CHAPITRE 3

EXÉGÈSE DE GENESE 11.5

Introduction

Le chapitre précédent a présenté une revue de la littérature d'auteurs et de textes

bibliques pertinents pour notre sujet. Ce chapitre est dédié à l'analyse exégétique du

passage de Luc 12.49. L’exégèse est définie par Douglas Stuart comme étant : « une

étude approfondie et analytique d’un passage biblique effectué de manière à arriver à une

interprétation utile du passage. »1 Ainsi, ce troisième chapitre vise à étudier de manière

approfondie le texte.

Contexte historique

Cette section répond à ces questions : Dans quelle situation historique,

sociopolitique et culturelle le passage a-t-il été écrit ? Quelles sont les principales

caractéristiques du peuple (souvent appelé la « communauté ») abordé par le passage ?

Que peut-on savoir de leur histoire ? Lieu social ? Croyances et pratiques? Quels

événements anciens, réalités politiques, lieux, coutumes, valeurs et croyances sont

mentionnés ou auxquels il est fait allusion dans le texte (parfois appelés « contexte

historique » ou « réalités extratextuelles ») qui doivent être compris afin de comprendre

le texte ? Quelles circonstances, ou quel genre de situation, ont pu pousser l'auteur à

écrire ce texte ? 2
1
Douglas Stuart, Old Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors, 4th ed.
(Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009), 1.
2
Gorman, 86.
Author and Background • The Book of Genesis was written and compiled by Moses in

the Wilderness of Sinai. Biblical and extrabiblical evidence points to this fact. Jesus

clearly assumes Mosaic authorship of Genesis in the statement, “Moses therefore gave

you circumcision” (compare also Acts 15:1). Since the reason for circumcision is

mentioned only in Genesis 17, Jesus had to be referring to Moses’ compilation of the

story. Second, both Jewish and Christian tradition unanimously agree with this biblical

testimony: Moses compiled and wrote the Pentateuch, the fi rst fi ve books of the Bible,

in the Wilderness of Sinai. This would place his authorship of Genesis around the fi

fteenth century B.C. Many scholars since the nineteenth century have denied Moses’

authorship of Genesis. Instead, some of these scholars have suggested that the

Pentateuch, including Genesis, was compiled at a later date, perhaps in the sixth century

B.C. According to this analysis, anonymous editors used at least four documents to piece

together the Pentateuch. These four documents were identifi ed by tracing the divine

names, such as Elohim and Yahweh, through the Pentateuch, and by tracing certain

variations in phraseology and word choice. The four documents are called: the J

document, which uses Yahweh for God; the E document, which uses Elohim for God; the

P or Priestly document; and the D or Deuteronomic document. More recently, this

dissection of the Pentateuch has been challenged, and no real consensus has emerged

from the ensuing scholarly debate. By appreciating the unifi ed structure of Genesis,

Moses’ guiding hand in the compilation and authorship of Genesis can be discerned.

Certainly, Moses used other literary sources to piece together his narrative. Sometimes

these sources are identifi ed (see Gen. 5:1). Moses presumably edited these older
documents to make them understandable to his readers—the second Israelite generation

after the Exodus. And later prophets updated the language for the ensuing generations of

Israelite readers. But after all the analysis, it is clear that Moses wrote and compiled

Genesis to encourage the early Israelites while they were preparing to enter the land of

Canaan, the Promised Land. The content of Genesis would have been especially signifi

cant to them. It explains why their ancestors went to Egypt in the fi rst place, why their

nation was destined for another Promised Land, and why God had revealed Himself so

dramatically to them in the wilderness.

Principal Message • Genesis, the book of beginnings, has two parts. The fi rst part

(chs. 1—11) serves as a prologue to the second part (chs. 12—50), the book’s main event

—God’s sovereign work in Abraham’s family to accomplish His good will for all

nations. This prologue (chs. 1—11) provides keys that unlock the rest of the book and the

rest of the Bible as well. Four key concepts presented in Genesis 1—11 are crucial for

comprehending the rest of the Bible. First, the God who entered the lives of Abram and

Sarai is the same God who created the entire The First Book of Moses Called Genesis 2

universe. He is the only true and living God—Yahweh, the Creator and the Savior of the

world. Second, all people have rebelled against God, their benevolent Creator, and His

good will for them. Humanity has inherited a state of sinfulness from Adam and Eve’s

rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Third, God judges and will judge the actions of all

people. God, by sending the Flood, made it clear to Noah and to everyone that human

wickedness is entirely unacceptable. God cannot let evil reign free in His creation.

Fourth, sin continues to plague all of humanity—even after the Flood. Although the

Flood did not wash away sin, God, as the second half of Genesis (chs. 12—50) reveals,
has a plan to save humanity from its own evil deeds. The fi rst part of Genesis provides

the setting for the story of Abram and Sarai (chs. 12—50). Their world is populated by a

broad spectrum of people groups, each with its own language, customs, values, and

beliefs, and all have adopted their own imaginary gods. The main story of Genesis—

God’s plan to bless all nations through Abraham’s descendants—starts in chapter 12. It

begins with God’s call to Abram and Sarai (Abraham and Sarah) to become the parents

of a new people—a new nation. This new nation would become God’s tool for blessing

all peoples. Even though Abram and Sarai were merely an elderly couple with the means

to travel, God chose to begin His plan of redemption for the entire world with them. The

description of their experiences demonstrates the irruption (the breaking into from

without) of God’s blessing into their lives. Central to God’s blessing was His covenant

with Abraham—the Abrahamic covenant (see 12:1–3; 15:1–21). God, the awesome

Creator of the entire universe, freely chose to make everlasting promises to Abraham and

his descendants. These promises in the Abrahamic covenant were the foundation for all

of God’s subsequent promises and covenants in the Bible. Genesis is not merely a

beginning; it provides the foundation for the rest of the biblical narrative.3

3
Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, et H. Wayne House, The Nelson Study Bible New King
James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1997, 2007), 1, 2.