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https://doi.org/10.34075/cs.55.2.4
‘From Earth, Earthy’. Human Constitution in Gen 1–2 in the Light of the Sumero-Babylonian Traditions
Miljenka Grgić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3608-6761
; Katolički bogoslovni fakultet Sveučilišta u Splitu, Split, Hrvatska
Sažetak
The study explores the human constitution in Gen 1–2, observing some major texts on the creation of humans in Mesopotamia and the biblical reports in Gen 1–2. The survey of the Mesopotamian texts shows that all Mesopotamian traditions emphasize divine elements in the human constitution, and the analysis of Gen 1–2 reveals that both biblical reports, the Priestly and the Yahwist, refute such ideas. The Priestly description of the creation of humans at the image of God (Gen 1,26-27) denies the substantial connection between God and humans, which is stressed by the Babylonian tradition on the creation of humans from the divine flesh and blood, and confirms only the formal connection, the widespread opinion that the human form is similar to the divine form. For the Priestly writer, the human beings are made of the earthly material, but the form of the human body is similar outwardly and inwardly to the divine form, and the divinelike form enables the earthly material to perform divinelike actions. The Yahwist description of the creation of humans from the dust and the breath of life (Gen 2,7) denies
the existence of the seed of life in the earthy human constitution, which is emphasized by the Sumerian tradition on the creation of humans from the divine earth, and it shows that the humans are essentially mortal beings. The conclusion of the study summarizes the major results and indicates the relevance of the earthly anthropology in Gen 1–2 for the contemporary theological discourse and the Christian faith.
Ključne riječi
Gen 1–2; Song of the hoe; Enki and Ninmah; KAR 4; Atra-ḫasīs; Enūma eliš, earthly anthropology; image of God; dust; breath; blood
Hrčak ID:
240727
URI
Datum izdavanja:
22.7.2020.
Posjeta: 2.471 *