Premium Essay

Examples Of Reconciliation In Genesis

Submitted By
Words 1308
Pages 6
Introduction
The Old Testament is replete with stories of revenge that embody Lex Talonis, a concept loosely translated from Latin to mean “an eye for an eye”. It is not surprising, therefore, that throughout the entire book of Genesis we find only two accounts of reconciliation between feuding siblings: Jacob’s reunion with his brother Esau (Gen ); and Joseph’s act of mercy towards his brothers (Gen 45: 1-28). Apart from these two episodes, in the only other instance of sibling rivalry we find in Genesis ends with Cain’s tragic murder of his brother Abel (Gen). Even within the two reconciliatory narratives represented in Genesis, Joseph’s story is the sole one with a truly respectable outcome (Genesis 45: 1-28). Esau’s and Jacob’s relationship remained strained even after the brothers ended their feud, with each going their own separate way and subsequently establishing independent communities: the Israelites (Jacob); and the Edomites (Esau). It would seem justifiable had Joseph sought to settle scores with his brothers for having beaten him, left him in a pit to die and ultimately sold him to Egyptian slavers. However, notwithstanding the pain inflicted upon him by his brothers, Joseph chose the path of forgiveness and used his influence in Egypt to ensure his family would survive the famine. The reconciliation narrative in Genesis 45 is the first …show more content…
The events leading up to Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers depict Joseph as a vindictive person who humiliates his brothers to settle scores for the way they treated him. However exploring the narrative in its entirety leads to the conclusion that the embarrassment was necessary to determine whether Joseph’s brothers had learned anything from their previous conduct. Genesis 46 contributes little to the Jacob-Joseph narrative, following the events of the chapters that lead to Jacob’s migration into

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Theology Short Essay 1

...Bible is clear as to what marriage stands for and that it is something that must be fought for and should last a lifetime. The concept of marriage was established when Adam and Eve were created. In Genesis 2:18-25 it tells not only of how Eve was created but why she was created. According to L.I. Granberg and J.R. Root, God made marriage so that a man and woman could be joined to form “one flesh” and reach a sense of completeness. (Granberg, 743). It can be found in 1 Corinthians 7:1-16 what is required and asked of both the man and the woman to have a healthy, God honoring marriage (NIV). The Bible does not give an exact moment in which a couple is considered to be married in the eyes of God, but rather lists three principles that should be followed. The first being that marriage should follow the marriage requirements the government has set. Romans 13:1-2 says that we must obey the government that the Lord has placed over us (NIV). The second principle, depending on cultural background, is to have some form of a wedding ceremony. According to R.S. Rayburn, the wedding ceremony and celebration plays a key role in the consummation of the marriage (Rayburn, 745). The last principle that must be acknowledged is the consummation of the marriage through sexual intercourse. Genesis 2:24 says that a man and woman should leave their parents side and join...

Words: 952 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Test

...Marriage Contract I. The Authority In the Name of God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, we, ______Marcus Brandon_______________ and ___Nadine Edwards___________________ , hereby, before these witnesses, are joined in holy matrimony, as God intended in Genesis 2: 21-25, from this day forward until death. The Authority in and for this marriage shall be Almighty God as revealed in the Holy Bible, Authorized 1611 King James Version (“the Word of God”). His words shall be final Authority in every decision and/or dispute. II. The parties _______________________ is a man of sound mind and character, and of lawful age, attesting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the preeminence of the Word of God. _______________________ is a woman of sound mind and character, and of lawful age, attesting to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the preeminence of the Word of God. III. The Benefits Both of the parties shall have the usual and customary duties of marriage including, but not limited to, the following: Mutual sexual congress It is specifically agreed that each party will endeavor to maintain high standards of hygiene and physical fitness so as to remain attractive one to the other. Mutual society Mutual rearing of children Mutual support, including, but not limited to: Financial: although the Husband shall be the person who works outside the home primarily so long as he is able. So long as...

