Philippine Homiletics Society, April 25, 2008

1
Preaching the Torah

• Philippine Homiletics Society, April 25, 2008

2
Problems to Overcome in Preaching the Old
Testament

• 1. Seeing the OT as Our Scriptures, not just
  Israel's
• 1.1 The early Church lived by the OT scriptures,
  therefore it should not be seen as the "Hebrew
  Scriptures", but the "Church's Bible."
• 1.2 It is Important to read the OT as scripture
  just as the NT.

3
Problems to Overcome in Preaching the Old
Testament

• 2. Two dangers
• 2.1 Avoiding Christianizing the OT especially
  Christologizing the OT.
• 2.2 Avoid the Idea of NT superceding the OT
• 2.2.1 Marcion who thought that the OT God was an
  inferior God.
• 2.2.2 Bultmann a modern version of Marcion
• 2.2.3 Dispensationalism

4
Problems to Overcome in Preaching the Old
Testament

• 3. Letting the OT have a quasi-independent status
  - independence in relationship
• 3.1 A Trinitarian faith does not have to be
  Christomonistic.
• 3.2 Two communities of faith co-exist in the
  mystery of God's Election. (Rom 9-11)

5
Problems to Overcome in Preaching the Old
Testament

• 3.3 Theological witness of the OT can supplement
  those of the NT.
• 3.3.1 NT presupposes OT theology Theologies of
  Creation Ecology Expostulation with God
• 3.3.2 OT Supplements the NT Calvin
  governmental institutions the larger frame of
  Theology Proper.

6
New Issues Biblical Pluriformity

• "The sooner Christians awaken to the fact that
  the New Testament authors quote the Old Testament
  in a variety of divergent text forms and thereby
  demonstrate that all of them were considered
  legitimate for the purposes of teaching and
  preaching, the better." Hobbins, "Taking Stock
  of Biblia Hebraica Quinta"

7
Pluriformity Qumran

• Emanuel Tov
• 1. Proto-Masoretic
• 2. Septuagint
• 3. Proto-Samaritan Pentateuch
• 4. Qumran
• 5. Non-Aligned Texts

8
Pluriformity Qumran

• Eugene Ulrich
• 1. Lengthy compositional process
• 2. Qumrans many differences with MT
• 3. Need to revise MT as the standard
• 4. Qumran Scrolls fit with SP, LXX, NT, Jew. Ant.
• 5. Qumran shows no signs of Sectarianism

9
Pluriformity Qumran

• 6. No standard text in late 2nd Temple Period.
• 7. Qumran provides evidence for latter
  compositional process
• 8. Two Periods Pre-70 C.E. Pluriformity Post
  132-135 C.E. Unification of Text
• 9. Nature of Non-Biblical texts

10
Understanding Pluriformity

• The so-called Masoretic tradition is an
  after-the-fact designation of multiple textual
  pluriformity that was gathered together over
  time.
• Internally there is Synoptic pluriformity
• Inner-biblical Exegesis has indicated a growth of
  the biblical tradition via a process that Michael
  Fishbane understand as a traditum to traditio to
  a new traditum.

11
Pluriformity - Helps
12
New Issues Dark Difficult Passages

• 1. "I think we ought to read only the kind of
  books that wound and stab us . . . We need the
  books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve
  us deeply, like the death of someone we loved
  more than ourselves, like being banished into
  forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book
  must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us."
  Franz Kafka

13
Dark Difficult Passages

• 2. "The Bible as a Problem for Christianity"
  Robert P. Carroll
• 3. Theodicy and the study of the Old Testament
• 4. Dark Difficult Passages
• 4.1 Exod 4. 24-26
• 4.2 Gen 32.22-32
• 4.3 Num 22-24

14
Torah in General

• ". . . for both Christians and Jews, Scripture
  begins with the Torah. For Judaism we could
  remove the article and say that "Scripture begins
  and ends with Torah," inasmuch as the rest of the
  Hebrew Bible especially the prophetic books,
  but also to some extent the "writings" can be
  understood as interpretive extensions of the
  Torah, rather than as portions of equal weight.
  Levinson

