the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Bible Commentaries
Grant's Commentary on the Bible Grant's Commentary
Creation of the World in Six Days.Chapter 2
Creation of Adam, Eve, and Eden.Chapter 3
The Fall: Adam and Eve's Sin.Chapter 4
Cain Kills Abel; Cain's Descendants Multiply.Chapter 5
Genealogy from Adam to Noah.Chapter 6
Wickedness Prompts God to Flood Earth.Chapter 7
Noah's Ark Survives the Great Flood.Chapter 8
Waters Recede; Noah Exits the Ark.Chapter 9
God's Covenant with Noah; Rainbow Sign.Chapter 10
Genealogy of Noah's Descendants Post-Flood.Chapter 11
Tower of Babel; Languages Confused.Chapter 12
God's Call to Abram; Covenant Begins.Chapter 13
Abram and Lot Separate; God Promises Land.Chapter 14
Abram Rescues Lot; Melchizedek Blesses Abram.Chapter 15
God's Covenant with Abram Affirmed.Chapter 16
Hagar Bears Ishmael, Abram's First Son.Chapter 17
Circumcision Covenant; Abram Renamed Abraham.Chapter 18
Angelic Visitors Announce Isaac's Birth.Chapter 19
Destruction of Sodom; Lot's Escape.Chapter 20
Abraham's Encounter with Abimelech in Gerar.Chapter 21
Birth of Isaac; Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away.Chapter 22
Abraham's Near-Sacrifice of Isaac.Chapter 23
Sarah Dies; Abraham Purchases Burial Site.Chapter 24
Isaac Marries Rebekah, Abraham's Choice.Chapter 25
Abraham's Death; Jacob and Esau's Births.Chapter 26
Isaac Prospers in Gerar, Repeats Abraham's Mistakes.Chapter 27
Jacob Deceives Isaac; Esau's Blessing Stolen.Chapter 28
Jacob's Ladder Dream; Covenant Reaffirmed.Chapter 29
Jacob Marries Leah and Rachel.Chapter 30
Jacob's Children; Prosperity Through Livestock.Chapter 31
Jacob Flees Laban; Covenant of Peace.Chapter 32
Jacob Wrestles with God; Becomes Israel.Chapter 33
Jacob Reconciles with Esau Peacefully.Chapter 34
Dinah Defiled; Simeon and Levi's Revenge.Chapter 35
Jacob's Name Change Reaffirmed; Rachel Dies.Chapter 36
Genealogy of Esau's Descendants.Chapter 37
Joseph's Dreams; Sold into Slavery by Brothers.Chapter 38
Judah and Tamar's Complicated Story.Chapter 39
Joseph Prospers in Egypt Despite Imprisonment.Chapter 40
Joseph Interprets Dreams for Pharaoh's Servants.Chapter 41
Joseph Interprets Pharaoh's Dreams; Rises to Power.Chapter 42
Joseph's Brothers Visit Egypt for Grain.Chapter 43
Brothers Return to Egypt with Benjamin.Chapter 44
Joseph Tests His Brothers' Loyalty.Chapter 45
Joseph Reveals His Identity to Brothers.Chapter 46
Jacob's Family Moves to Egypt.Chapter 47
Joseph Manages Egypt During Famine; Jacob Blesses Pharaoh.Chapter 48
Jacob Blesses Joseph's Sons, Ephraim, and Manasseh.Chapter 49
Jacob's Prophetic Blessings on His Sons.Chapter 50
Jacob's Burial; Joseph Reassures His Brothers.
- Genesis
by L.M. Grant
Can we imagine a God of infinite glory and dignity who never had a beginning? Can we understand His existing from eternity, yet having no created universe over which to exercise authority? As to these things there are problems that our finite minds can never hope to penetrate. Genesis says nothing about them, but opens with the sublime declaration, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." This is written for the sake of mankind, but God does not have to explain Himself to us.
The writer of Genesis, who was no doubt Moses (Luke 24:27) could not get his information from anyone but God. People have supposed that he gathered material for this book from other human sources, but this is settled by 2 Timothy 3:16: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." Humans have imagined all kinds of silly answers to the question of origins, but none of these answers comes near to the majestic dignity and truth of what God has revealed in the book of Genesis.
Genesis, being the book of beginnings, has been called the seed plot of the Bible. It contains in admirable seed form all the truths that are later developed throughout scripture. Here is seen the beautiful simplicity of earthly life on earth before creation was so greatly marred by the complications that sin has introduced. Genesis symbolizes the life-giving work of God begun in a soul -- new birth -- with promise of fruit to come. The book specially revolves around the lives of seven outstanding patriarchs -- Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.
