The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch

Kevin S. Chen

• Publisher: IVP Academic
• Year: 2019
• Print ISBN: 9780830852642
• eBook ISBN: 9780830857975
• Subtopic: Biblical Criticism & Interpretation

Did Moses write about Jesus? Jesus himself made this bold claim (recorded in John 5:46). Yet while most readers of the Bible today recognize a few Messianic prophecies in the Pentateuch, they don't often see them as part of its central message. In The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch, Kevin Chen challenges the common view of the Pentateuch as focused primarily on the Mosaic Law, arguing instead that it sets forth a coherent, sweeping vision of the Messiah as the center of its theological message.Each Messianic prophecy in the Pentateuch contributes to the fuller vision of the Messiah that emerges when it is appropriately related to the others and to the Pentateuch as a whole. Giving priority to exegesis of the author's intent, Chen's approach focuses on the meaning of the Old Testament on its own terms more than typological arguments do. Building on the work of John Sailhamer, he sheds new light on the topic of the Messiah using compositional exegesis of the Pentateuch as a unified literary work.From the prophecy about the "seed of the woman" in Genesis 3 to Moses' climactic blessing in Deuteronomy 33, careful examination of key passages reveals the intrinsic Messianic glory that shines through the Pentateuch and its compositional strategy. For Bible scholars, pastors, and thoughtful lay readers, The Messianic Vision of the Pentateuch provides a fascinating study and an exegetical basis for a Christ-centered biblical theology.

1

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN

The prophecy concerning the “seed of the woman” in Genesis 3:15 is the first Messianic prophecy in the Pentateuch, and hence in the Bible. Though brief, it sets forth critical parameters in the overall Messianic vision of the Pentateuch. Since it draws on the preceding narrative of Genesis 1–2, it is best understood in relation to this context. In this way, Genesis 3:15 will be seen as not only a direct prophecy of the Messiah but also one that selectively alludes to Adam as intentionally foreshadowing a coming king and priest. It is both a “lens” and a “mirror.”

ADAM AS KING AND PRIEST

Genesis 1 recounts God’s creation of the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1) and his activities over the course of six days (Gen 1:3-31).1 The culmination of these activities was day six (Gen 1:24-31), as indicated by the greater attention it receives and its unique connection to the divine evaluation, “it was very good” (Gen 1:31). The importance of day six is also related to the creation of humans (Heb. אָדָם, ’adam). Made in the image of God and created male and female, they were commanded by God to rule over all the animals of the sea, sky, and land (Gen 1:26-28). They were also instructed to reproduce and “fill the earth and subdue it” (Gen 1:28). For food, God gave them seed-bearing plants and fruit trees (Gen 1:29).

The bringing forth of plants and animals on previous days (Gen 1:11-12, 20-22, 24-25) is thus related to the rule and sustenance of humankind. Although not exhaustive of the purpose of these other created things, Genesis 1 thus implies that they came to be for the sake of humans. In turn, the sky (Gen 1:6-8), seas, and land (Gen 1:9-10) were necessary to provide a habitat for these various living things. Even the appointment of the sun and moon “to separate between the day and the night” and to mark “appointed times,” “days,” and “years” (Gen 1:14) was for the benefit of humankind, which alone has the capacity to keep track of such things. Suggestively, the “rule” of the two great lights (Gen 1:16, 18) broadly parallels the rule of humankind in Genesis 1:26-28, as will be discussed further at the end of the chapter. In any case, what emerges from Genesis 1 is a picture of God’s special creation of humankind in his likeness and his purpose that they fill the earth and rule over it.

The high-level account of the creation of humankind in Genesis 1:26-27 is made specific in Genesis 2:7 with a close-up view of how “the LORD God formed the man [הָאָדָם] from the dust of the ground.” The name of this first man, correspondingly, was “Adam” (Gen 2:20). There is thus a complex wordplay on the Hebrew word ’adam in the opening chapters of Genesis. It is used of humankind corporately (Gen 1:26; 5:1-2), an individual human (Gen 2:7, 8, 15), and as a name for this first man (Gen 5:3-5). The literary effect is to present Adam as both a historical figure and a representative of humankind, who is especially responsible to fulfill God’s command to rule as a sort of king and to multiply (Gen 1:26-28).