Words: 1597 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Jstification by Faith

...Liberty University Justification by Faith A Research paper submitted to Professor Laverne Smith In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for BIBL 161-D01 Willmington School of the Bible By Jason Miller Lynchburg, Virginia FRIDAY November 28, 2014 CONTENTS Introduction 1 Man’s Unrighteousness 1 Man’s Need for Redemption 2 The Righteousness of God 3 Justification by Faith 4 Salvation from God’s Wrath 6 Contemporary Church’s View of Justification 6 Conclusion 7 Introduction The Protestant Reformation began when Martin Luther’s study of the scriptures revealed to him that mankind can only be justified by faith. This truth from God’s Word transformed Luther’s life and opened the door for believers to break free of religious bondage. Luther would say that justification by faith is the article upon which the church stands or falls. The reformer John Calvin would later echo that sentiment by stating that justification by faith is the hinge by which everything else turns. In reading Paul’s letter to the Romans one can easily see that the doctrine of justification is truly a cornerstone of the Christian faith. This doctrine is a theme that appears throughout the book. By examining man’s unrighteous state and his need for redemption the apostle Paul methodically shows the reader that not only is a person justified by faith alone but also that they are saved from God’s...

Words: 2518 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Short Essay on Anthropology: Marriage and Divorce

...David Cobb THEO202_B07_200930 Short Essay #2 Short Essay on Anthropology: Marriage and Divorce The origin of marriage comes from Genesis 2:18, where God said that it is not right that man should be alone. Regardless of the intention that God had for marriage when he ordained it, too many people have made it to be something of a fad or a trend. That is why we as Christians should strive to uphold and embody the sacred vows that we took in the eyes of man and of God and be an example to a lost world. The biblical teaching of marriage is that it is the union of one man and of one woman (Gen. 2:24). This bond is portrayed in the relationship as a covenant. A covenant is a personal relationship within a publicly known structure, based on promises given and accepted. (1) As two become on flesh it is important that we remember it is God’s intent that you remain intact forever (Gen. 2:24). There are some biblical laws concerning marriage. After Levitical law marriage to family is outlawed (Lev. 20:19), marriage to foreigners is considered dangerous (1 Kings 11:1-2-10; 2 Cor. 6:14-15), and both husband and wife are to be submitted to each other (Eph. 5:22-33). In a biblical marriage the husband did not possess his wife until the bride price was paid (Gen. 34:12). Even before this though there was a time of Betrothal to one another. This was a legally binding contract that stated they would remain celibate (Matt. 1:18). The marriage would be consecrated on the first...

Words: 898 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Conflict in Glory

...1 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY BABPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY THE PEACE MAKING PASTOR: A BIBLICAL GUIDE TO RESOLVING CHURCH CONFLICT A REPORT SUBMITTED TO DR. DONALD HICKS BY JAMES E. JORDAN LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA AUGUST 11, 2011 2 Contents Introduction Biblical Background Antithesis Examination God-ward Perspective Conclusion Bibliography 3 3 4 5 5 7 3 Introduction In this report, I will examine an example where conflict is the substance of the text within the Bible. I will discuss how the story unfolds and demonstrate the antithesis between the children of God and the children of Man. Antithesis is defined as “contrast or opposition.”1 I will also discuss God-ward perspective in relation to conflict. Biblical Background “For the wages of sin is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23 [KJV]). This verse out of the book of Romans is a clear example of antithesis within the Bible. When the entire book of Romans is reviewed it is obvious that the author of this letter to Rome is Paul (Romans 1:1; [KJV]). Paul writes this letter to the Romans somewhere between the times of A.D. 55 and 58 and occurred “during his third missionary journey.”2 It is rightly placed first among the Epistles because it is the most complete exposition in the New Testament of the central truths of Christianity. Paul needed to visit the Roman Christians and his desire to communicate to them the great doctrines of grace that...

