The Eden Narrative: A Literary and Religio-Historical Study of Genesis 2–3

Tryggve N. D. Mettinger

Published by Penn State University Press 2007

The Eden Narrative

A Literary and Religio-Historical Study of Genesis 2–3

Tryggve N. D. Mettinger

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781575065861

Overview
Contents

About this book

In a book marked by unusually readable yet academic style, Mettinger transforms our knowledge of the story of Eden in Genesis. He shows us a story focused on a divine test of human obedience, with human disobedience and its consequences as its main theme. Both of the special trees in Eden had a function: the tree of knowledge as the test case, and the tree of life as the potential reward for obedience. Mettinger adopts a two-tiered approach. In a synchronic move, he understakes a literary analysis that yields striking observations on narratology, theme, and genre in the text studied. He defines the genre as myth and subjects the narrative to a functional analysis. He then applies a diachronic approach and presents a tradition-historical reconstruction of an Adamic myth in Ezekiel 28. The presence of both wisdom and immortality in this myth leads to a discussion of these divine prerogatives in Mesopotamian literature (remember Adapa and Gilgamesh). The two prerogatives demarcated an ontological boundary between the divine and human spheres. Nevertheless, the Eden Narrative does not evaluate the human desire to obtain knowledge or wisdom negatively. A piece of fresh, original scholarship in accessible form, this book is ideal for courses on creation, primeval history, the Bible and literature, and the Bible and the ancient Near East.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
Abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	xv
1. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
2. A Narratological Analysis of the Eden Narrative Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	12
3. The Theme of the Eden Narrative Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	42
4. The Genre and Function of the Eden Narrative Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	65
5. Traces of a Tradition: The Adamic Myth in Ezekiel 28 Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	85
6. Wisdom and Immortality in Adapa and Gilgamesh Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	99
7. Synthesis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	123
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	136
Indexes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	156

Language: English
Publisher: Penn State University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;
Pages
- Main content: 184

eBook

Published: June 23, 2007
ISBN: 9781575065861