Paradise to Prison: Studies in Genesis

No other piece of ancient Near Eastern literature that has survived the ravages of time compares favorably with the book of Genesis. Its theological perspectives and historical profiles of early man are unique. It is important not because it is old—other collections antedate it by many years—but because it completely transcends the primitive mythology of the ancient world. Reading and studying Genesis are not burdensome tasks. Its themes are varied and its personal portraits unparalleled. It immediately tackles one of man’s most basic questions: What is the origin of all things? Its answer is as credible as it is captivating. From the origin of man the writer shifts attention to the fall of man and the human dilemma. The problem of evil is rarely discussed in such a manner by other ancient writers. From this point the writer concentrates on the spiritual, moral, and practical consequences of sin. The sensitive reader cannot help but be struck by this book’s great contrasting emphases: on one hand majestic, cosmological truth; on the other hand personal, intimate, and individualistic narratives of a man, a wife, and their family. There are also great contrasts between personalities; the most significant is between God and Satan, and based on this contrast is the one between good and evil and their practical effects. The book of Genesis, therefore, is of utmost value to the scientist, the historian, and the theologian: to the scientist for its cosmology, to the historian for its early history of Israel, and to the theologian for its basic philosophical implications.