Words: 1106 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Accounting: David Miller

...and he was said to do outstanding work. Most of this was most likely a ploy to cover his tracks. This coupled with Mr. Miller being a very likeable person proved to make his transgressions very hard for his employers to detect. 2. Mr. Miller committed the various fraud schemes by stealing money from his employers through forged checks. In order to forge the checks, Mr. Miller himself would sign the checks or he would trick colleagues into signing their names to checks requiring two authorizing signatures. He would do this by asking them to sign the checks just in case the company needed to authorize a payment while they were on vacation. In order to conceal the fraud, Mr. Miller would retrieve the canceled checks from the bank reconciliation and destroy the canceled checks he used to siphon money. The amount stolen was charged to a business unit’s expense account in order to balance the company’s books. Since Mr. Miller was stealing the money through forges checks, he would simply deposit the checks into his personal account to convert the funds into personal gain. With the stolen money Mr. Miller spent the money on everything from vacation homes to custom tailored suits. 3. Mr. Miller faced different personal pressures that allowed him to rationalize committing the various fraud schemes. The two most obvious pressures were Mr. Miller’s debts he owed previous employers for...

Words: 1211 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Integration

...Integration Paper Thiago DeSouza Psychology and the Bible Liberty University Abstract Integration for many years has been a topic of discussion between psychologists and Christian leaders. The debate between the two disciplines has been whether or not the two can coexist together or if the two disciplines should never merge. Epistemology, cosmology, and philosophical anthropology lays down the foundation for integration. Both disciplines seek to understand human behavior and both seek to fix what appears to be broken within humanity. Both disciplines seek for truth. Psychology seeks for truth through science and what has been observed, whereas the source for truth for Christianity is found in God through His Words and His Works. The two may not contradict. There are several models of integration and they look to explain what the relationship between psychology and Christianity ought to be. The Allies model, which is discussed in more depth, holds the view that truth is found in God’s Words and Works and that God is sovereign over all things. Integration Paper The integration of psychology and Christianity has been a topic of discussion for many years and will be for many more years to come. It is important that this discussion is not put aside but rather be openly discussed among members from both disciplines. There are many models within integration and they all offer their own perspectives on the relationship between psychology and Christianity. One is not necessarily...

Words: 5610 - Pages: 23

Premium Essay

Contemporary Issues of Christianity Paper

...contemporary struggles affecting these western religious traditions. From the internal struggles within Christianity such as abortion, to its struggles with Islam and Muslim extremists, finally to the contempt against Christianity from actions of the Holocaust, each tradition faces contemporary struggles within their own right. Gaining a better understanding and insight into the historical, theological, and contemporary struggles between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism will enhance appreciation for each belief. Historical Connections and Theological Similarities: One main pillar of similar theology between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism is the belief in one god. However, each has different perspectives in relation to God. For example, Christians believe in [pic]the Trinity[pic] of [pic]God; God the Father, the Son (Jesus[pic] Christ), [pic]and the Holy Spirit[pic] ("Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison", 2002-2011). Also Christians consider Jesus [pic]the son of God, born to the Virgin Mary, and[pic] had [pic]come to earth to offer redemption for mankind’s sins.[pic] Additionally, Christians see God as giving [pic]a revelation of himself through the flesh[pic] of [pic]Jesus Christ.[pic] Counter to Christianity, the “Judaism, Islam, Christianity-Comparison” (2002-2011) website reflects that [pic]Islam embraces an immaterial, invisible...

Words: 2531 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Signs

...Amos Darowksi BIB329NA Prof. Jeffrey Garcia The Signs of the Messiah The central theme of the Old Testament Holy Books is the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the Kingdom of God among people. Despite their great antiquity, the Old Testament prophecies have in no way lost their actuality. They help the believing person to understand their faith more deeply and fully. To the unbelieving person, they serve as proof of the existence of God and His participation in human life. Just the fact that the prophets could prophesy the occurrences of the future, with such accuracy and with such detail, hundreds and thousands of years in advance, gives witness that God spoke through them. The goal of the Old Testament prophecies was to prepare the Jews, and through them all of mankind, for the coming of the Savior of the world, so that when He came, He could be recognized and they would believe in Him. However, the task of the prophets was difficult for several reasons. First of all, the Messiah was to be not only a great person, but at the same time God. For this reason, the prophets were faced with the task of revealing the Godly nature of the Messiah, but in such a way, that it did not give rise to polytheism, to which ancient people were so prone, Jews included. Secondly, the prophets had to show that the work of the Messiah would consist not only of the external improvements of living conditions but more importantly the goal of His coming into the world...

