Based on our in class discussion last week and the assigned reading, fulfillment can be defined as Scripture discerning in history the pattern of God’s action and the shape of things to come. Along with this definition, fulfillment can also represent the realization or coming true of a prior prediction announcing what is to come. The New Testament cannot be fully understood without recognizing the patterns and predictions that occur throughout the Old Testament. For example, a common pattern throughout the Old Testament and into the New Testament that represents a fulfillment was the Exodus, as there were three Exoduses, the final one occurring in Matthew 3. We are able to see fulfillment in Scripture when we see recurring events that are similar to predictions and depictions described by God at an earlier point in Scripture. In Hosea, there is talk of a return to God’s holy land and the fulfillment of promises made with God. This is a reference to the covenant that God has made with his chosen people, but more specifically it represents the “new covenant”. This example of fulfillment holds true to how we defined fulfillment, as the “new covenant” is modeled after the “old covenant” and follows similar patterns, but has been modified to fit the current needs of Israel.

A similarity between the first chapters of the New Testament and our discussion of the Old Testament is the importance of angels. In the Old Testament, Jacob has an interaction with an angel that gives him strength. In Matthew 1, an angel appears to Joseph in his dream and tells him to take Mary as his wife, who will give birth to a child named Jesus. In both of these cases, we see how angels can create divine through and intercede to help lead humans to do what God wants of them.

After reading the selected chapters from the Book of Numbers, I think the wilderness generation’s condemnation stems from them going against the laws and rules set forth by God. Specifically, this generation was not grateful for all the blessings that God had provided them with, which relates to the distinction between purity and impurity. For example, in Numbers 11 the Israelites are continually complaining about having to eat the same things all the time. The Israelites also fail to show appreciation for what God has done and they even begin worshipping other Gods in Numbers 25. Further, Moses’s condemnation comes from his frustration with the Israelites which causes him to lose trust in God at different moments. 

It is certainly peculiar that the Pentateuch ends with the death of Moses; however, this allows for a connection to be made between Moses and the future generations that will come in the next books of the Bible. It is important to note that Moses was described as a great prophet that nobody else in Israel would be like. This demonstrates that Moses’s death signifies a change in leadership for the Israelites, which is reflected by ending the Pentateuch at this point. The next portion of the Bible beginning with Moses’s descendents signifies that although there has been a rather significant change in leadership, God still remains a source of faith for the Israelites. 

Finally, the closing passage of Deuteronomy 34 shows us that Joshua has received Moses’ wisdom and is to be trusted to lead the Israelites. This helps guide our reading by revealing that although Joshua will never be a leader in the same way as Moses, he is still to be listened to and respected by the Israelites.

The idea of purity and impurity is the central theme in today’s reading from Leviticus and serves to provide guidance for the people of Israel to follow. After reading these chapters of Leviticus, I would say that purity represents order and cleanliness while impurity represents chaos and dirtiness. Another distinction between purity and impurity is that purity represents God’s blessing, while impurity lacks God’s blessing. In her article, Mary Douglas shows how God is primarily trying to create order, which is maintained through purity and cleanliness. She also references how when we do not follow God’s rules and expectations we are being impure because we are doing things that God has not blessed. By acting with purity we are demonstrating our commitment to God and the maintenance of his creations and order. 

God’s laws that are laid out in The Book of Leviticus initially seem strange but connect to the purity that we are expected to abide by. Part of the logic of these laws is connected to cleanliness and order. By creating many of these laws and rules, God is demonstrating to humans what is pure and what is impure, and further demonstrating what is order and what is chaos on earth. Specifically, the food laws that God has created signify what parts of an animal have been blessed and what parts have not been blessed and are therefore impure. By not eating all parts of an animal, we are able to avoid dirty and impure parts of the animal and we are able to remain pure in that regard. These laws that God has created are logical in the sense that they help him enforce rules that aim to help humans remain pure and stay away from impurity.

The question “Who is God?” is a very difficult question that has no simple, straightforward answers. Perhaps one of the best answers to this question is stated in Exodus 3 when God says to Moses, “I am who I am”. This seemingly basic answer tells us as humans a lot about God in that there is no way to properly describe God because he is incomparable to anything else known to man. Additionally, the fact that God does not need to do any further explaining to his comment in Exodus 3 reveals that God is the all-powerful figure in the world. In Exodus 6, God says “I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them”. This quote suggests that we do not fully see God and that we only see and understand parts of God. This adds to the complexity of describing God. 