15
Torah in General

• The Law (Torah) or Pentateuch was ascribed to
  Moses and was regarded by all branches and groups
  within early Judaism (including Christianity) as
  the most complete revelation and authoritative
  religious document handed down from ancient
  Israel. van Seters

16
The Five as Separate

• Gen the genealogy formula structures the book
  and ends at the death of Jacob. While Exod 1.1-5
  must recapitulate the material of Gen 46.8ff.
• Exod ends with the Tabernacle and summarizes it
  future role and thereby making a rough transition
  to Leviticus.

17
The Five as Separate

• Lev Milgrom argues that Leviticus is
  thematically independent.
• Num Numbers focuses on laws of the camp when in
  military order.
• Deut A clear intro conclusion, establishes
  Deut's independence.

18
Five as One

• The plot begins in Genesis and flows logically
  through to the end of Deuteronomy.
• Threads 1) land promise in Gen is agenda for
  fulfilment in Exod-Deut 2) Deliverance in the
  first half of Exod and the subsequent journey
  toward Canaan in Exod-Num, with the journey's end
  in Deut in Moab.

19
Five as One

• Adjacent books are normally linked closely
  together, e.g. 1) Jacob's bones (Gen 50.25) and
  fulfilment (Exod 13.19) 2) Priests set apart in
  Exod 29 are appointed in Lev 9 3) Num 20.12
  anticipates the death of Moses in Deut 34.

20
Literary Qualities

• Ambiguities "The Pentateuchal narrative is
  filled with ambiguities, seemingly intended,
  which have been fodder for a rich variety of
  interpretation over centuries.... such literary
  ambiguities, which do not have appearance of
  inexpert composition but, quite the contrary,
  beckon for decipherment and interpretation."
  Friedman

21
Literary Qualities

• Omission
• Gapping / Narrative Reticence "A gap is an
  unstated piece of information that is essential
  to the understanding of a story." Longman
• In terms of unstated motives
• ". . . Gaps involve the reader by raising
  narrative interest curiosity, suspense,
  surprise."

22
Literary Qualities

• Irony "The narrative is characterized by
  frequent occurrences of irony, particularly in
  the Jacob and Joseph sequences." Friedman

23
Literary Qualities

• Irony
• "When a narrative situation suggests more levels
  of meaning than the characters involved can
  recognize, irony is present. Irony is incongruity
  of knowledge. Characters think they know what
  they are doing when in fact they may be doing
  something rather different. They think they
  understand the way the world is when in fact it
  is different. Sometimes the discrepancy of
  knowledge is contained within the story world, so
  that some characters know more than others."
  Fewell Gunn

24
Literary Qualities

• "Irony as an ingredient or mode of narration
  varies within the Hebrew Bible. Genesis 2 Kings
  is particularly rich in irony, Chronicles much
  less so. That difference is typical of the
  difference between dialogic and monologic
  narrative."Fewell Gunn

25
Literary Qualities

• Character Development "There appear to be two
  classes of character development in the Torah.
  Most persons, both major and minor figures in the
  work, are essentially constant personalities.
  Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Aaron, and the
  Pharaoh do not grow and change dramatically from
  their first appearances in the narrative to their
  last. However, three figures in the Torah are
  pictured as changing through the course of events
  of their lives Jacob, Joseph, and Moses."
  Friedman

26
Literary Qualities

• Paronomasia "Paronomasia is common, especially
  in J and E, though occasionally in other sources
  as well." Friedman

27
Literary Qualities

• Repetition (Alters Five Types of Repetition)
• "Leitwort. Through abundant repetition, the
  semantic range of the word-root is deployed,
  branching off at times into phonetic relatives
  (that is word-play), synonymity, and anonymity
  by virtue of its verbal status, the Leitwort
  refers immediately to meaning and thus to theme
  as well."