Words: 2773 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Why Is the Cross at the Heart of Christian Anthropology?

...after the fall. As a result of the fall human life has never been the same; anthropology is also concerned with human dignity, freedom, depravity, culture, and society. Since the creation of the world God had a plan to redeem mankind from sin through the cross of Christ Jesus by the shedding of His blood. Accordingly man freedom is the heart of the cross of Jesus. When we study man, his fall and redemption we have to understand our sins hence we have the word Hamartiogy. “Hamartiology,” is a word made up by two Greek terms hamartia meaning “sin” and logos. Furthermore it includes the biblical doctrine of sin including its origin, nature, transmission, effects, and judgment. In this essay the writer will briefly examine texts from the Bible Genesis to Revelation to demonstrate that the cross is at the heart of Christian Anthropology. The writer will also explain that the cross was God’s divine plan; therefore Jesus (God-man), the cross, His blood and resurrection should not be separated. Furthermore the writer will also demonstrate that the death of Jesus Christ was a sacrifice of our sins. The Cross The cross...

Words: 3574 - Pages: 15

Free Essay

Shir

...BECOMING ZIMBABWE TEACHING HISTORY IN CONTEXT IN ZIMBABWE Miles Tendi Published by the Institute for Justice and Reconcilation Wynberg Mews, Ground Floor, House Vincent, 10 Brodie Road, Wynberg 7800, South Africa www.ijr.org.za © 2009 Institute for Justice and Reconciliation First Published 2009 All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-920219-18-5 Produced by Compress.dsl www.compressdsl.com CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 CHAPTER 1: Using history 5 The uses of liberation history in Zimbabwean politics • Historical context • ZANU PF’s ‘Patriotic History’ • Patriotic History’s detractors • What is Patriotic History? • The opposition’s use of history 5 5 6 6 8 CHAPTER 2: History in secondary and higher education 11 History curriculum development in Zimbabwe’s secondary schools and higher education institutions, and the implications for reconciliation, national healing and transitional justice • The growth in education since independence • History in secondary schools • History in higher education • A review of the NASS syllabus 11 11 14 17 CHAPTER 3: Teaching history 23 Challenges of teaching history in Zimbabwe, points of contention and consensus, and future prospects • Repression in tertiary institutions • Decline in secondary schools • National youth training service centres • Reasons for optimism 23 25 25 26 CHAPTER 4: Supporting history teaching 29 Supporting secondary and higher educators, and proposals towards learning sessions, modules and activities for history...

Words: 16487 - Pages: 66

Premium Essay

Personal Credo

...I believe that God has chosen to reveal Himself through miraculous means to include physical appearances of God, dreams, and visions, the written Word of God, and most importantly—Jesus Christ. The Bible records God appearing in physical form many times (Genesis 3:8, 18:1; Exodus 3:1-4, 34:5-7), and the Bible records God speaking to people through dreams (Genesis 28:12, 37:5; 1 Kings 3:5; Daniel 2) and visions (Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7; 2 Corinthians 12:1-7). Also, God chooses to reveal Himself as taught in Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” Like Psalm 19, Romans 1:20 teaches that God’s eternal power and divine nature are “clearly seen” and “understood” from what has been made. I believe the primary importance in the revealing of God is His Word, the Bible. God miraculously inspired the authors of Scripture to correctly record His message to mankind, while still using their own styles and personalities. God sets forth in the infallible Scriptures combines Jesus’ own declaration of the present reality of the Kingdom of God with the apostles’ account of the person, place, and work of Christ, and how sinful humans benefit from it. The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). The Word of God is inspired, profitable, and sufficient (2 Timothy 3:16-17). God determined to have the...