In his article, Ratzinger states that man’s encounter with God stems from things such as loneliness and security. Although these two traits cannot define or describe who God is, they provide context for God’s role in the life of man. As explained by Ratzinger, man’s loneliness causes the need for a void to be filled, so man turns to God for a belief in a higher power to create some sort of reasoning within the world. Further, a belief in a higher power, God, creates a sense of security for man by serving as a source of unity and oneness. These two things help reveal God’s purpose for man in the world. Through the connection of God’s purpose and his brief and vague explanation of who He is in Exodus, we can begin to form an idea of who God actually is; however, this is a question that will never be answered fully.

In the story of Joseph in Genesis, Joseph’s planting of the silver cup was a very symbolic move that has many complexities. While it is fairly obvious that Joseph planting the cup was a test, I believe that Joseph was testing to see how his brothers had changed, if at all. Previously, Joseph’s brothers had sold him into slavery and did not seem to care. Now, Joseph plants the cup in Benjamin’s sack and it appears that Benjamin has stolen the cup. By doing this Joseph is able to see if his brothers have changed: if they leave Benjamin behind as a slave then it is apparent that they have not changed, but if they are remorseful and plead innocence then Joseph will know that they have changed for the better. By begging for innocence and requesting for Benjamin to be freed of guilt, Joseph’s brothers pass the test and have become good men.This test relates to his status as the beloved son because he believes that if his brothers have loyalty to him and condone stealing then they will remain loyal to God and respect God. 

Anderson’s article makes connections between Joseph and Isaac’s stories that help illuminate key ideas in Genesis. Anderson shows how both of these men had to “die”, an idea that we discussed extensively in class. Joseph “dies” as his son Benjamin is sent away, while Isaac “dies” as he is nearly sacrificed to God by his father. This theme of death and resurrection is one that appears multiple times throughout Genesis. Anderson also points out the similarities between Joseph and Benjamin; they are both called “the beloved son” at some point showing how they are God’s elect. This connection between these two connects back to Joseph’s test and how the brothers have changed.

The story of Jacob that is described throughout Genesis 24-36, is certainly worthy of our analysis, especially through the lens of giving versus receiving. Early in the narrative, it is clear that Jacob mischievously tricks his father in order to get the blessing that his father, Isaac, was supposed to give to Jacob’s brother, Esau. This act represents the taking of a blessing rather than the receiving of a blessing. This aspect of Jacob’s story is very similar to the story of Abraham in regards to taking versus receiving a blessing.

The scene of Jacob wrestling in Genesis 32 is somewhat vague and requires the reader to determine who he is wrestling and who wins. In my reading, I believe that Jacob is wrestling with God; however, the wrestling match is much more than a physical struggle. I also think that Jacob won because in the text it states “When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob” (Gen 32:25). This line reveals that Jacob won, but it can also be seen by understanding the following lines. Jacob states that he will not let go unless he is blessed, but also is told that his name will now be Israel because he struggled with God and humans and persevered. This further demonstrates that Jacob was wrestling with some representation of God in human form and won the battle. Jacob also wins in more ways than just physically. By winning and receiving God’s blessing, Jacob receives a new sense of being and is able to put his troubled past behind him. Importantly, this wrestle and subsequent blessing provide a contrast with Jacob’s earlier story. As Jacob had previously taken a blessing from his father, he has now received a blessing from God. The contrast between taking and receiving remains a prominent theme in Genesis.

Religion is a complicated discipline to study that asks many questions that must be considered in order to fully understand its function. First, I think it is important to classify religion as the study of all things surrounding God. This means that religion includes literal Scripture, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, preachings by priests and other members of the church, and general interpretations from all members of the church. Religion is also used as a way to find meaning and make sense of our existence in the world. By believing in some form of religion, individuals can understand and receive an explanation for how things in the world function. A key aspect of religion is faith and as discussed in class faith is connected to knowing, whether it is with certainty or without certainty. The ability to truly know and have faith leads us as humans to believe in God and religion. However, it is important to note that religion has different meanings and forms for different people, as some people take religion much more seriously because of their high degree of faith, while others do not take religion to be as important. These different forms of religion are not problematic because religion is meant for the individual. 

Finally, in his article Cavanaugh lists five features of religion: ultimate concern, building community, appealing to myth and symbol, enforcing through rites and ceremonies, and demanding certain behaviors. These features of religion encompass the majority of how religion functions in society. Additionally, I think these categories allow for multiple interpretations and understandings, which allows for different individuals and religions to follow them in different manners. I think this segment of Cavanaugh’s article does a very good job of listing and explaining the different aspects of religion, which creates a good picture of what religion actually is.

