# Genesis resources



## Regi Addictissimus (Mar 31, 2019)

Happy Lord's Day, everyone. I have recently embarked on a study of Genesis. Lord willing, I will spend substantial time working through related commentaries, monographs, and sermons. As I am in the middle of a big move, I will mostly be working in Logos and transferring notes to Word.

For anyone that has preached or worked through Genesis, what stood out as most profitable to your studies? I believe I am mostly lacking in monographs at the moment. I should probably add a more technical commentary to the lineup. Here are the resources that I will be using:

*Translations:*
King James (primary)
"Genesis 1-11: A New Old Translation for Readers, Scholars, and Translators"
CSB
JPS Tanakh
Lexham English Septuagint
Interlinears

*Primary Commentaries:*
Gordon Wenham - "Genesis (Word Biblical Commentary)"
Nahum Sarna - "Genesis (JPS)"
U. Cassuto - Genesis commentary
Victor Hamilton - "Genesis (NICOT)"
Kenneth A. Matthews - "Genesis (NAC)"
John D. Currid - "A Study Commentary on Genesis"
John Calvin
Keil & Delitzsch
Robert S. Candlish - "Studies in Genesis"

*Secondary Commentaries:*
Melancthon W. Jacobus - "Genesis - Notes, Critical and explanatory"
Jonathon Edwards - "Notes on the Bible"
John Gill
Matthew Poole
Matthew Henry
Henry Ainsworth
J. G. Vos (An elder gave this to me. I am still deciding whether I will use this commentary)
New Bible Commentary (Probably won't use this often. Although, the outlines are helpful)
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown/JFB (I may peek at this on occasion)
*
Dictionaries:*
IVP Dictionary of OT: Pentateuch
Eerdman's Dictionary of Early Judaism
Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible
Lexham Bible Dictionary

*Lexicons:*
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT)
HALOT
BDAG (When using the Septuagint)

*OT Introductions/Overview/Guides:*
"A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: The Gospel Promised" - Edited by Miles V. Van Pelt
Lexham Bible Guide: Genesis

*Monographs/Misc. Books:*
Nahum Sarna - Understanding Genesis
Jonathon Edwards - "A History of the Work of Redemption" (This counts, I suppose)
Douglas Kelly - "Creation and Change"
Allen Ross - "Creation and Blessing"
Dr. Duguid - "Living in the Gap between Promise and Reality"
John D. Currid - Against the Gods: The Polemical Theology of the Old Testament
Meredith Kline - "Kingdom Prologue: Genesis Foundations for a Covenantal Worldview" (I have yet to read anything by Kline. His works came with my Logos package)
Meredith Kline - “God, Heaven and Har Magedon: A Covenantal Tale of Cosmos and Telos"
Sidney Greidanus - "Preaching Christ from Genesis"
J. Walton - "The Lost World of Genesis One" (I disagree with Walton's views on of Genesis 1)
*
Patristics:*
St. Basil - "Hexaemeron"
*Sermons:*
Dr. Joel Beeke & Richard D. Phillip's sermons on Genesis (These will keep me inspired to keep trekking through this study and help me see the application of Genesis to the Christian life)

Thanks in advance! I am very excited as this is something I have wanted to do for quite a long time.

Here is a great by John D. Currid on Genesis:

"The name of the first book of the Hebrew Bible derives from the opening word of the Hebrew text, בְּרֵאשִׁית. This word means “in the beginning,” and it is an appropriate designation because the book is about beginnings: the beginning of the universe; the beginning of time, matter, and space; the beginning of humanity; the beginning of sin; the beginning of redemption; and the beginning of Israel. By deliberating over Genesis, then, we are essentially engaging in protology, the study of first things. That the cosmos has a beginning implies that it also has an end and that everything is moving toward a consummation (the study of these last things is called eschatology). The Scriptures, therefore, present a linear history, a movement from inception to completion."

Currid, J. D. (2016). Genesis. In M. V. Van Pelt (Ed.), A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: The Gospel Promised (p. 43). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.


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## BuddyOfDavidClarkson (Mar 31, 2019)

I really enjoyed Candlish's commentary on Genesis. I highly recommend Jonathan Sarfati's Genesis commentary on chapters 1-11 for a more scientific view. It's just excellent. I've read it several times.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Mar 31, 2019)

BuddyOfDavidClarkson said:


> I really enjoyed Candlish's commentary on Genesis. I highly recommend Jonathan Sarfati's Genesis commentary on chapters 1-11 for a more scientific view. It's just excellent. I've read it several times.


