from the human standpoint to help our finite minds understand Him and also for elegant simplicity.

The word Mesopotamia means “between two rivers,” namely the Tigris and the mighty Euphrates, where God placed the Garden of Eden. The Tigris runs somewhere in the neighborhood of ancient Ashur, the capital of ancient Assyria (the words are related).

Copyright 2019 by JWA

Review from previous program:

The Hebrew word Adam means “man” or “mankind” (generically). It was also the “proper name” we call the first male human, Adam. He named his wife Eve.

God tested Adam and Eve by putting two trees in the middle of the garden: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil to test whether they would obey God’s command and enjoy fullness of life with Him or they would taste of the forbidden tree to experience God-like wisdom—independently of Him.

New content for today’s program:

The Hebrew word “ish” means man. Adam named his wife “woman” (“issha”) to indicate that she was part of him.

Important note: During his series in Genesis, Pastor Jim used the 1984 NIV version as one of the translations he read from. He does not use or endorse the 2011 NIV version due to its unbiblical use of gender-neutral language. See this article for details: https://krisispraxis.com/archives/2015/07/the-niv-2011-gender-neutral-translation-controversy-and-new-gold-standard-bible/ .

Copyright 2019 by JWA

Here is the relevant passage in 1 Tim. 2:9-15 that Pastor Jim refers to:

9Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, 10but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 11A woman must quietly receive instruction with entire submissiveness. 12But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet. 13For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve. 14And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. 15But women will be preserved through the bearing of children if they continue in faith and love and sanctity with self-restraint.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org

Here is part of today’s quote from this TFW program:

“As much as feminists rebel at this, the Apostle Paul cites two independent but compounding reasons why ONLY men are allowed to lead churches and preach: 1) Adam was created first, as the head of the species and the home, and 2) Eve’s deception proves a greater susceptibility among women than men (who have their own susceptibilities) to spiritual deception.”

“more crafty” – the Heb. word (amod) means: negatively “crafty,” or positively “prudent”. Taken over by the power of Satan, prudence devolves into craftiness, a sneaky cleverness. The Devil turns every virtue into a vice when it comes under his power, as here.

“BTW: On a purely side note—In the interest of biblical accuracy, the text never says the fruit was an apple, just as the text never says a whale swallowed Jonah or that the Apostle Paul said that money is the root of all evil (he said it was a root, not the root). The last error is the most misleading.”

Editor’s note: Pastor Jim wrote an excellent article, “Boundaries without Bonds: How to Keep Headship from Becoming a Hardship,” on the biblical definition and parameters of male leadership in 2002: https://jimandrewsbooks.com/articles/

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v. 10 “He [Adam] answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Explanation of Theophany (theophanies):

“I heard you in the garden. . .” The narrative is unfolded in the simplest terms so a child can understand, shorn of theological nomenclature that might bend the mind. Moses is telling us that by implication that in the garden the first couple enjoyed as God intended, familiar fellowship with their Maker, up so close and personal, that God would appear to them in theophanies, disguising His all-consuming glory, to converse with them as He did with Abraham (prior to the destruction of Sodom) and as the glorified Christ did in the vision His disciples witnessed on the sacred mount when Christ conversed with Moses and Elijah or with His disciples in His post-resurrection appearances.

v. 15 “He” (hū) The masculine pronoun is first seminal hint of a coming Redeemer in God’s plan. “He” the Redeemer, will conquer the Serpent (capital S), while the serpent will do not more than strike His heel—damage but not kill (in the final sense of the term).

20 “And Adam named his wife, Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.” Explanation of Eve, (Heb. chavvah = life).

In the wake of a curse involving the formal imposition of the promised penalty in case of disobedience to God’s command, here is a ray of hope for redemption. In the face of it, Adam is so bold as to give his wife (naming was an act signifying Adam’s authority over the woman) the hopeful name Eve (Heb. chavvah = life). Whereas Adam should have expected the extinction of his kind, based upon the curse, the Lord God allowed for the merciful survival (in temporal terms) of his race through Eve, his wife. And in faith in God’s mercy and grace, it appears Adam embraced God’s redemptive seeking of them rather than casting them to the wind after their disobedience and fall.

