How to Read Genesis (How to Read Series) - Softcover

Longman III, Tremper

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0877849439 ISBN 13: 9780877849438

Publisher: IVP Academic, 2005

Synopsis

• Honored in 2006 as a "Year's Best Book for Preachers" by Preaching magazine.

Creation in six days Woman from the side of man "Sons of god" taking "daughters of men" A massive disaster and an animal rescue boat of biblical proportions Abraham, Sarah, Hagar and the ongoing saga of a dysfunctional family These are just a few of the episodes that Genesis conjures up. But we miss the point if we focus on what seems strange to us. And we distort the message if we demand that this book answer questions that are strange to it. To read Genesis intelligently, we must consider the questions, the literature and the times in which Genesis was written. In How to Read Genesis Tremper Longman III provides a welcome guide to reading and studying, understanding and savoring this panorama of beginnings--of both the world and of Israel. And importantly for Christian readers, we gain insight into how Genesis points to Christ and can be read in light of the gospel.

About this title

About the Author

Tremper Longman III is Robert H. Gundry Professor of Biblical Studies at Westmont College, Santa Barbara, California. He is the author of numerous books, including How to Read the Psalms and How to Read Proverbs.

Review

This book helped me think through some cirtical issues in new ways and helped me understand that many of the questions we want Genesis to answer aren't what the book is trying to address. More importantly, I felt that it gave me a handle on what Genesis was trying to communicate both to the original readers and me. (The Book Blog, (dtsbookcenter.wordpress.com), October 6, 2008)

. . .is written in a way that allows any minister or teacher of the Word as well as any educated layperson to enter the world of contemporary Old Testament scholarship. (Daniel R. Hyde, Calvin Theological Journal, April 2008)

In a mere 175 pages, Longman considers the issues surrounding the reading of Genesis in an easily accessible manner. . . .good reading for any layman seeking to know more about this most pivotal text of the Bible. (Mutsugoro, January 23, 2008)

Longman sheds fresh light on overly familiar stories in an interesting and readable manner. He presents competing theological understandings of Genesis fairly (in my opinion). Most importantly, he leads the reader into actually reading Genesis, after reading about it. (Dolores Klinsky Walker, Pioneer United Methodist Church, Walla Walla, WA, National Church Library Association, April 11, 2007, http://nclareviews.pbwiki.com/Biblical%20Studies)

Longman does a good job of addressing critical arguments about author and date in an accessible way . . . Longman deserves praise for giving laymen the tools to engage the Bible more thoughtfully. (Modern Reformation, March/April 2006)

Edition details

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0877849439
• ISBN 13: 9780877849438
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192