I found a Kregel printing of Candlish a while back but have only skimmed through it thus far. Although, I did read chapter 1 on Hebrews 11 and creation. It was an edifying read. Spurgeon also thought very highly of it.

Thank you for the other resource. I will check it out this evening.


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## RamistThomist (Mar 31, 2019)

Currid was my Genesis prof. His stuff "on the gods" is pretty good. Kline is good on technical issues, but he brings his own baggage.

Matthews (NAC) is good. I think Hamilton (NICOT) is better.

I realize people here don't like Waltke and Walton, but those two wrestle with some technical issues that more conservative folks really don't grasp.


Reformed Bookworm said:


> IVP Dictionary of OT: Pentateuch
> Eerdman's Dictionary of Early Judaism
> Eerdman's Dictionary of the Bible
> Lexham Bible Dictionary



The Lexham Bible Dictionary is particularly good.

And definitely get Gordon Wenham.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Mar 31, 2019)

BayouHuguenot said:


> Matthews (NAC) is good. I think Hamilton (NICOT) is better.



I went back and forth for some time between Matthews and Hamilton. I will probably add his volumes. 



BayouHuguenot said:


> I realize people here don't like Waltke and Walton, but those two wrestle with some technical issues that more conservative folks really don't grasp.


I haven't read too much by either. I have Walton's Lost World of Genesis One. I don't agree with the thesis of the book but should still read it. 

My first foray into Waltke will be his Old Testament Theology course via Logos. I plan to start it next week. I almost got his Genesis commentary. I have read it starts out strong but takes a nose dive. 



BayouHuguenot said:


> definitely get Gordon Wenham.



Wenham is high on my list. I was debating between his commentary or Nahum Sarna to get a Jewish perspective. 

As always, thanks for your input.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Mar 31, 2019)

Has anyone read Dr. Duguid's "Living in the Gap between Promise and Reality: The Gospel According to Abraham?" It looks to be a great read. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have consumed by Dr. Duguid.

https://www.logos.com/product/52511...e-and-reality-the-gospel-according-to-abraham


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## arapahoepark (Mar 31, 2019)

https://www.amazon.com/Where-Sin-Abounds-Patriarchal-Narratives/dp/1606087479
http://www.puritanpublications.com/...ide-to-primeval-history-by-c-matthew-mcmahon/

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 1, 2019)

BayouHuguenot said:


> Hamilton (NICOT) is better.



I added Hamilton's two volumes to Logos. Thanks.

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## Dachaser (Apr 2, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> Happy Lord's Day, everyone. I have recently embarked on a study of Genesis. Lord willing, I will spend substantial time working through related commentaries, monographs, and sermons. As I am in the middle of a big move, I will mostly be working in Logos and transferring notes to Word.
> 
> For anyone that has preached or worked through Genesis, what stood out as most profitable to your studies? I believe I am mostly lacking in monographs at the moment. I should probably add a more technical commentary to the lineup. Here are the resources that I will be using:
> 
> ...



A very good book was written by Dr Henry Morris on the Genesis Record, as he explains why we can see Genesis as being historical history, and not just myth/allegory.


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## Jack K (Apr 2, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> Has anyone read Dr. Duguid's "Living in the Gap between Promise and Reality: The Gospel According to Abraham?" It looks to be a great read. I have thoroughly enjoyed everything that I have consumed by Dr. Duguid.
> 
> https://www.logos.com/product/52511...e-and-reality-the-gospel-according-to-abraham



That whole series from P&R is good, and Duguid's contributions (he also did Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) are excellent. They are written at a layman's level, so they move quickly and are not as technical as some of the other resources you've mentioned. I like to consult them when teaching on those passages, because they bring up good teaching points that often become the main point of my teaching.

And if you are teaching from Genesis, and want to do it with a redemptive eye on Christ, you should consider Sidney Greidanus'_ Preaching Christ from Genesis_. It's not just for preachers, but good for anyone seeking to find and apply the redemptive point of the Genesis accounts. I sometimes go in a different direction than he does, but his frameworks are still helpful.

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## greenbaggins (Apr 2, 2019)

Definitely get all the Duguid volumes. I would also HIGHLY recommend, as the biggest gap I see in your volumes, Allen Ross's _Creation and Blessing_. Also, when you get to the Noah chapters, pick up Bruce McDowell's _Noah: A Righteous Man in a Wicked Age_. The best treatments of the Joseph narrative I know are by Liam Goligher and Lindsay Wilson. I enjoyed Waltke's commentary for one particular reason: he was one of the best at showing the larger structures and the intersections of the pericopes. As for Jewish comment, Sarna is outstanding, but if you want someone a bit more conservative, try to find copies of Cassuto.