Adam was subsequently placed in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:15), where he received the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16-17), named animals, and was given his wife as a helper (Gen 2:18-25). Scholars such as T. Desmond Alexander and Gordon Wenham have pointed out the many parallels between the Garden of Eden and the tabernacle, which include the Lord “walking about” in their midst (Gen 3:8; Lev 26:12), their entrance from the east and being guarded by cherubim (Gen 3:24; Ex 25:18-22; 26:1, 31; Num 3:38), the resemblance of the lampstand to the tree of life (Gen 2:9; 3:22; Ex 25:31-35), the presence of gold and onyx (Gen 2:11-12; Ex 25:7, 11, 17; 28:9), and the use of the same two Hebrew verbs (עָבַד ,שָׁמַר) to describe Adam’s tasks in the garden and the Levites’ in the tabernacle (Gen 2:15; Num 3:7-8; 8:26).2 These extensive intertextual linkages within the Pentateuch itself cast the Garden of Eden as a prototypical sanctuary and Adam as a sort of prototypical Levite or priest.3 This ministerial role, however, does not involve an altar or sacrifices.

It is noteworthy that the tabernacle seems to more closely resemble the Garden of Eden in its post-Fall state than its original state. This is because the representations of cherubim guarding the mercy seat and embroidered on the veil and the curtains of the tabernacle parallel the real cherubim who guard the way back to the tree of life after the sin of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:24). Before their disobedience, the first couple had free access to the tree of life (Gen 2:9, 15). Thus, the tabernacle and its representations of cherubim serve as a reminder of this first sin and its consequences, as well as an implicit reminder of the innumerable sins committed by the sons of Adam since then. The restricted access to the Holy of Holies corresponds to the restricted access to the tree of life after the Fall, and both of these realities indicate that fellowship with God, among other things, has been broken (Heb 9:8). The provisionary nature of the tabernacle is also implied through its being based on a “pattern” (Ex 25:9, 40). Accordingly, the tabernacle did not have real cherubim, only representations of them.

Nevertheless, the Garden of Eden in its original state still has many parallels to the tabernacle, and its casting as a prototypical sanctuary still stands. As it relates to Adam, he is thus presented as not only a historical figure and representative of the human race who was to fill the earth with his offspring and rule, but also as a kind of priest who ministered in a pristine garden sanctuary and who had free access to the tree of life. Thus, when Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 are read together (as they should be), the combined effect is that Adam is presented as a sort of priest-king, ministering and reigning in prototypical garden-like temple.4

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN

Despite the privileges given to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they were deceived by the serpent into eating the forbidden fruit (Gen 3:1-7). Whereas on the one hand Eve was motivated by hunger and the pleasant appearance of the fruit, she was also attracted to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because it was “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Gen 3:6). This emphasis on wisdom accords with both the name of the tree itself and the serpent’s last words to Eve, “you will be like God [or, ‘gods’], knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:5). The language of “knowing good and evil” also appears in Deuteronomy 1:39 with reference to children who characteristically lack such knowledge because of their youth. This suggests that Adam and Eve forsook a childlike faith in the Lord in favor of their physical desires and pride.5 While seeking wisdom in fear of the Lord is commendable (Prov 1:7), they erred by seeking it apart from the Lord, who alone possesses complete wisdom (Prov 2:6).6

Adam and Eve’s pursuit of wisdom was thus a failure. What Eve “saw” (רָאָה) to be “good” (טוֹב) in Genesis 3:6 actually brought trouble, pain, and death (Gen 3:16-19). Evidently, human perception that something is “good” may be incomplete or even flawed, unlike God’s (Gen 1:4, 10, etc.). In trying to become “wise” apart from the Lord, they instead “became fools” (Rom 1:22). While Eve was not necessarily wrong about the fruit being good for food and pleasing to the eye, there were also many other beautiful, delicious fruits in the Garden that were not forbidden by the Lord (Gen 2:9, 16). In Adam and Eve was fulfilled the proverb, “There is a way that seems upright before a man, but its end is the ways of death” (Prov 14:12; 16:25). Thus, when the Lord God remarked that “the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil” (Gen 3:22), it is best understood as an ironic reference to their pride and human-centered attempt at gaining wisdom. By acting according to their own thoughts of what was good, they had implicitly placed themselves above God.

