The Book of Exodus
Fall 2003 Bible Study

Overview

"St. Joan of Arc Bible Study is an open and growing group that meets for fellowship and to discuss the Bible and other faith-centered literature. Our informal study group draws from biblical scholarship, historical perspectives, current events and personal reflections. We welcome honor and respect the personal ideas and spiritual journeys of all who join us."

Greetings to all -

It was a glorious fall evening in Minneapolis last night - sunny and warm. And what better way to cap off the perfect-weather day than start down the trail of our fall scripture study - Exodus. We were pleased to welcome four new members to the group - Rita, Ronnie, Christina and Flo - and we were pleased to have our resident scholar, Tom Smith-Myott, on hand to present us with an overview of the Book of Exodus.

As usual, good questions and discussion cropped up during Tom's presentation. For example,

• We wondered about the written history of the exodus. Since Moses was raised as an upper-class Egyptian, and Egyptians were literate, is it possible there were ancient writings of the exodus in addition to the oral tradition?
• We learned that the word "redemption" as used in the Old Testament, is synonymous with "liberation" - as in "becoming a free people." It is only since the middle ages, about the time of Martin Luther, that the meaning became distorted from the original, referring to an individual rather than a group, and referring to the freeing from sin rather than freeing people from what binds them.
• We learned that exodus was the prime event for establishing monotheism

  We discussed how the exodus event was/is as ritually symbolic for the Israelite/Hebrew people as the Jesus and the Eucharist is for Christians today.