28
Literary Qualities

• Repetition (Alters Five Types of Repetition)
• "Motif. A concrete image, sensory quality,
  action, or object recurs through a particular
  narrative it may be intermittently associated
  with a Leitwort it has no meaning in itself
  without the defining context of the narrative it
  may be incipiently symbolic or instead primarily
  a means of giving formal coherence to a
  narrative."

29
Literary Qualities

• Repetition (Alters Five Types of Repetition)
• "Theme. An idea which is part of the value-system
  of the narrative - it may be moral,
  moral-psychological, legal, political,
  historiosophical, theological - is made evident
  in some recurring pattern. It is often associated
  with one or more Leitworter but it is not
  co-extensive with them it may be also associated
  with a motif."

30
Literary Qualities

• Repetition (Alters Five Types of Repetition)
• "Sequence of Actions. This pattern appears most
  commonly and most clearly in the folktale form of
  three consecutive repetitions, or three plus one,
  with some intensification or increment from one
  occurrence to the next, usually concluding either
  in a climax or a reversal."

31
Literary Qualities

• Repetition (Alters Five Types of Repetition)
• "Type-scene. This is an episode occurring at a
  portentous moment in the career of the hero which
  is composed of a fixed sequence of motifs. It is
  often associated with certain recurrent term or
  phrase may help mark the presence of a particular
  type-scene."

32
Literary Qualities

• "The generic variety that characterizes Numbers
  surpasses that of any other book of the Bible.
  Note these examples narrative (4.1-3), poetry
  (21.17-18), prophecy (24.3-9), victory song
  (21.27-30, pre-Israelite), prayer (12.13),
  blessing (6.24-26), lampoon (22.22-35),
  diplomatic letter (21.14-19), civil law
  (27.1-11), cultic law (15.17-21), oracular
  decision (15.32-36), census list (26.1-51),
  temple archive (7.10-88), itinerary (33.1-49)."
  Milgrom

33
Pentateuchal Theme

• "The theme of the Pentateuch is the partial
  fulfillment - which implies also the partial
  non-fulfillment - of the promise to or blessing
  of the patriarchs. The promise or blessing is
  both the divine initiative in a word where human
  initiatives always lead to disaster, and a
  re-affirmation of the primal divine intentions
  for man. The promise has three elements
  posterity, divine-human relationship, and land.
  The posterityelement of the promise is dominant
  in Genesis 12-50, the relationshipelement in
  Exodus and Leviticus, and the land-element in
  Numbers and Deuteronomy." Clines

34
Pentateuchal Theme

• The theme of the Pentateuch is the partial
  fulfillment - which implies also the partial
  non-fulfillment - of the promise to or blessing
  of the patriarchs.

35
Pentateuchal Theme

• The promise has three elements posterity,
  divine-human relationship, and land.

36
Pentateuchal Theme

• The posterityelement of the promise is dominant
  in Genesis 12-50, the relationshipelement in
  Exodus and Leviticus, and the land-element in
  Numbers and Deuteronomy.

37
Preaching Themes in Genesis
38
General Theme of the book of Genesis

• "The function of Genesis as a book of the Bible
  is to take those who read it and those who hear
  its message to the things of the beginning.
  Westermann

39
The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• "Von Rad understands the purpose of these
  chapters to have been first determined by the
  Yahwist, who portrayed a history of increasing
  alienation from God. Starting with the expulsion
  from the Garden of Eden, sin expanded and grew,
  resulting in the murder of Abel, the illicit
  marriage of the angels and the flood. This
  history of sin reached its climax in the Tower of
  Babel which threatened to return the creation
  into a chaos. The key to von Rad's
  Heilsgeschichtliche interpretation lies in the
  call of Abraham (12.1-3)." Childs

40
The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• "The key to von Rad's Heilsgeschichtliche
  interpretation lies in the call of Abraham
  (12.1-3). The election of Israel provides the
  perspective from which this universal history of
  divine judgment and mercy toward human sinfulness
  is viewed in Genesis. It provides the major
  theological Genesis by linking Israel's
  redemptive history to world history." Childs,

