Papers by Michael Peterson
Genesis 15:6 has long been interpreted-particularly within Christian theology-as when YHWH declar... more Genesis 15:6 has long been interpreted-particularly within Christian theology-as when YHWH declares 'Avram righteous based on his faith. This reading, heavily influenced by Paul's appeal to the Septuagint (LXX), has served as a cornerstone for the doctrine of "justification by faith alone." This study argues that verse 15:6, when translated in light of the Hebrew syntax and literary context, does not support such a reading. A syntactically correct and more contextually faithful rendering is therefore proposed: "But 'Avram trusted in YHWH, and reckoned His promises-sincere though unfulfilled-as righteousness." Through a detailed analysis of Hebrew grammar, narrative sequencing, and scene structurealongside a critical comparison with the LXX-this paper demonstrates that the traditional reading obscures the original Hebrew nuance. Moreover, it is not until the Aqedah (Genesis 22) that 'Elohim finally and explicitly judges 'Avraham's righteousness, but doing so based on covenantal obedience (22:12). This reinterpretation returns us to the voice of the Hebrew narrator, whose theology of justification is expressed not as a forensic imputation, but as faithfulness tested and proven through obedience.
This report is meant to illustrate the application of an AI-based tool, SceneAnalyzer, intended t... more This report is meant to illustrate the application of an AI-based tool, SceneAnalyzer, intended to to examine the timing of Qayin’s conception in Genesis II. Drawing from the linguistic frameworks of Longacre (1989), Niccacci (1990), and others, SceneAnalyzer defines a scene as a series of two or more consecutive wayyiqtol clauses—a hallmark of sequential, plot-advancing Hebrew narrative. A mini-scene consists of a single wayyiqtol clause bracketed by non-narrative forms (e.g., qatal, yiqtol, or weqatal), often signaling background, contrast, or dialogue.
This paper introduces SceneAnalyzer, a specialized AI prompt designed to assist scholars and stud... more This paper introduces SceneAnalyzer, a specialized AI prompt designed to assist scholars and students in analyzing the narrative structure of Biblical Hebrew prose. Rooted in the linguistic foundations of clause sequencing and discourse analysis, SceneAnalyzer leverages large language model capabilities to identify and classify vayyiqtoldriven narrative scenes, mini-scenes, and syntactic phenomena such as pluperfects, parenthetical clauses, and subordination. The tool also interprets scene transitions, tracks grammatical agency, and provides transliterated proper names to enhance linguistic clarity. Developed with Reformed theological sensitivity and a high view of Scripture, SceneAnalyzer functions as a research and teaching aid that bridges traditional Hebrew grammar with computational precision. The prompt was developed using ChatGPT but has not yet been fully tested with other platforms. SceneAnalyzer offers structured outputs in table form and interpretive commentary to support both syntactic analysis and theological reflection.
Genesis 18:22 and 20:13 are thought to provide a general prohibition against male-male homosexual... more Genesis 18:22 and 20:13 are thought to provide a general prohibition against male-male homosexual behavior. This article argues that a careful study of the underlying Hebrew reveals that the admonition is quite narrowly drawn.
Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better u... more Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better understood as a warning delivered not to humanity broadly but to ha'adam, an archetypal male, emphasizing human agency over rote obedience. This paper argues that Yahweh's statement to ha'adam-permitting the consumption of fruit from every Tree, followed by a conditional consequence of mortality-lacks the prohibitive structure of a command. Through textual analysis of vayətzer ("warned"), mikol ("from every"), and mot tamut ("become mortal"), I demonstrate that the narrative frames eating from the Tree of Knowledge as an act of free will in the absence of divine coercion. The knowledge gained, identified as sexual awareness, necessitates expulsion to prevent overpopulation, not punishment. This reading contrasts the pagan gods of Mesopotamian myths who govern by divine whim, positioning Genesis as a story of human free will, culminating in the moral collapse described in Genesis 6:5-6. Reframing these three verses reshapes theological discourse on obedience, sin, and divine intent, offering a fresh lens through which to view biblical scholarship. 10.5281/zenodo.15220280 This article is adapted from Chapter Eight of my book, Genesis II: Reading The Story Again For The First Time (forthcoming, May 2025), which reinterprets the Eden narrative through its Hebrew text and ANE context, whose theme is, as Marc Zvi Brettler notes, a story reflecting "Immortality Lost and Procreativity Gained." .
Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better u... more Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better understood as a warning delivered not to humanity broadly but to ha'adam, an archetypal male, emphasizing human agency over rote obedience. This paper argues that Yahweh's statement to ha'adam-permitting the consumption of fruit from every Tree, followed by a conditional consequence of mortality-lacks the prohibitive structure of a command. Through textual analysis of vayətzer ("warned"), mikol ("from every"), and mot tamut ("become mortal"), I demonstrate that the narrative frames eating from the Tree of Knowledge as an act of free will in the absence of divine coercion. The knowledge gained, identified as sexual awareness, necessitates expulsion to prevent overpopulation, not punishment. This reading contrasts the pagan gods of Mesopotamian myths who govern by divine whim, positioning Genesis as a story of human free will, culminating in the moral collapse described in Genesis 6:5-6. Reframing these three verses reshapes theological discourse on obedience, sin, and divine intent, offering a fresh lens through which to view biblical scholarship.
Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better u... more Genesis 2:15-17, traditionally interpreted as a divine command disobeyed by humanity, is better understood as a warning delivered not to humanity broadly but to ha'adam, an archetypal male, emphasizing human agency over rote obedience. This paper argues that Yahweh's statement to ha'adam-permitting the consumption of fruit from every Tree, followed by a conditional consequence of mortality-lacks the prohibitive structure of a command. Through textual analysis of vayətzer ("warned"), mikol ("from every"), and mot tamut ("become mortal"), I demonstrate that the narrative frames eating from the Tree of Knowledge as an act of free will in the absence of divine coercion. The knowledge gained, identified as sexual awareness, necessitates expulsion to prevent overpopulation, not punishment. This reading contrasts the pagan gods of Mesopotamian myths who govern by divine whim, positioning Genesis as a story of human free will, culminating in the moral collapse described in Genesis 6:5-6. Reframing these three verses reshapes theological discourse on obedience, sin, and divine intent, offering a fresh lens through which to view biblical scholarship. 10.5281/zenodo.15207674 This article is adapted from Chapter Eight of my book, Genesis II: Reading The Story Again For The First Time (forthcoming, May 2025), which reinterprets the Eden narrative through its Hebrew text and ANE context, whose theme is, as Marc Zvi Brettler notes, a story reflecting "Immortality Lost and Procreativity Gained." .
DCE: a guide to developing portable applications
Distributed computer concepts intro to the DCE the DCE directory service multithreaded programmin... more Distributed computer concepts intro to the DCE the DCE directory service multithreaded programming the remote procedure call - parts one and two the distributed database access application DCE frequently asked questions database client access source database server source DCE build environment for UNIX and NT.
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Papers by Michael Peterson