Throughout our reading, Wilken examines why faith is unavoidable by using evidence from older pieces of writing that demonstrate the desire and need for faith in our lives. Wilken says that faith in unavoidable for humans because humans want an explanation for things, causing them to turn towards God and believe that he has done good in the world. As stated on page 165, humans want “to know the design of those things which we perceive to have been made by God”. This quote shows that humans have a desire for explanations about the origins of things and decide to believe in God to create meaning and explanation. Further, Wilken quotes Isaiah 7:9, “If you believe you will understand” demonstrating to humans that the world will become clearer if we have faith and believe in the power of God. This inner desire causes humans to have some form of faith within them, as faith is connected to understanding and believing. 

Wilken also explores why faith is beneficial to humans. Wilken shares that faith is beneficial to humans because it allows for us to grow in our knowledge. He writes “Faith is not only a matter of trust or confidence: it has to do with the knowledge that draws one deeper into what is known. It is like seeing a light” (184). This quote reveals that by having faith we receive benefits in the form of knowledge. By comparing our experience with faith to seeing a light, we get an idea that faith illuminates many things about our spiritual life and allows us to grow closer to God. Wilken stresses the importance of faith through this quote by showing us how faith is beneficial to individuals.

Abraham’s covenant with God is a very important part of Genesis and an analysis of it can help the reader understand the significance of Abraham’s actions. First, Abraham agrees to the request made of him by God because he sees the future benefits that the covenant will have. Although it was a risky choice to leave his homeland and practically start a new life, by following God’s request Abraham showed that he was an obedient person who looked for the betterment of everyone rather than just himself. Abraham put his trust into God’s hands and shows that he wants to give to God rather than selfishly take from God. 

In Chapter 22 of Genesis, Abraham is on the verge of sacrificing his son Isaac to God, as God has requested. In Genesis 22:5, tells his men that he is going to go worship God with his son Isaac. This is not necessarily entirely true but it is also not a complete lie; Abraham believes that he is worshipping God by sacrificing Isaac, as God has asked. However, it is somewhat of a lie as he states that both he and Isaac will return, but had Isaac been killed, he obviously would not have returned. Similarly in Genesis 22:8, Isaac is concerned about the lack of a lamb to sacrifice and Abraham shares with him that God will select the lamb for the offering. In this situation, Abraham believes that Isaac has been chosen by God as the lamb, rather than a literal lamb. In these two lines of Genesis, Abraham is not necessarily lying, but rather he is being somewhat untruthful in the exact outcomes of what is to happen.

By making Abraham go through with this ordeal, God is intending on giving Abraham great rewards for all his people after Abraham praises and listens to him. In this context, Abraham is praiseworthy for putting his faith in God even if it meant sacrificing his own son. By nearly killing his own son, Abraham demonstrates that he will do practically anything to be a faithful servant to God, which is certainly praiseworthy behavior. God is also praiseworthy for following through with the promise of giving his blessings to Abraham and his people, while demonstrating his ability to intervene in the world.

After reading Genesis 1-11, it is clear that the major themes in Genesis are the acquisition of knowledge, its relation to the differentiation between good and evil, and how creation came to be. Genesis also looks at the different types of death that occur while examining sin, giving man knowledge regarding the immortality of God and the natural death of man. In the Cain and Abel story, Cain’s jealousy of his brother’s sacrifice being accepted by God leaves him wanting to gain the knowledge to understand why God has favored his brother’s offering. This idea is very similar to Genesis 3 in which Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, in hope to gain knowledge of the difference between good and evil. Abel’s death through an act of violence shows a possibility of death that opposes Adam’s natural cause of death after living for many years. This reveals to man that all men must die eventually but by very different means and reasoning. 

The story of Noah in Genesis helps shed light on the original sin that is told in Genesis 3. At this time, God has seen that the world is full of violence and evil, a product of the stories of Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel. As a response to this violence, God says he will destroy the earth with a great flood in an attempt to rid the world of violence and evil. Adam, Eve, and Cain have gained the knowledge of evil by disobeying God, which causes God to come to this realization of all that is wrong with the world. However, as mentioned in Kass’s chapter, Noah represents a contrast to the evil in the world; he is a very righteous man who wants to remain with God. Through Noah’s contrast with the knowledge of evil, Noah serves as a model of man in society whose qualities will help one remain in favor with God.