After confronting Adam and Eve about their sin (Gen 3:8-13), the Lord pronounced judgment on the guilty parties, beginning with the serpent (Gen 3:14-15). This creature was to be more cursed than any other land animal and was sentenced to crawl on its belly.7 After predicting that “enmity” (אֵיבָה) between the woman and the serpent would continue between their respective “seed” (זֶרַע), the judgment of the serpent reaches its climax with a prophecy that the woman’s “seed” will crush the serpent’s head, though the serpent will crush this seed’s heel also (Gen 3:15). Sometimes referred to as the prophecy of the “seed of the woman” or the protoevangelium (“first gospel”), this verse has been interpreted from ancient times as predicting the final defeat of the serpent by this “seed.”8

The crucial interpretive issue is whether this passage is indeed a direct prophecy of the Messiah. Though he related Genesis 3:15 to Christ and Satan via “anagogy,” Calvin famously remarked, “I interpret this simply to mean that there should always be the hostile strife between the human race and serpents, which is now apparent; for, by a secret feeling of nature, man abhors them.”9 Calvin’s interpretation resembles Rashi’s before him, who interpreted Genesis 3:15 as only concerning conflict between humans and snakes, with the striking of the heel being fatal (“You will not stand upright and you will bite him on the heel, and even from there you will kill him”).10 Rashi’s interpretation leaves no clear winner in the struggle. Rashi and Calvin raise multiple issues here that will be dealt with below, but as for the serpent, it is no ordinary creature. It talks, knows about and twists God’s earlier command (Gen 2:16-17; 3:1-4), and will live for many generations before being crushed (“he will crush you [not: ‘your offspring’]”). The serpent is thus better understood as an animal that was empowered and filled by Satan. Other passages confirm that Satan is closely identified with this serpent (Is 27:1; Rev 12:9) but not necessarily with serpents in general in the natural world. Whereas the serpent in Eden was probably a natural, physical serpent, Satan is essentially a spiritual being who can also take different forms—for example, falling like lightning (Lk 10:18), entering Judas (Lk 22:3), or appearing as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14).

Seth Postell has further pointed out the divine verdict on Cain for murdering Abel (Gen 4:11), “cursed are you [אָרוּר אָתָּה] from the ground,” casts him as the seed of the serpent, who received a similar verdict, “cursed are you [אָרוּר אָתָּה] more than every beast” (Gen 3:14), for tempting Adam and Eve unto their death (Gen 3:19).11 Postell also observes that “cursed [אָרוּר] be Canaan, a servant of servants will he be to his brothers” in Genesis 9:25 relatedly casts Canaan as part of the serpent’s seed while the subsequent blessing of Shem in Genesis 9:26-27 suggests the ultimate victory of the seed of the woman from Shem’s line, which becomes even clearer when this seed is connected to Genesis 49:8-12 (see chap. 3 below).

Such an interpretation of the seed of the serpent as referring not to snakes in the natural world but to those who follow the deceitful, usurping, murderous way of Satan is confirmed by Scripture broadly. This “seed” includes both demons (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6; Rev 12:9) and wicked human beings. Outside of Genesis 1–11, the Pentateuch likewise confirms that evil humans are part of the serpent’s seed. Numbers 24:17 is a Messianic prophec...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication Page
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Introduction
• 1 The Seed of the Woman
• 2 The Seed of Abraham in the Patriarchal Narratives
• 3 The Lion of Judah
• 4 Passover and the Song of the Sea
• 5 Shadows at Sinai
• 6 The Bronze Snake and Balaam’s Oracles
• 7 The Prophet Like Moses
• 8 The Blessing of Judah
• 9 The Repeated Breaking of the Sinai/Deuteronomic Law
• Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Author Index
• Subject Index
• Scripture Index
• Notes
• Praise for Ministering in Patronage Cultures
• About the Author
• More Titles from InterVarsity Press
• Copyright