1. OUTLINE
   1. Exodus 1-12: In the land of Egypt
      • 1: From prosperity to slavery
      • 2-4: Moses called to deliver his people
      • 5: Confrontation with Pharaoh
      • 6: Moses’ call confirmed
      • 7-10: Moses faces Pharaoh again
      • 11-12: Deliverance from Egypt
   2. Exodus 13-18: In the wilderness
      • 13: Journey of Escape to the East
      • 14-15: Deliverance at the Red Sea
      • 16-18: Journey in the Wilderness
   3. Exodus 19-40: At Mount Sinai
      • 19-24: God’s covenant with Israel
      • 25-31: Directions for the sanctuary
      • 32-34: Sin and renewed covenant
      • 35-40: Building the sanctuary
      • 40:34-38: God blesses Israel with the sign of divine presence
2. OVERVIEW OF EXODUS
   1. Context of writing of Exodus
      1. set in historical period c1440 or 1270BCE
      2. a patchwork quilt of traditions from various periods in Israel’s life each had a different audience and historical situation in mind
      3. an interweaving of narrative, liturgy and law out of a conflation of history and memory
      4. book shaped by community’s worship e.g., annual celebration of Passover shaped writing of story in 12:1-28
      5. theological and kerygmatic in focus not written with a historical concern, although written with specific historical situations in mind, e.g., occupation, exile
      6. while no extra biblical source materials to back up Exodus’ historical assertions, there are historical clues
         1. Moses’ name is Egyptian
         2. Construction methods and slave labor used consistent with practices in Egypt during that time period
      7. final form of Exodus took shape during the Exile around 500BCE
   2. Sources of Book of Exodus - Three main sources/traditions
      Yahwist (Y) 8th & 7th Centuries BCE
      1. earliest (c 900BCE) and most comprehensive source
      2. rooted in a folk tradition
      3. uses “Yahweh” as name for God
      1. Elohist (E) 8th Century BCE
         1. written after 900 and reflects divided kingdom
         2. focus on north, Jacob, anti-Jerusalem
         3. uses “elohim” for God
      2. Priestly (P) 6th BCE
         1. written around same time as Deuteronomy, but also includes material from the Exile (500’s BCE)
         2. P editors arranged all 4 sources into present Pentateuch around 500-450 BCE
         3. Emphasizes obedience to the law and permanence of God’s blessings
         4. focus on God‘s plan not disrupted even by Israel’s defeat and exile
   3. Key Themes in Exodus
      1. Creation
         1. It is the creator God who redeems
         2. What God does in redemption is in service of God’s intent in creation, God’s cosmic purpose
         3. Israel has a function for the entire earth
         4. Parallel between Exodus and Genesis in structure of books
      2. Divine presence in burning bush, in cloud and fire pillars, atop Mount Sinai, upon the Tabernacle
      3. Knowledge of God
         1. about divine self-disclosure to the world through creation, relationships, events, covenant, worship, law
         2. a God who changes, who becomes, who does new things n cf. Isaiah 43:16-21 (“See, I am doing something new!)
         3. a God who needs humans to draw out the divine identity question of Yahweh’s name
      4. Images of God
         1. Lord, judge, king, ruler of heaven and earth, compassionate
         2. As responsive partner with humans midwives, parents of Moses, Moses
      5. Exodus as paradigm
         1. God as liberator
         2. Salvation/redemption = from oppression to freedom
         3. Influence on gospels e.g., Luke 1:46-55 (Canticle of Mary), on black spirituality, music, theology, on liberation theology
         4. Paradigm of rites of passage
      6. Worship of Yahweh
         1. movement from slavery to worship
         2. entire book, especially chapters 1-15 shaped by Israelite worship and ritual
         3. chapters 32-34 focus on issue of the proper worship of God
      7. Law, covenant & Israel’s identity
         1. the process of becoming a people
         2. the law is a gift to an already redeemed community, a guide to faithful and thus fruitful life and worship
3. THE IMPACT OF THE BOOK OF EXODUS
   1. Importance and Influence of Exodus
      1. Exodus is the central motif of scripture *Exodus as liberation is the lens through which all other bible themes are seen
      2. Exodus is the key constitutive event of Israel
         1. Creates a people
         2. Gives identity
         3. Lens to interpret subsequent history e.g., Exile
         4. Focal point of ritual, law and ethics
      3. Early Christians used Exodus to help interpret Jesus
         1. Matthew’s Jesus is the new Moses
         2. Jesus as the “Passover lamb”
         3. Jesus passion, death and resurrection interpreted as a Passover
      4. Exodus connects with basic human archetypes of hope and freedom, of heroes and villains, of death and rebirth, of departures and homecomings, of wanderings and journeys, of desert and promised lands
      5. Exodus as spiritual paradigm
   2. Concerns
      1. Images from Exodus have shadow side
         1. “chosen people” can be empowering, but also can be elitist and justify violence against “unchosen” people
         2. “promised land” or “holy land” can give hope, but also can be used to justify driving indigenous peoples off their land
      2. God in Exodus
         1. God’s partiality
         2. God’s violence
4. CONCLUSION
   1. Memorializing the exodus event allowed a past event to inform the present and shape the future
      · power in story and ritual

      Paradigm/archetype of exodus will always be with us

      - we need to interpret and use it with discrimination

Now if you want to see a people move -- just call out treats and you will see something amazing happen. I was a little slow in getting to the kitchen, but when I saw someone walk by with something chocolate, as big as my fist, I knew it was time to hurry. And what a smorgasbord of delectable edibles! Seven - yes, seven, types of chewy morsels. Humungo chocolate and pumpkin cookies, slathered in frosting; delicate sugar and ginger cookies with a dusting of sugar on top; chocolate chip, toffee, oatmeal-raisin too- Oh Goddess! With Minneapolis's finest filtered water to wash it all down, it was a treat indeed. Thanks John.

Counting off into small groups generally requires some practice, especially after a long summer, but we managed quite well---the second time. The groups discussed what we hope to learn from Exodus and the questions it was raising for us. Small-group time also allowed us to meet the new members and share our own backgrounds.

We concluded with a beautiful exodus-type poem called "Passover Remembered" by Alla Renee Bozrth. See below for the text.

And now for next week - we will be meeting back in Hospitality Hall.

Read Exodus Chapters 1-4

• Facilitator: Bruce
• Opening Prayer: Carlene
• Closing Prayer: Betty
• Treats: Karen
• Cleanup: All