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## gjensen (Apr 2, 2019)

From a layman . . .

Consider Allen Ross, Henry Law, Derek Kidner, Walton, and Gordon Wenham. Henry Law is online for free.

I do like Matthews. I love Calvin on Genesis. Kline's Genesis A New Commentary was interesting.

Calvin's sermons on Genesis may be helpful to you.

I appreciated Better Than the Beginning: Creation in Biblical Perspective by Richard Barcellos. Bavinck on Creation and the Image of God .

I am enjoying the lesson/sermon series by Dr Ralph Davis.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 2, 2019)

Jack K said:


> That whole series from P&R is good, and Duguid's contributions (he also did Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph) are excellent. They are written at a layman's level, so they move quickly and are not as technical as some of the other resources you've mentioned. I like to consult them when teaching on those passages, because they bring up good teaching points that often become the main point of my teaching.
> 
> And if you are teaching from Genesis, and want to do it with a redemptive eye on Christ, you should consider Sidney Greidanus'_ Preaching Christ from Genesis_. It's not just for preachers, but good for anyone seeking to find and apply the redemptive point of the Genesis accounts. I sometimes go in a different direction than he does, but his frameworks are still helpful.



Thank you for the response, brother. I added the Duguid volume yesterday. I often listen to his sermons so I imagine I will enjoy these little books. My goal is to balance out the technical works with some devotional materials sprinkled in. It seems this will serve that purpose. 

The Greidanus volume was included in my Logos package. I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned it. Thank you. Can you think of a specific example of where you may have differed with him?


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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 2, 2019)

greenbaggins said:


> Definitely get all the Duguid volumes. I would also HIGHLY recommend, as the biggest gap I see in your volumes, Allen Ross's _Creation and Blessing_. Also, when you get to the Noah chapters, pick up Bruce McDowell's _Noah: A Righteous Man in a Wicked Age_. The best treatments of the Joseph narrative I know are by Liam Goligher and Lindsay Wilson. I enjoyed Waltke's commentary for one particular reason: he was one of the best at showing the larger structures and the intersections of the pericopes. As for Jewish comment, Sarna is outstanding, but if you want someone a bit more conservative, try to find copies of Cassuto.



Thank you for the suggestions. Ross is high on my list. It is quite pricey in Logos. I often see it recommended so I may just go for it. 

I will definitely check out Goligher and Wilson's works when the time comes. 

I have heard more than once that Waltke starts off strong but weakens as it progresses. Did you find this to be the case? 

I have almost bought Cassuto's two volumes a few times. The problem now is that I am mostly confined to Logos as I am moving to Grand Rapids in the next week or so. It will be a bit before my library and office get set back up. For now, I will go with Sarna as he is in Logos but will eventually add Cassuto. 

Have you read any good journal articles pertaining to Genesis? I know there have been unfathomable amounts of ink spilled on Genesis. The trouble is wading through it all.


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## Stephen L Smith (Apr 2, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> I went back and forth for some time between Matthews and Hamilton.


In my country I often travel back and forth for some time between Auckland and Hamilton


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## Jack K (Apr 2, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> The Greidanus volume was included in my Logos package. I had completely forgotten about it until you mentioned it. Thank you. Can you think of a specific example of where you may have differed with him?



I can't think of a spot where I thought he was outright wrong, just some places I chose to take a different direction in my teaching than the one he ultimately opted for. The narrative that comes to mind is the birth of Isaac. Greidanus picks as his teaching theme/goal from that passage something like_ rejoice in the Lord's faithfulness to create a people for himself_. That's fine, and I really like the way he includes joy/laughter. But in my own teaching I have chosen to emphasize more that we have joy in the ultimate Son of Abraham. So Greidanus emphasizes the covenant family, while I go more with the son theme. Both are valid, right?

I could give many more examples of how he helped me hone in on themes I do use in my lessons. For instance, he started me teaching about the burial of Sarah and how it encourages us to look for the homeland that awaits us even beyond the grave. Until I read Greidanus, I had never really considered including the account of Sarah's burial in my biannual teaching trek through Genesis and Exodus (I teach children). Since then, I have always stopped there and even added it to one of my summer camp curricula.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 2, 2019)

gjensen said:


> I am enjoying the lesson/sermon series by Dr Ralph Davis



Dale Ralph Davis has a series on Genesis? Also, thank you for suggestions. Calvin's sermons on Genesis are high on my list. Once I get my office and library set back up, I will add them. For now, I am limited mostly to Logos.


