Last week in Episode 28, we paused on the Hebrew Bible to revisit the work of René Girard, specifically what he calls the “scapegoat mechanism”, and teased out Girard’s observation of scapegoating as a founding principle of human culture, looked at examples of scapegoats from history and literature, and learned how Christ unmasked the scapegoat mechanism and changed everything.
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This week in Episode 29, our walk through Genesis follows Isaac and Rebekah into the domain of Abimelech, back before the birth and strife of Jacob and Esau. We encounter yet another wife-as-sister type scene and work out the nuances. When Isaac and Rebekah are driven from Abimelech, we see over and again God’s promise to Abraham playing out in the life of his son and the second patriarch Isaac.
Episode 29 teaser:
Until next time!
If you are interested in digging deeper on your own, here are a few resources:
Ancient Christian reading practices:
Biblical Exegesis and the Formation of Christian Culture
Medieval exegesis:
Medieval Exegesis: The Four Senses of Scripture, Vol. 1
Medieval Exegesis : The Four Senses of Scripture, Vol. 2
Second Temple Judaism:
Two Gods in Heaven: Jewish Concepts of God in Antiquity
Torah with Rabbinic Commentary:
Bereishis Genesis, Part I and II, ArtScroll Tanach Series, Translation with Commentary
Mythological:
Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic: Essays in the History of the Religion of Israel
Literary approach:
René Girard