41
The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• "Westermann...does not believe that Gen 1-11
  should be subordinated to the patriarchal
  traditions of chs 12ff. but sharply distinguished
  in order to do justice to the integrity of the
  primeval history. Westermann stresses that these
  chapters do not move on the horizontal plane of
  history, but rather portray a vertical God-man
  dimension. They treat the universal reality of
  human existence which is not tied to a specific
  time or culture." Childs

42
The Purpose of Genesis 1-11

• "Further, he makes the significant point that
  the biblical writers of chs. 1-11 have adopted
  texts which arose in the world outside of Israel
  and do not stem from the experience of Israel
  with Yahweh. He connect the theory that a growth
  of sin is intended, but argues for seeing only a
  portrayal of the variety and scope of the
  alienation. Finally, Westermann claims that the
  purpose of chs. 1-3 is not to portray a primeval
  age of innocence - there is no "fall" for
  Westermann - but rather to deal with the issue of
  human existence in its frailty and limitation."
  Childs

43
The Purpose of Genesis 12-36

• Promises
• Land, Children, Relationship with God and
  Blessing
• The God of the Fathers (Siteless, Personal, The
  One Who Blesses)?
• Genealogy
• Genealogies are used in antiquity to legitimize
  royal dynasties and political claims of others.
  Here the genealogies focus on the birth of
  children that become carriers of the promise.

44
The Purpose of Genesis 37-50

• The Joseph Narratives function as a literary
  device to line the ancestral promises to the
  Exodus Narratives See George Coats, From Canaan
  to Egypt and Martin Noth, The Pentateuchal
  Traditions
• G. von Rad a literary unit written in the
  Solomonic period, (10th CE) to teach about the
  hidden rule of God in the lives of people and
  nations.

45
Preaching Themes in Exodus
46
Literary Qualities Ironic Reversal

• 1.1 The use of _at_Ws in 2.3, Moses' basket and the
  _at_Ws-y in 13.18 and 15.4.
• 1.2 Moses' mother is actually paid to nurse him.
• 1.3 Moses' name meaning "He who draws out (from
  the water)" becomes significant in light of the
  _at_Ws-y.

47
Literary Qualities Structure

• 2. Ten Plague is structured as a series of three
  sets of three events with two announcement and
  the third lacking the announcement. The first in
  each set has "in the morning," but the next two
  have no time indication.

48
Literary Qualities Repetitions

• 3.1 Between chapters 4-14, Pharaoh's heart is
  mentioned 20 times 10 times it is the king's
  obstinacy (Ex 7.13, 14, 22 8.11, 15, 28 9.7,
  34, 35 13.5) and 10 times it is a product of
  divine intent (Ex 4.21 7.3 9.12 10.1, 20, 27
  11.10 14.4, 8, 17).
• 3.2 Ex 1.15-21 the term midwife 7x. Ex 2.1-10
  "child" 7x. Ex 5.7-19 the stem lbn for building
  bricks etc.

49
Literary Qualities Chronological Displacement

• 4.1 Ex 18's Jethro's visit must have occurred
  after the revelation at Sinai not before. Note
  (18.15 verses 19.1-2) (18.16, 20).
• 4.2 The location of Ex 32.1-34.35 is problematic

50
Structure of Exodus

• Exod 1-15 Exodus from Egypt
• Exod 15.22-18.27 Wilderness Journey
• Exod 19-40 The Covenant at Sinai

51
Theological Insights for Preaching

• 1. ". . . the events of Sinai are both preceded
  and followed by the stories of the people's
  resistance which is characteristic of the entire
  wilderness wanderings." Childs
• 2. Decalogue's prologue summarizes prior
  chapters, while serving as interpretative key to
  the following legal materials. Childs

52
Theological Insights for Preaching

• 3. The Book of the Covenant (chs. 21-23) are
  understood in the context of the theophany and
  covenant with Yahweh.
• 4. The placing of Exod 32-34 is significant. The
  institution of worship is seen in the context of
  sin and forgiveness.
• 5. The literary techniques of chs 13-15 and 12
  are significant.