Words: 4879 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Philosopher

...Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (/ˈniːtʃə/[2] German: [ˈfʁiːdʁɪç ˈvɪlhɛlm ˈniːt͡sʃə]; 15 October 1844 – 25 August 1900) was a German philologist, philosopher,cultural critic, poet and composer. He wrote several critical texts on religion, morality, contemporary culture, philosophy and science, displaying a fondness for metaphor, irony and aphorism. Nietzsche's key ideas include the Apollonian/Dionysian dichotomy, perspectivism, the Will to Power, the "death of God", the Übermensch and eternal recurrence. One of the key tenets of his philosophy is the concept of "life-affirmation," which embraces the realities of the world in which we live over the idea of a world beyond. It further champions the creative powers of the individual to strive beyond social, cultural, and moral contexts.[3]Nietzsche's attitude towards religion and morality was marked with atheism, psychologism and historism; he considered them to be human creations loaded with the error of confusing cause and effect.[4] His radical questioning of the value and objectivity of truth has been the focus of extensive commentary, and his influence remains substantial, particularly in the continental philosophical schools of existentialism, postmodernism, and post-structuralism. His ideas of individual overcoming and transcendence beyond structure and context have had a profound impact on late-twentieth and early-twenty-first century thinkers, who have used these concepts as points of departure in the development of their philosophies...

Words: 3395 - Pages: 14

Premium Essay

Religious Leadership and Conflict Resolution

...The book is titled WHY I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN. Without bothering to read even the first page of the book, he dismissively responded, “I don’t read such books; they are satanic.” I recognized immediately that he was in a state of dissonance, a state of conflict for he was sweating profusely in spite of the chilling temperature in my air-conditioned office: his psychological posture was that as an academic and a budding sociologist, he was supposed to read as widely as possible but reading books that would challenged the basis of his faith was asking for too much. So, the questions are: Why is religion such an emotive and volatile phenomenon? Why do people kill in the name of religion which often carries the message of peace, love and reconciliation? Why do people engage in apparently irrational behaviours in the name of religion? The answer is simple: religion is beyond logic and science; it is a matter for the heart and not for the head. In fact religion may be defined as a source of conflict in many places. Yes, to the extent that we all profess one religious faith or another and are prepared to fanatically defend the tenets of our religion against others, we constitute a threat, a potential source of conflict in our communities. Since...

Words: 4047 - Pages: 17

Premium Essay

Financial Inclusion

...Chapter 1 1.1 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Peoples Own savings bank of Zimbabwe (POSB) is a statutory, national savings bank, wholly owned by the government of Zimbabwe. The People’s Own Savings Bank was established on the 1st of January 1905 and has a proud history of achievement and service provision to every Zimbabwean. The former Post and Telecommunications (PTC) unbundled into three separate entities namely; The People’s Own Savings Bank replacing the Post Office Savings Bank, Zimpost replacing the former Post Office and Telone and Net One replacing Telecoms. In 2001, the POSB bank Act (chapter 24:22) was promolgumated, establishing POSB as a corporate entity. This Act widened the scope of the bank to enable it to offer a wide range of financial products. The bank's core mandate is to promote a culture of saving amongst Zimbabweans, especially in the previously unbanked outlying communities. POSB deals with clients from the lower market. POSB is directly supervised by the ministry of finance and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe. 1.2 THE BUSINESS STATEMENT 1.2.1 Vision To be a world class Savings Bank catering for all. 1.2.2 Mission To be a Savings bank which provides a broad range of quality, accessible and affordable financial services. 1.2.3 Values  Innovation Ability to change for the better. KUNDAI KAMANGA Page 1 N0110841B  Excellence Exceeding set standards and expectations.  Integrity Being trustworthy, dependable and honest in all our...

Words: 11258 - Pages: 46