Jonathan Edwards on Genesis: Hermeneutics, Homiletics, and Theology

“This fine study not only reflects recent trends in Edwards studies but offers a fresh look at previously unpublished sources in the Edwardsean corpus. With his eyes set firmly on pastor-scholar sensibilities, Borgman provides a lucid account of Jonathan Edwards as an exegete of the book of Genesis and explains how Edwards as a pastor underpinned his exegetical sermons as well as other writings. This volume will benefit readers of various stripes both in the church and in the academy.”

—Chris Chun, director of Jonathan Edwards Center and professor, Gateway Seminary



“It has been rightly said that the history of the church is the story of the church’s interaction with the Bible, and one of the most influential figures in this story was the New England divine Jonathan Edwards. In recent years, his role in the reception history of the Scriptures has proven to be an especially fruitful subject of historical enquiry. This new monograph on his reflections on the book of Genesis continues and sharpens this inquiry, and reveals the way that Edwards was both a faithful transmitter of previous exegesis and a pioneer in new paths of thinking.”

—Michael A. G. Haykin, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary



“This study adds to the growing body of literature that considers Edwards as an exegete, and helpfully focuses our attention on his exposition of texts from the book of Genesis, which, with its accounts of creation and the fall, was a major object of examination in the early modern period. Here, then, we see Edwards as a participant in a community of students of the Bible. But we also see his unique employment of that study, not only in his reflections on specific passages, but also for developing vital loci such as the imago Dei, or image of God. Even more, we are treated here to the connection between Edwards’s exposition and his preaching, showing the intimate relation these pursuits had for him and the way they informed each other.”

—Kenneth P. Minkema, Jonathan Edwards Center, Yale University



“As the author of a theological commentary on Genesis, I was eager to learn how Jonathan Edwards, one of my favorite theologians, interacted with the first book of Moses. Borgman’s monograph did not disappoint. His analysis allowed me to peek over Edwards’s shoulder in the study and to feel his pathos in the pulpit. I gained a deeper appreciation for Edwards’s sensitivity to the typological layers of the text and his burden to apply the Word to his parishioners. If you’re a fan of the Great Awakening preacher and New England’s premiere theologian, I recommend Borgman’s helpful treatment.”

—Robert Gonzales Jr., author of Where Sin Abounds: The Spread of Sin and the Curse in Genesis