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22 “And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

“become like one of us” Though scholarly opinion differs, I don’t think ‘us’ is to be identified with the heavenly court in general, but is the same as ‘us’ back in 1:26 — a seminal reference to the Trinitarian nature of the divine being. ‘Seminal’ in the sense that biblical revelation has a tendency to at first drop seeds or hints of truth that, as revelation progresses, the light gradually becomes fuller or more developed until at last in the NT the truth matures. Thus, the truth in the OT is fully truth (so far as it goes), but not truly full (especially at the beginning of the stream, but in the NT the truth disclosed is fuller). That is what we mean by the phrase the progress of revelation. First, an eye dropper, then a cup, and at last a hose or fulsome stream of better light.

“become like one of us” Man was made in the image and likeness of the Godhead, but remember what this does (and doesn’t) mean:

“What does the phrase ‘image and likeness of God’ mean? By adding ‘likeness’ (Genesis 1:26), Moses indicates that this does NOT mean an exact one. Not ‘a little god,’ as heretical charismatics (esp. NAR) teach. Rather, a divinely designed similarity, including an ability to commune with God.”

“knowing good and evil” – Man had transitioned from a state of innocence where, like infants, he was for good reason unaware of the presence of evil. All was good until the Serpent entered his realm and his moral consciousness was awakened (no longer dormant) to the polar opposites. And he had chosen the worse (evil) as the better part. A fatal choice that disconnected him from eternal life that had been within his reach had he chosen good (eating of the tree of life).

“He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

To deny our original parents the gift of continuous eternal life is not hard to understand. That consequence is penalty of their sin, for the wages of sin was (and remains) everlasting death. But inasmuch as that life is a gift of God, for God is the source of everlasting life, it puzzles that eternal life seems to be a benefit that God has imparted to the tree itself, which benefit is inherited by those to partake of the fruit of the tree.

In that case, I am compelled to conclude that God as He wills, can impart life-giving or healing properties to anything he pleases (e.g. figs in the case of Hezekiah’s boil, manna in the wilderness (a type of the Bread of Life, namely, Christ, the waters of the Jordan (Naaman), the pool of Siloam (the blind man of John 9), etc.

To cut off Adam and Eve from access to the tree of life vested with the power of imparting everlasting life (i.e. living forever) was a severe mercy. Why? Because fallen man would have been destined to live forever, but imprisoned irredeemably in spiritual death as a consequence of sin.

Copyright 2019 by JWA

This content from Chapter 4 not included with previous Study Guide:

1. Now the man had relations with his wife, Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.”

“had relations” The Hebrew verb “yada” is (literally) “knew,” which includes a broad range of meaning from “know” in the ordinary sense, all the way to “sexual intimacy.” This means that sexual relations between a man and his wife is not an instinctual animal act, but a physical expression of marital intimacy.

By the way, sex is a gift of God for married people. It is not an expression of human corruption, but a pleasure that enhances its original purposes. The corruption of sex is when God’s gift is taken outside of His boundaries and is engaged in solely for recreation as its end, and not its benefit inside marriage. Everything God gave us in creation is good; what man does with God’s gifts due to his corrupted nature is to pervert them.

Eve’s statement (4:1) after delivering Cain was, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth (Hebrew can mean “acquired or created”) a man.

The prepositional phrase “with the help of the Lord” is accentuated. By inserting this statement on the part of Eve, Moses seems to tell us that in some manner not described to us in this compressed narration of events, that the Lord, merciful, gracious, ever compassionate, after spelling out the consequences of human transgression, reached out to them and restored them to His fellowship, after symbolically covering them physically and spiritually with the skins of animals that had to be sacrificed for the purpose. I take it that Adam and Eve were at that point reconciled to God in repentance and faith.

So here Eve acknowledges God as the One who helped her conceive and give birth.

New content from today’s program:

7 “But if you do not do what is right, sin (like a lion lying in ambush) is crouching at the door; it desires to have you (dominate and devour you), but [if there is any hope for you in conquering this threat], you must [recognize the peril] and rule it [check it] before it rules you.”

Sin was running loose in Cain’s life. It was unleashed in the Garden. Now it was running free and roaming about like a hungry lion seeking whoever it may devour. Such a threat demands defensive action; otherwise it will rule us rather than be ruled by us. If Cain turned his heart to God, and rejected sin as his master, God would have saved him and sustained him.