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## gjensen (Apr 2, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> Dale Ralph Davis has a series on Genesis? Also, thank you for suggestions. Calvin's sermons on Genesis are high on my list. Once I get my office and library set back up, I will add them. For now, I am limited mostly to Logos.



Yes sir. You will find them here. 

http://www.aisquith.org/audio-sermons/?sermon_id=1616

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## JTB.SDG (Apr 2, 2019)

Brother, you know about Ainsworth; please put him on your list. On Genesis he's short and sweet and very insightful. Personally, I also really love Waltke.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 2, 2019)

JTB.SDG said:


> Brother, you know about Ainsworth; please put him on your list. On Genesis he's short and sweet and very insightful. Personally, I also really love Waltke.



How could I have forgotten Ainsworth! We were just talking about him in the other thread. Thanks, brother.

Well, that is a few votes from brothers I trust for Waltke. I will add him to Logos.


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## Aharown (Apr 2, 2019)

I would also add large sections of Kline’s “God, Heaven and Har Magedon: A Covenantal Tale of Cosmos and Telos.” I know I have really benefited from it.

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## JTB.SDG (Apr 3, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> Well, that is a few votes from brothers I trust for Waltke. I will add him to Logos.


I don't believe you'll regret it. May the Lord bless your studies, brother.

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## greenbaggins (Apr 3, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> I have heard more than once that Waltke starts off strong but weakens as it progresses. Did you find this to be the case?



To be honest, this was true of most commentaries on Genesis. They get tired of writing, I think. There were still some good insights towards the end, as I recall.

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## Contra_Mundum (Apr 3, 2019)

greenbaggins said:


> To be honest, this was true of most commentaries on Genesis. *They get tired of writing, I think*. There were still some good insights towards the end, as I recall.


You know how I avoided this one issue? I started with the second half! (Life of Jacob--series title) heh heh heh 

I came back around a few years later, and preached the first half with a full second wind.

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## RamistThomist (Apr 3, 2019)

Aharown said:


> I would also add large sections of Kline’s “God, Heaven and Har Magedon: A Covenantal Tale of Cosmos and Telos.” I know I have really benefited from it.



He is really good on "heaven." Those sections were very moving. The other parts were hit and miss.

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## Grits (Apr 4, 2019)

I found the following books to be the most helpful.

First, John McArthur's book, “Battle for the Beginning” is an excellent way to begin. I would read it first just to get into the right frame of mind.

Second, Francis Schaeffer's “Genesis in Space and Time” is another excellent resource. It is particularly relevant for addressing the current devaluation of life.

Umberto Cassuto's commentary on Genesis is excellent for disproving the JEPD hypothesis (if that is an issue). It also has some very good exegesis.

For most of the heaving lifting, if you don't mind skipping lots of pages with JEPD stuff, Gordon Wenham's commentary on Genesis (Word Bible Commentary) is pretty useful. This is perhaps the best critical and technical commentary.

Personally, I'd skip Meredith Kline's Kingdom Prologue. It sort of reminded me of “Theologian Through the Looking Glass.” His understanding of the first Chapter of Genesis is deeply flawed.

Richard Phillips' sermons are outstanding. I cannot recommend them highly enough. I downloaded them, put them on a CD and listen to them over and over in the car.

After you get by his treatment of the first chapter of Genesis, James Montgomery Boice's commentary on Genesis is very good. I use this resource for devotionals at a local nursing home.

“Icons of Evolution” by Jonathan Wells documents the shoddy (if not intentionally misleading) textbooks being used to promote evolution in our universities. An easy read and a real eye opener.

Allen P. Ross's book “Creation and Blessing” has excellent ideas for organizing your sermons.

Martin Luther's commentary on Genesis has some nice quotes. It is worth reading just to get the flavor of the cosmology of the 16th century.

I prepared one Bible study around the following theme: In Genesis 1, God repudiated the pagan mythologies and idol worship that characterized Moses' day. Beyond that, God, through Moses, also repudiated the pagan mythologies of our own day. After all, evolution is a pagan mythology. Evolution posits that something came from nothing. Genesis 1:1 corrects this error. God created (_bara _בָּרָ֣א) the heavens and the earth. _Bara _is a word only used of God; it is a work that only God can do. A good working definition of God is “one who can make something from absolute nothing.” Whereas evolution posits that life came from non-life, Genesis again uses the word _bara _in verse 21. God made life from nothing. Finally, evolution posits that man descended from the lower animals. God corrects this again using the word _bara _three times in verse 27 to emphasize the fact that man was created in the image of God. Man was created, _bara_, a work that only God can do. Thus, Moses, 4,000 years ago penned the refutation of modern pagan mythology just as effectively as he repudiated ancient mythology.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 4, 2019)

Grits said:


> First, John McArthur's book, “Battle for the Beginning” is an excellent way to begin. I would read it first just to get into the right frame of mind.



