Genesis 9:8-17 is the First Reading appointed for the First Sunday in Lent in the Year of Mark. It is perhaps one of the most unrecognized gospel texts in the entire Hebrew Bible. In this amazing text, God says over and over, "I am establishing an everlasting covenant with all flesh." What amazing news. It will be the preacher's joy to proclaim this good news.
(The following questions are not meant to be exhaustive, but have been designed to help identify the way the Word is working in the text, a fundamental concern of Law and Gospel preachers. For more on this method, and on Law and Gospel preaching in general, see my brief guide, Afflicting the Comfortable, Comforting the Afflicted, available from wipfandstock.com and amazon.)
1. How does the Word function in the text? The word "covenant" occurs 7 times in this brief text. This is a strong hint that the Word is functioning solely as promise, as gospel.
2. How is the Word not functioning in the text? There is no word of Law, no word that exposes our need for a Savior. We will need to look beyond this text for that.
3. With whom are you identifying in the text? We take the place of Noah and his family here, listening as God speaks the good news. We stand in awe.
4. What, if any, call to obedience is there in this text? "Be fruitful and multiply" is a common phrase in verses surrounding this text, but is not present here. There are no commands here, just good news.
5. What Law/Gospel couplet is suggested by this text? With the absence of Law in this text, we will need to invent terms to go with our covenantal promises. Some ideas: forgotten/remembered; cut off/embraced; drowning/being saved.
6. Exegetical work: Botterweck and Ringgren do a nice job of discussing the etymology of berith (covenant), reminding us that berith is associated with "Akk. birtu, ' clasp,' 'fetter'... This means that "the original meaning of the Heb. berith... is not 'agreement or settlement between two parties,' as is commonly argued. berith, implies first and foremost the notion of 'imposition,' 'liability,' or 'obligation,' as might be learned from the 'bond' etymology above." (Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, vol. II, p. 255). This is important because it alerts us to the commitment God is making to the whole creation in the covenant. Luther's observation regarding the redundancy of this text is particularly enlightening. He writes: "When the same matter is repeated so many times, this is an indication of God's extraordinary affection for mankind. He is trying to persuade them not to fear punishment in the future but to hope for blessing and the utmost forbearance. Noah and his people were in great need of such comfort... It is for this reason that God shows Himself benevolent in such a variety of ways and takes such extraordinary delight in pouring forth compassion, like a mother who is caressing and petting her child in order that it may finally began to forget its tears and smile at its mother." (Luther's Works, vol. 2, "Lectures on Genesis, Chapters 6-14, p. 145). Walter Brueggemann, in his commentary, concurs with Luther that this story is not about "an angry tyrant, but a troubled parent who grieves over the alienation" between God and humankind. "God is not angered but grieved. He is not enraged but saddened." (Interpretation series, Genesis, p.77.) Finally, says Brueggemann, this story is not a story about the creation in crisis, rather it is "the heart and person of God which are placed in crisis." (Ibid., 78). The story is therefore not resolved by a change in humankind, indeed in 8:21 we read that "the inclination of the human heart" continues to be evil, but rather, "the resolution comes by the resolve of God's heart to fashion newness." (Ibid., p.80). "What distinguishes God in this narrative from every other god and from every creature is God's deep grief. That grief allows God to move past his own interest and to embrace his creature-partner in new ways." (Ibid., p. 82).
Blessings on your proclamation!
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