By the way, the language of 4:7 is similar to God’s words to Eve in 3:16b, “Yet your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

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1This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created.

Notice that in Genesis 5:1, Moses says, “and them Man (adam)” Adam is Hebrew for man or mankind. This means that adam is being used to describe the species, not the first human male.

Also, Moses develops his narration of God’s redemptive plan generationally (the Hebrew word is “toledoth”) down to the time of Jacob and his family. There are 10 such “generations” listed in Genesis.

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As you may be aware, today’s passage is difficult to interpret. Therefore, Pastor Jim explains this important hermeneutical (interpretive) principle: “The best interpretation [assuming it is already consistent with the rest of Scripture] is the one that explains the most and leaves the fewest problems.”

The primary issue concerns what the term “sons of God” means. There are several possible options that Pastor Jim explores, but each has drawbacks. In the end, he concludes that a hybrid view (of options 2 & 3) is the best option.

Option #1 “sons of God” means Sethites.

Option #2 “sons of God” means fallen angels

Option #3 “sons of God” means a dynasty of Lamech-type tyrants or giants (the Euhemerus view)

Hybrid 2 & 3 view: Lamech-type men or giants who were demonically possessed:

“mighty rulers of gigantic stature and strength, epic warriors, who were extraordinarily lusty and demonically occupied and driven. That explanation seems to explain the most and leave us with the fewest problems.”

[By the way, Pastor Jim makes reference to “a famous OT scholar” and later, “some scholars,” in this program. In both cases, he is referring to Dr. Bruce Waltke, whose commentary on Genesis was a resource in preparing this study. As explained in a previous Study Guide, this work is sound, but Dr. Waltke recently embraced evolution, so his name has been deleted.]

In v. 4, Moses expands on verse 1. “Nephilim” comes from a Hebrew that means “to fall,” then evolves into this noun form which refers to those who fall upon (others).

Also in v. 4, Moses uses the Hebrew word “giborim.” The word means strong, mighty. Then it comes to mean in the more positive sense, a chief, a military leader. Finally in the negative sense, it meant a proud tyrant, i.e. a heavy-weight criminal dictator who pushes everybody around, and takes what he wants from whomever.

v. 7 The Hebrew word for regret, “nacham,” means to lament, grieve. Human transgression grieves the heart of God. And God is not the author of sin, which is contrary to His holiness. But God was not surprised or “sorry” in a self-critical way.

v. 8 The name ‘Noah’ sounds like ‘comfort’ in Hebrew

v. 9 “This is the [toledoth] account of Noah and his family.” This word means “generations,” and this is the third such structural marker by this name in Genesis; first was the account of the heavens and the earth, then the account of Adam and Eve, and now the account of Noah and his family.

In v. 11, the Hebrew word for corrupt means “destroyed” or “ruined” morally.

The English term, post-Diluvian, means “after the flood.”

In v. 12, the Hebrew noun for “the earth” includes not only animal life but the physical appearance and features of the earth as it then existed.

Copyright 2019 by JWA

This is the account (toledoth = generations) —- a regular marker of the organizational divisions of Genesis. The first was the heavens and the earth, the second the generations of Adam and his family, now the generations of Noah and his family. This book is the beginning of the history of redemption in which God performs His redemptive work through certain families.

[By the way, Pastor Jim makes reference to “a famous OT scholar” and later, “some scholars,” in this program. In both cases, he is referring to Dr. Bruce Waltke, whose commentary on Genesis was a resource in preparing this study. As explained in a previous Study Guide, this work is sound, but Dr. Waltke recently embraced evolution, so his name has been deleted.]

In v. 4, Moses expands on verse 1. “Nephilim” comes from a Hebrew that means “to fall,” then evolves into this noun form which refers to those who fall upon (others).