To be honest, I have never been into McArthur. I appreciate him as a brother but there are other theologians that I would much rather glean from.



Grits said:


> Richard Phillips' sermons are outstanding. I cannot recommend them highly enough. I downloaded them, put them on a CD and listen to them over and over in the car.



Phillips is great. I often binge listen to his sermons. Today, I listened to three in his Genesis series. 

Thank you for all the recommendations you listed above as well as an example from your Bible study.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 4, 2019)

Grits said:


> John McArthur's book, “Battle for the Beginning” is an excellent way to begin. I would read it first just to get into the right frame of mind.



If you enjoyed the MacArthur book, you should check out Douglas Kelly's "Creation and Change." That is another volume that I forgot to add to my above resources.


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## Grits (Apr 5, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> If you enjoyed the MacArhur book, you should check out Douglas Kelly's "Creation and Change." That is another volume that I forgot to add to my above resources.



While you have certainly peaked my interest, it might be a while before I get around to it. Just too many good books and so little time. I'll add it to my "to read" list. Maybe if I can just learn to get by on 2 hours of sleep a night...

I am currently concentrating on studying each of the books of the Bible using just one or two commentaries for assistance. However, I am not disciplined enough and keep throwing in extra books - just finished one by R.C. Sproul "Are We Together; A Protestant Looks at Roman Catholicism." I found it very helpful - but, it did put me behind on my goal of studying each book of the Bible.

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## RAR (Apr 5, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> I found a Kregel printing of Candlish a while back but have only skimmed through it thus far. Although, I did read chapter 1 on Hebrews 11 and creation. It was an edifying read. Spurgeon also thought very highly of it.
> 
> Thank you for the other resource. I will check it out this evening.


Candlish is edifying from start to finish! You should add HC Leupold's commentary on Genesis to your list. It is considered one of the best advanced works from the conservative side. Leupold was a premier OT scholar from the 20th century. His other works include commentaries on Psalms, Ecclesiastes, Isaiah and Daniel. The work by Henry Morris is very interesting on the early chapters in Genesis, primarily the creation account, the flood and the table of nations.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 11, 2019)

I updated the resource list to include Gordon Wenham, Nahum Sarna, Melancthon W. Jacobus, and Allen Ross. I am wrestling with adding U. Cassuto, HC Leupold, Henry Alford, or Waltke. I know most on here will say Waltke. I am not sure that Waltke would be necessary with the other commentaries in my primary list.

As far as a Jewish perspective goes, Would U. Cassuto be necessary with Nahum Sarna? Cassuto has been on my list for some time.

I would also like to add one more Patristic resource. I am deciding between Augustin or Chrysostom. Eventually, I will add both.

Has anyone on here worked through Andrew Fuller's series on Genesis? Spurgeon thought very highly of it.

If I get serious about doing academic work in Genesis, I will add most of the resources that I am on the fence about.

I am still lacking on monographs and journal articles by scholars.


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## RamistThomist (Apr 11, 2019)

Reformed Bookworm said:


> As far as a Jewish perspective goes, Would U. Cassuto be necessary with Nahum Sarna? Cassuto has been on my list for some time.



He's a classic. I don't know if he replaces Sarna, but Cassuto on the documentary hypothesis is a must read.


Reformed Bookworm said:


> I would also like to add one more Patristic resource. I am deciding between Augustin or Chrysostom. Eventually, I will add both.



Chrysostom is a better communicator and probably closer to the text. Unlike Augustine, Chrysostom knew Greek and could at least interact with the LXX. I doubt he knew Hebrew. Augustine certainly didn't.


Reformed Bookworm said:


> I am still lacking on monographs and journal articles by scholars.



The best thing is to go by topic/chapter, rather than start collecting en masse. Because I hold to the supernatural worldview of Genesis 6, and I wanted to defend it, I found quite a few monographs on Genesis 6. If you truly seek in the monograph field, you will find.


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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 11, 2019)

BayouHuguenot said:


> He's a classic. I don't know if he replaces Sarna, but Cassuto on the documentary hypothesis is a must read.
> 
> 
> Chrysostom is a better communicator and probably closer to the text. Unlike Augustine, Chrysostom knew Greek and could at least interact with the LXX. I doubt he knew Hebrew. Augustine certainly didn't.
> ...



All good points. Thanks as always, brother.

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## Regi Addictissimus (Apr 11, 2019)

Has anyone read T. Desmond Alexander's - "From Paradise to the Promised Land?"


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