The Bible is anything but clear when it comes to God. Within the text, God is not a consistent and defined character, and after thousands of years of debate and interpretation, God is no less a mystery today. In this episode, one of my favorite Biblical scholars, Dr. Rolf Jacobson joins me to discuss the character of God in the first 11 chapters of Genesis and how the stories of Creation and the crisis of sin give a narrative account of the human predicament before a loving God.
If you enjoy the conversation, go grab the entire series now and join our upcoming live Q&A sessions where we walk through the entire Biblical story, asking the question of God. PS, it is donation-based, including $0.
Dr. Rolf A. Jacobson is the Professor of Old Testament and the Alvin N. Rogness Chair of Scripture, Theology, and Ministry at Luther Seminary.
Known for his humor and faithful biblical interpretation, Jacobson is an in-demand preacher and teacher. With Craig Koester, he developed and supports the Narrative Lectionary. He enjoys collaborating with other teachers and pastors. His collaborative projects include The Book of Psalms (NICOT; with Beth Tanner and Nancy deClaissé-Walford), Invitation to the Psalms (with Karl Jacobson), Crazy Talk: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Theological Terms (with five fellow Luther Seminary graduates), and Crazy Book: A Not-So-Stuffy Dictionary of Biblical Terms(with Hans Wiersma and Karl Jacobson). He is also the author of The Homebrewed Christianity Guide to the Old Testament: Israel’s In-Your-Face, Holy God. His scholarly interests include the Psalms, prophets, biblical theology, biblical narrative, and preaching the Old Testament.
His voice can be heard on two weekly preaching podcasts, “Sermon Brainwave” and “The Narrative Lectionary,” as well as singing the high lonesome with a Lutheran bluegrass band, “The Fleshpots of Egypt.”
A childhood cancer survivor, he is a double, above-the-knee amputee who generally wears a bicycle and a smile. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his beloved wife Amy, their children Ingrid and Gunnar, and a cat who thinks he is a dog. He is a loyal friend, a lifelong sufferer of Minnesota sports, and a committed board-game geek.
The God of the Bible
Are you ready to unravel the enigmas of the divine? Or perhaps, just revel in the glorious complexity that is the God of the Bible? Join Dr. Rolf Jacobson and Dr. Tripp Fuller for an online class that’s sarcastically (or is it?) titled, “The God of the Bible: An Absolutely Clear and Final Guide to Ultimate Mystery.” Because if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that the nature, character, and vision of the God of the Bible are anything but simple!
This class will take you on an unforgettable journey through the Biblical narrative, from Creation to Consummation. Our mission? To present the nature, character, and vision of the God of the Bible. Our method? Overcoming the hesitations of (post)modern, critical scholarship to highlight the aesthetic power of the divine as revealed in scripture.
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Replays are available on the Class Resource Page.
Previous Episodes with Dr. Jacobson
Have You Joined Theology Class Yet?
I love Rolf! He's brilliant and funny.