Bruce K. Waltke - Genesis: A Commentary

An extended process of research and collaboration led to the creation of this commentary. The foundation of exegetical notes was laid in the late 1980s when Bruce prepared Genesis notes for the New Geneva Study Bible. We are most grateful to the Foundation for Reformation for their permission to use these notes as the starting basis for this commentary. The primary theological reflections and expanded notes focusing on literary analysis were developed when Bruce subsequently taught Genesis at Regent College. In 1997 Bruce and Zondervan realized that the combination of these notes, literary analysis, and theological reflections had the makings of an excellent commentary that would enrich peoples understanding of this book of beginnings.

Here Bruce brought Cathi, his teaching assistant at that time, into the project to collaborate with him on the writing, editing, and organizing. Cathi, a former English teacher, seemed a good fit for the project, able to contribute not only to the writing and editing but also to the concerns of literary analysis and of women in biblical studies.

When he wrote his original lecture notes, Bruce analyzed Genesis with a structure of books, acts, and scenes in an effort to capture the literary nature of the text and to help his students grasp the structure and flow of Genesis. As this unusual approach proved effective for helping students study the book, Cathi and Bruce worked together to hone and expand the literary analysis. Cathi provided a skeleton draft of the book. Then, as inevitably happens when one begins a project of this magnitude, Bruce determined that significant additional research was needed to cover the detail of Genesis adequately. He made extensive additions to the literary analysis, exegetical notes, and theological reflections. Cathi edited the whole, making it more readable, probing Bruce with challenging questions, and improving the overall flow by paying special attention to the plot and structure of the narrative. The introduction to the commentary was written by Bruce, including his adaptation of his essay The Kingdom of God in Biblical Theology. Utilizing Bruces biblical theology notes, Cathi wrote the section on poetics. The continual process of dialogue and collaboration led to the commentary in its present form.

It is our hope and belief that the combination of literary analysis, exegetical notes, and theological reflections will be particularly helpful to pastors and lay leaders to teach and preach Genesis. As explained in the introduction, following the design by the author of Genesis, we have outlined Genesis by a prologue and ten books (tle). At the beginning of each book we have set out the key theme and outline of the book. In an attempt to capture the literary flow of the narrative and for ease of analysis, we have further divided Genesis into acts and scenes. This nomenclature is arbitrary, since the author of Genesis did not work in the structures of a modern play. Nevertheless, we believe our divisions are true to his representation of Israels history and helpful for demarcating narrative units. The Literary Analysis highlights the major literary features of each act and scene and should provide a helpful starting point for the reader. The analysis is by no means exhaustive nor conclusive. Rather, we have attempted to model a literary approach to Genesis. As readers enter Genesis, it is our hope they will discover its rich literary treasures, uncovering many other possible structures and techniques.

The Exegetical Notes are best read with a Bible in hand. Based on the NIV text unless otherwise noted, they are intended to provide useful summary and explanation. Particular words and phrases that have significance or require historical, social, or geographical clarification are highlighted. The Theological Reflections expand upon the themes of Genesis, drawing connections with the rest of Scripture and making application to the church and the Christian life.

We are indebted to many people for their time, counsel, and assistance in finalizing the detail of this book. We could not have asked for a more talented bibliography crew. Jonathan Bird, Daniel Clark, Matthew Freeman, Otto Guggemous, Poul Guttesen, Bruce Jeffery, Dorothy Kieft, Andrew Lewis, Carol McMahan, Janet Somes, and Kara Wenzel were a pleasure to work with. We would especially like to thank Megan Brown, Peter Chamberlain, and Keith Hyde, who were extraordinary in the giving of their time and talents. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Bob Buller and Verlyn Verbrugge for their careful and critical editing of the final manuscript. Bruce gladly acknowledges his unending dialectic with the community of readerswriters, teachers, and studentswhose ideas he has absorbed and integrated as his own. The footnotes point the reader to some of these sources, but in truth they are too many and too interrelated to credit properly. Cathi would particularly like to thank Kimberly Fredricks, Dorothy Kieft, and Kara Wenzel, along with many other friends for their support during the lengthy process of writing and editing.

This essay on The Kingdom of God in Biblical Theology will appear in a forthcoming book, Looking into the Future: Evangelical Studies in Eschatology, ed. David W. Baker (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001).