Thomas W. Mann on the Theological Unity of Genesis

Thomas W. Mann, ‘“All the Families of the Earth”: The Theological Unity of Genesis’, Interpretation 45, 4 (1991), 341-53.

According to Thomas W. Mann, there are four main literary units to Genesis (345):

• The primeval cycle (1:1-11:26)
• The Abraham cycle (11:27-25:18)
• The Jacob cycle (25:19-36:43)
• The Joseph cycle (37:1-50:26)

Although the families in Genesis are largely dysfunctional, God still uses them as agents of his grace to ‘all the families of the earth’. The commission to Abraham (12:3) reflects a concern throughout the whole book, beginning with the blessing on humankind (1:28) and ending with Joseph’s words (50:24).

‘The central theological focus that unites the Book of Genesis is the promise that God makes first to Abraham and then repeats in various forms to Isaac, to Jacob, and, through Jacob, to Joseph: “In you shall all the families of the earth be blessed” (341).

In spite of the possibility of Genesis being made up of different literary strands, there are two key devices that cut across the sources and give the book of Genesis a unity: (1) the ‘generations’ formula, and (2) the divine ‘promises’.

(1) The ‘these are the generations of…’ formula begins in 2:4 and the book contains it 11 times, sometimes (e.g., 5:1 and 36:9) connected to a genealogy, and sometimes (e.g., 25:19 and 37:2) providing the heading for a large block of narrative material.

(2) The promise made to Abraham (initially in 12:1-3, but elsewhere as well) is repeated in various forms throughout the book: to Isaac (26:2-4); to Jacob (28:13-15; 35:9-12); connected with Joseph (46:1-4; 50:24-25).

The promise of blessing is for ‘all the families of the earth’, which is related to the ‘generations’ formula and, as Mann notes, ‘the formula combines with the genealogies to emphasize the continuity of God’s grace to humankind’ (345). In this way, 12:3 can be seen as a reiteration of 1:28.

The primeval narratives

For Mann, the tension throughout Genesis 1-11 is one between creation and civilisation (or nature and culture). Men and women are created in the image of God to have dominion over the world (1:28), but they try to do more than that. They try to become like God (3:5), to be autonomous; there is an illicit fusion between divine beings and human beings; at Babel they seek a security independently of God. Both 2:4-6:8 and 6:9-11:26 move from a human family to a story about the ‘attempted fusion of the divine and human realms (6:1; 11:4)’ (346).

The tension between creation and civilisation is not resolved at the end of the unit, with the scattering of the families of earth (11:4, 8, 9). It is only in the renewed promise of blessing through Abram to all the families of the earth that a resolution is offered.

The stories in this unit constitute a single narrative, tied together by the ‘generations’ formula, leading directly to the story of Abram and Sarai (347).

The patriarchal narratives

In contrast to the primeval cycle, the remaining units in Genesis provide a resolution to the tension that determines their plots (346).

• The Abraham cycle

‘The tension is not simply the anticipation of, and then the birth of, a son; rather, the tension involves the attitude of the human characters toward the God who promises a son, both before and after the son is born’ (346).

Abraham abandons Sarah in Egypt, thus casting the promise of God into jeopardy; he does this again in chapter 20. Sarah herself distrusts God (ch. 16). Yet, faith and commitment is still demonstrated (12:1-3; ch. 15; 17:22-27). The climax of the cycle is with God’s demand for the sacrifice of Isaac, and Abraham’s willingness to offer Isaac (ch. 22). ‘His act recognizes that loyalty belongs to the God of the promise, and not to the promise itself’ (348). Then in chapters 23 and 24, a piece of the promised land is secured legally and Isaac is married, thus securing the potential continuation of the family.

• The Jacob cycle

‘The tension within the Jacob cycle is between conflict and reconciliation’ (348). There is conflict between brothers, Jacob and his Esau, even in the womb (25:22), as well as at their birth (25:27) and as they grow up (25:27). There is conflict between husband and wife over their children (25:28), between nephew and uncle (chs. 29-31). There is conflict between wives and conflict between their concubines (29:31-30:24). Throughout all this conflict, there is deceit and trickery: Esau is tricked out of his birthright (25:33); Laban’s trickery over his two daughters (29:15-28); Jacob’s trickery over Laban’s sheep (30:25-39); Rachel’s trick over the household gods (31:19-44).

There is also a struggle between God and Jacob (28:11-22; 31:13; 35:1-15). Once Jacob has resolved a dispute with Laban (31:43-54), he wrestles with a mysterious being and sees the ‘face of God’, only then to have to move on to encounter Esau (chs. 32-33). Yet though he emerges from his wrestling match wounded, he prevails, and his meeting with Esau results in grace rather than revenge (348).

• The Joseph cycle

Mann understands the Joseph cycle as also working with the tension between conflict and reconciliation, only now within the entire family of Jacob (349). Again, the resolutions happen at the level of family. Jacob must be willing to give up his youngest son, just as his grandfather Abraham had to be willing to give up his son, in order for the family to survive (cf. 42:36-38; 43:13-15). Jacob must abandon the favouritism which caused much of the hostility in the family. Judah has to admit his own guilt and that of the brothers, and offer himself (rather than Benjamin) as a slave to Joseph (44:18-34). Joseph, for his part, has to forgive his brothers, and affirm his Israelite identity (45:4; 50:24-25).

But God, of course, is the real hero of the story. It is the tension between human rule and God’s rule which runs through the Joseph cycle. It is not Joseph’s role in the officialdom of Egypt (41:57); it is not Pharaoh, ruler of the greatest power of the world. It is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who works to keep many people alive (50:19-20) (349).