53
Preaching Themes in Leviticus
54
Leviticus Outline

• Lev 1-7 Laws on Sacrifice
• Lev 8-10 Consecration and Institution of Priests
• Lev 11-16 Uncleanness and its Treatment
• Lev 17-27 Prescription for Practical Holiness

55
Literary Qualities Repetitive Phrases

• 1. Lev 1-3 "a pleasing odor to Yahweh" 1.9, 13,
  17 2.2, 9, 12 3.5, 16 (cf 4.31 23.13 26.31).
• 2. Lev 4-5 "the priest shall make
  atonement...they shall be forgiven 4.20, 26, 31,
  36 5.6, 10, 16, 18.
• 3. Lev 6-7 "this is the law of . . ." 6.9, 14,
  25 7.1, 11, 21.
• 4. Lev 8-10 "as Yahweh commanded (Moses)" 8.4,
  9, 13, 17, 21, 29, 36 9.6, 10, 21 10.15.
• 5. Lev 11-15 "they are unclean" 11.8, 28, 31,
  36, 38, 43. "she shall be clean" 12.2, 5, 7, 8.
  "pronounce him clean (or unclean)" 13.3, 8, 14,
  17, 23, 27, 30. "he shall be clean" 14.7, 9, 20,
  53. "it shall be unclean" 15.4, 6, 9, 18, 19,
  20, 24, 25, etc.

56
Literary Qualities Repetitive Phrases

• 6. Lev 16 "he shall make atonement" 16.6, 10,
  11, 16, 17, 18, 24, 32, 33, 34.
• 7. Lev 17 "he shall be cut off" 17.9, 10, 14.
• 8. Lev 18-22 "I am Yahweh" 18.2, 4, 5, 6, 21,
  30 19.2, 3, 4, 10, 12, etc. 20.7, 8, 24, 26
  21.12 22.2, 3, 8, 30, 33. "I will set my face
  against" 20.3, 5, 6. "I am Yahweh who sanctify
  you (them)" 21.8, 15, 23 22.9, 16, 32.
• 9. Lev 23 "do no laborious work" 23.7, 8, 21,
  23, 28, 31, 35, 36. "it is a statute forever"
  23.14, 21, 41 24.3.
• 10. Lev 26 "my soul abhors" 26.11, 15, 30, 43,
  44.
• 11. Lev 27 "holy to Yahweh" 27.(9, 10), 14, 21,
  23, 28, 30, 32, 33.
• (Childs, OT Theology in a Canonical Context,
  158-159

57
The Theology of Leviticus

• 1. Prolegomena
• "The theology of Leviticus can hardly be
  discussed in isolation from that of the other
  books of the Pentateuch, particularly of those
  most closely related to it, the books of Exodus
  and Numbers. When these books are read in
  conjunction with Leviticus, some of the
  theological presuppositions of the latter stand
  out the more clearly. For instance Exodus
  describes the making of the Sinai covenant and
  the erection of the tabernacle both these
  institutions are fundamental to the theology of
  Leviticus." (Wenham)?

58
The Theology of Leviticus

• 2. The Presence of God
• 2.1 God is preeminently present in Worship
• "Leviticus distinguishes between the permanent
  presence of God with his people, a presence which
  is to regulate their whole way of life, and his
  visible presence in glory which was obvious on
  special occasions." (Wenham)?

59
The Theology of Leviticus

• 2.2 God is present in the peoples Daily Lives
• "God is present . . . even in the mundane duties
  of life. Leviticus knows of nothing that is
  beyond God's control or concern. The whole of
  man's life must be lived out in the presence of
  God." (Wenham)?

60
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3. Holiness "Be holy, for I am holy" 11.44-45
  19.2 20.26
• 3.1 Word frequency
• Holy and it cognates "sanctify," "holiness"
  occur 152 times in Lev which is about 20 of the
  total occurrences in the OT.
• Unclean and its cognates occur 132 times, which
  is more than 50 of the total OT occurrences.
• Clean and related terms occur 74 times, which is
  35 of the total.
• Profane occurs 14 times in Lev. out of the 66
  references in the OT.

