Rethinking Genesis 1–11: Gateway to the Bible

by Gordon Wenham

Publisher:

Cascade Books

, 2015

Overview

Genesis 1-11 contains some of the best-known stories in the world. To modern Westerners they may look like no more than entertaining tales that children can enjoy, but modern adults cannot take seriously. However, when read in the context of the ancient Orient, Genesis 1-11 looks very different. It turns out to be a truly revolutionary document. In retelling the history of the ancient world, it puts a new spin on it by introducing an all-powerful, all-knowing, unique God whose greatest concern is human welfare.
The God who appears in Genesis 1-11 is the God presupposed by all the Old Testament writers, indeed by the New Testament as well. The gripping tales of Genesis thus provide the theological spectacles for a sympathetic reading of the Bible. They are the gateway to a valid understanding of its message and can even help modern believers construct a worldview that integrates both the discoveries of modern science and the insights of Christian theology.

Key Features

• Contextualizes the stories of Genesis 1–11 within the ancient Orient to reveal their revolutionary nature
• Introduces a unique, all-powerful God whose primary concern is human welfare as the foundation for the entire Bible
• Constructs a theological worldview that integrates modern scientific discoveries with Christian insights

Contents

• Preface
• Rethinking Genesis 1: A Creation Designed for Man
• Rethinking Genesis 2-4: Creation Disrupted by Man
• Rethinking Genesis 6-9: Creation Destroyed and Restored
• Rethinking Genesis 5-11: Creation in Need of Redemption
• Epilogue: The Hope of New Creation
• Bibliography

Praise for Rethinking Genesis 1–11

”In this revisiting of Genesis 1-11 by a leading commentator on Genesis, the main foci of discussion are the creation narratives and the account of the flood. Wenham skillfully utilizes the opportunity to concentrate on the main features of the narratives, in their own right and in comparison with relevant ancient Near Eastern traditions. The result is an impressive statement of the message, abiding value, and significance for the whole biblical canon, of the ‘Genesis protohistory.’"
--Robert Gordon, emeritus Regius Professor of Hebrew, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

“Another book on Genesis 1-11! Are these chapters myths? Are they borrowed from Babylon? Gordon Wenham builds on his notable Word commentary to focus on central ideas. He demonstrates the literary art in them and traces themes present at first, resurfacing later, then integral throughout Scripture to its fulfillment. Oft-emphasized similarities with Babylonian stories fade beside differences, notably in theology. . . . This small volume deserves to be added even to laden bookshelves."
--Alan Millard, emeritus Rankin Professor, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

Product Details

• Title: Rethinking Genesis 1–11: Gateway to the Bible
• Author: Gordon Wenham
• Publisher: Cascade Books
• Print Publication Date: 2015
• Logos Release Date: 2016
• Pages: 86
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Reader Edition
• ISBNs: 9781498217439, 9781498217422, 1498217427, 9781498217446, 1498217443, 1498217435
• Resource ID: LLS:9781498217439
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2025-12-27T10:19:05Z

About Gordon Wenham

Gordon Wenham (PhD, University of London) is an adjunct professor at Trinity College, Bristol. He previously studied theology at the universities of Cambridge, London, and Harvard, and taught Old Testament at Belfast and Gloucestershire Universities. He has also authored a number of critically acclaimed Bible commentaries and books. Gordon and his wife, Lynne, have four children.