Also in v. 4, Moses uses the Hebrew word “giborim.” The word means strong, mighty. Then it comes to mean in the more positive sense, a chief, a military leader. Finally in the negative sense, it meant a proud tyrant, i.e. a heavy-weight criminal dictator who pushes everybody around, and takes what he wants from whomever.

v. 7 The Hebrew word for regret, “nacham,” means to lament, grieve. Human transgression grieves the heart of God. And God is not the author of sin, which is contrary to His holiness. But God was not surprised or “sorry” in a self-critical way.

v. 8 The name ‘Noah’ sounds like ‘comfort’ in Hebrew

v. 9 “This is the [toledoth] account of Noah and his family.” This word means “generations,” and this is the third such structural marker by this name in Genesis; first was the account of the heavens and the earth, then the account of Adam and Eve, and now the account of Noah and his family.

In v. 11, the Hebrew word for corrupt means “destroyed” or “ruined” morally.

The English term, post-Diluvian, means “after the flood.”

In v. 12, the Hebrew noun for “the earth” includes not only animal life but the physical appearance and features of the earth as it then existed.

Copyright 2019 by JWA

In his discussion of Capital Punishment, Pastor Jim references Pope Francis’s 2018 reversal of the Roman Catholic Church’s teaching on the subject. Here is an excerpt from a Catholic author, Dr. Edward Feser https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2018/08/pope-francis-and-capital-punishment :

If Pope Francis really is claiming that capital punishment is intrinsically evil, then either scripture, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, and all previous popes were wrong—or Pope Francis is. There is no third alternative. Nor is there any doubt about who would be wrong in that case. The Church has always acknowledged that popes can make doctrinal errors when not speaking ex cathedra—Pope Honorius I and Pope John XXII being the best-known examples of popes who actually did so. The Church also explicitly teaches that the faithful may, and sometimes should, openly and respectfully criticize popes when they do teach error. The 1990 CDF document Donum Veritatis sets out norms governing the legitimate criticism of magisterial documents that exhibit “deficiencies.” It would seem that Catholic theologians are now in a situation that calls for application of these norms.

Edward Feser is co-author of By Man Shall His Blood Be Shed: A Catholic Defense of Capital Punishment.

This reminds us, once again, that our Protestant faith does not rest on the words of men, but of God. “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent [change His mind]; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” Numbers 23:19

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Chapter 10 informs us about all the peoples who sprung from Noah and were in the larger geographical neighborhood during that general period. This is a narration of roots that has been dubbed “the Table of Nations.” In such genealogies, the most important is usually reserved for the last mention and treated more expansively.

An eponymous name of a place means that it was named for, or self-named by, the one who founded it.

One of the descendants of Ham was Mizraim, which means “two Egypts” [Upper & Lower].

Chapter 11:

Post-Diluvians are those people who lived after the flood.

The word “babel” means “confusion.”

The term “immanent” means “present in” or “close to and involved in” His creation.

The term “anthropomorphic” means “man-like” or “accommodated language so man can understand.” This type of language is used in v. 5, “but the Lord came down. . .” Obviously, this is not to be understood literally, as if an all-knowing God had to exit His throne in Heaven and come down to earth to figure out what on earth these people were up to. I say obviously, because so interpreting it would violate one of the great laws of biblical interpretation, which is that the inspired word, rightly understood, does not contradict itself (God does not exist in human form–(John 4—and God is omniscient, unlike ourselves.

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Editor’s Note: Pastor Jim will occasionally exchange the name Abraham for Abram by accident prior to his name change in Genesis 17:5. This is also true for the names Sarah and Sarai.

v.6 The great tree of Moreh (means “teacher”) was not just a spectacular tree, but was also, for that very reason, the site of pagan worship. Canaanites in their heathen way may have been accustomed to seeking ‘light’ or guidance from their idol priests.

Several times God saw fit to appear in some theophanic (a visual appearance of God, who is pure spirit) form to the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac and Jacob), Moses, and some others (Isaiah, Ezekiel). Such appearances were rare, not regular, and reserved for critical moments in their lives or mission. All this was before there was written revelation and before the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.

v.9 “The Negev” means “the south,” where Beersheba was located. This was wilderness country, dry and hot, sometimes above 120 degrees. This territory will figure prominently in the experiences of the patriarchs—Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Pastor Jim quotes this from Dr. Bruce Waltke toward the end of the program, “Abraham’s logic was: better her [Sarai] defiled than me [Abram] dead.” As noted in a previous Study Guide, Dr. Waltke’s name has been removed from this series, though his content remains (since it is sound).