61
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3.2 Leviticus 10.10
• You are to distinguish between the holy and the
  common, and between the unclean and the clean
  and you are to teach the people of Israel all the
  statutes that the LORD has spoken to them through
  Moses.
• 3.3 Definition
• ". . . holiness, which may be defined basically
  as a state of being in places, objects,
  persons, and time that is commensurate with the
  divine presence. What is not holy, particularly
  what is impure, poses a threat to holiness."
  (Wright)?

62
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3.4 Holiness characterizes God himself and all
  that belongs to him
• Lev 10.3 "I will maintain my holiness by those
  who are near to me, and I will maintain my honor
  before all the people
• Certain behaviors that desecrate or profane
  that is, make unholy God's name, such as Molech
  worship (Lev 20.3), the priests' performing
  certain illicit funerary practices (21.6), and
  not keeping impurity away from sacrifices (22.2).
  Apparently, any transgression can profane God's
  name (v. 32).

63
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3.5 Israel Yhwhs People are Holy
• Peoples sanctity will be seen in Num 6.1-21
  the Nazirite Vow as self-consecration.
• The people's holiness is made analogous to divine
  holiness "You shall be holy for I the Lord your
  God am holy" (Lev 11.44-45 19.2 20.7, 26).
• The mandate that the people be holy as God is
  holy heads a list of various commands in Lev 19.2
  and is associated with a call to general
  obedience in Lev 20.7-8.
• Sabbath (Exod 31.13 Ezek 20.12) Dietary Laws
  (Lev 11.44-45 20.24-26)

64
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3.6 Priest A person dedicated to Yhwh
• Priestly holiness in Ritual and Cultic Terms -
  all priests (including the high priest) are
  sanctified by applying ram blood to their bodily
  extremities (symbolically, the part for the
  whole) and sprinkling them with blood taken from
  the altar and oil (29.20-21 30.30 Lev 8.23-24,
  30). The high priest is further sanctified by
  pouring oil on his head (Exod 29.7 Lev 8.12).
• In Lev 21 the Priests are holy via their Behavior

65
The Theology of Leviticus

• 3.7 The Problem of the Firstborn Levites
• 3.8 Holy Places The Sanctuary, Camp, and Land
• 3.9 Holy Objects Sanctuary Furniture
  Offerings
• 3.10 Holy Times certain days of the main
  festival are occasions of holiness (Lev 23, Num
  28-29) Sabbath

66
The Theology of Leviticus

• 4. A Theology of Sacrifice
• The sacrifices involved three parties God,
  priest and worshipper.
• Sacrifices provided for the restoration of
  relations of God's people with God. The basis is
  the Sinai Covenant which outside of it is the
  realm of death and disorder, within is fellowship
  with God characterized by life, order, harmony
  between God and man.

67
The Theology of Leviticus

• 5. The Sinai Covenant
• 5.1 Although the term tyrb is mention only ten
  times in Leviticus and of these 8 are in chapter
  26 2.13 24.8 26.9, 15, 25, 42 (x3), 44, 45,
  yet it is the presupposition of Leviticus.
• 5.2 Three Features of this Law
• The Law is given in the context of Gods grace.
• There is an imperative to Gods relationship with
  his people.
• This Covenant is an eternal covenant.

68
Preaching Themes in Numbers
69
Contextual Chronology

• Exodus 1 year
• Leviticus 1 month
• Numbers 38 years, 9 months
• Deuteronomy

70
General Chronology of Numbers

• 1.1-10.11 19 days
• 21.10-36.13 the last 5 months of the total 40
  years
• 10.12-21.9 38 years, 4 months

71
The Structure of Numbers

• 1. Genre "A striking feature of Numbers is that
  law (L) and narrative (N) alternate regularly, as
  follows 1-10.10 (L) 10.11-14.45 (N) 15 (L)
  16-17 (N) 18-19 (L) 20-25 (N) 26-27.11 (L)
  27.12-23 (N) 28-30 (L) 31-33.49 (N) 33.50-56
  34-36 (L)." Milgrom

72
The Structure of Numbers

• 2. Geographic Movement
• 1.1-10.10 In the wilderness of Sinai
• 10.11-22.1 From Sinai to Kadesh
• 22.2-36.13 On the Plains of Moab.

73
The Structure of Numbers

• 3. Census Lists
• Num 1.1-25.18 The End of the Old The First
  Generations of God's People out of Egypt on the
  March in the Wilderness
• Num 26.1-36.31 The Birth of the New The Second
  Generation of God's People out of Egypt As They
  Prepare to Enter the Promised Land

74
Theological Motifs in Numbers

• 1. Census A Theology of the Numbers
• 1.1 The miraculous power of Yahweh to sustain
  such a throng in the wilderness for forty years
• 1.2 The utter dependence of this people upon this
  God
• 1.3 A fighting force of more than 600,000 men has
  been entirely cowed by the report of ten scouts.
• 1.4 The tribal gains and losses are theological
  Simeon loses (37,000 men) and thereby being equal
  with Levites at the bottom fulfilling Genesis
  49.5-7 Judah increases the most which follows
  all the blessing of Genesis 49.8-12 Manasseh
  raising over Ephraim is strange in light of the
  blessing of Genesis 48.13-22, but it seems the
  message is God's choice to bless and not to bless
  as the theme. Harrelson

75
Theological Motifs in Numbers

• 2. God in Numbers Theology Proper
• 2.1 Numbers stresses the character of God as
  holy, present, gracious and constant.
• 2.2 The Promised land is God given.
• 2.3 Paul House gives the following captions The
  God who Guides and Inspires Israel (1.1-10.11),
  The God who Calls and Corrects (Numbers
  10.11-12.16), The God who Punishes and Renews
  (Numbers 13.1-20.13), The God who Sustains and
  Protects (Numbers 20.14-22.1), The God who
  Renews His Promises (Numbers 22.2-36.13). House

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Theological Motifs in Numbers

• 4.3 Blessing Cursing in Numbers
• 3.1 The Priestly (5.23ff. 6.22-27)?
• 3.2 Balaam (Chapters 22-24)?
• 4.4 Murmuring Rebellion in the Wilderness
• 4.5 Sin, Judgment Forgiveness
• 5.1 The Spy story its consequence
• 5.2 The Baal or Peor Incident
• 4.6 Israel as a Community
• 6.1 Unified, Holy, Rebellious, and Blessed by
  Moses leadership

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Preaching Themes in Deuteronomy
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General Perspectives

• ". . . the form of the present book of
  Deuteronomy is torah, a genre designation that
  might best be translated in its use in
  Deuteronomy as a program of catechesis. In its
  present form Deuteronomy is intended to function
  as a foundational and ongoing teaching document
  necessitated by the reality of human death and
  the need to pass the faith on to another
  generation." Olson

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Outline of Deuteronomy

• A. The Outer Frame A look Backwards (Deut 1-3)?
• B. The Inner Frame The Great Peroration (Deut
  4-11)?
• C. The Central Core Covenant Stipulations (Deut
  12-26)?
• B The Inner Frame The Covenant Ceremony (Deut
  27-30)?
• A The Outer Frame A Look Forwards (Deut 31-34)

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Outline of Deuteronomy

• I. Heading (1.1-5)?
• II. Prologue First Discourse (1.6-4.43)?
• III. Second Discourse The covenant made in Moab
  (4.44-28.69)?
• IV. Third Discourse Exhortations to observe the
  covenant made in Moab (29.1-30.20)?
• V. Epilogue Moses last days (31.1-34.12)?
• Tigay

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Keys to Deut's Law

• 1. "First, Dtn emphasizes that Gods covenant is
  not tied to past history, but is still offered to
  all the people."
• 2. "Secondly, the promise of God to his people
  still lies in the future."

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Keys to Deut's Law

• 3. "Thirdly, Dtn teaches that the law demands a
  response of commitment."
• 4. "Finally, the ability to summarize the law in
  terms of loving God with heart, soul and mind is
  a major check against all forms of legalism."