Posted on 01/22/2006 8:12:41 AM PST by Luis Gonzalez
Creationists call us to believe the Biblical creation story as a literal account of historical events. However, Genesis contains two distinctly different creation accounts. Which creation story are they calling us to "literally" believe?
For generations, serious students of Scripture have noted stark divisions and variations in the age of the Hebrew, its style and language within Genesis. As we have it now, Genesis is actually a composite of three written primary sources, each with its own character, favorite words and distinctly different names for God. Such differences all but evaporate when translated into English, but they are clear in the ancient Hebrew text.
The first creation account, Genesis. 1:1 to Genesis. 2:4a, was written during or after the Jews' Babylonian captivity. This fully developed story explains creation in terms of the ancient near eastern world view of its time. A watery chaos is divided by the dome (firmament) of the sky. The waters under the dome are gathered and land appears. Lights are affixed in the dome. All living things are created. The story pictures God building the cosmos as a supporting ecosystem for humanity. Finally, humanity, both male and female, is created, and God rests.
The second Creation story, Genesis 2:4b to 2:25, found its written form several centuries before the Genesis. 1:1 story. This text is a less developed and much older story. It was probably passed down for generations around the camp fires of desert dwellers before being written. It begins by describing a desert landscape, no plants or herbs, no rain; only a mist arises out of the earth. Then the Lord God forms man of the dust of the ground, creates an oasis-like Garden of Eden to support the "man whom he had formed." In this story, God creates animal life while trying to provide the man "a helper fit for him." None being found, God takes a rib from the man's side and creates the first woman. These two creation stories clearly arise out of different histories and reflect different concerns with different sequences of events. Can they either or both be literal history? Obviously not.
Many serious students of Scripture consider the first eleven chapters of Genesis as non-literal, pre-history type literature, with Abram in Genesis. 12:1 being the first literal historical figure in the Bible. This understanding of Genesis causes an uproar in some quarters. In most church communities, little of this textual study has filtered down to the pew. But, in their professional training, vast numbers of clergy have been exposed to this type of literary scriptural analysis.
In my over 28 years as a pastor, I have encountered many people who are unnecessarily conflicted because they have been made to believe that, to be faithfully religious, one must take a literal view of the Genesis creation accounts. Faced with their scientific understandings going one direction and their spiritual search another, many have felt compelled to give up their spiritual search altogether. This all too common reaction is an unnecessary shame!
So, the next time someone asks you if you believe the Biblical story of creation, just remember the correct reply: "To which Biblical creation story do you refer?"
So he answered and said, You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:26-28
No other Gods
No graven images
Don't take the name of the Lord in vain
Keep the Sabbath
Honor father & mother
Don't murder
No adultery
Don't steal
Don't bear false witness
No coveting other people's stuff.
Does that answer it? I think I understood what you wanted to know.
The argument is not whether there are two distinct and separate accounts of Creation, at least not from me, but rather that what may appear to be two accounts of one incident (Creation) are two accounts of two incidents -- Creation of Earth and the men and women who populated it, and Creation of Eden (and its inhabitants).
I agree with that.
Joshua 24
15. But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."
I've already answered this on another thread.
Yes,
Yes (maybe)
Why would the accuracy of Jesus' teachings be in any way diminished by whether or not the world was created in seven days? Frankly, IMO it wouldn't. Clearly, the New Testament is much more accurate than the Hebrew Bible. However, even the New Testament displays the author's biases. Each of the Gospels is geared toward a different community and has a slightly different take on Jesus' life.
HERE is the problem...
Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
Isaiah 55
1. "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4. See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.
5. Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."
6. Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Thanks for your response, but I just wonder why you added the 10?
Did Jesus ever say to keep the commandments?
"Did Jesus ever say to keep the commandments?"
You mean you do not know?
I thought the Bible said each individual makes that choice, and that only those who choose Christianity make it to Heaven. Haven't Jews made their choice?
How do you know this??
Hold on. ;^)
NIV Matthew 5:17-2017. "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.
18. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
19. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
NIV Matthew 19:16-26
16. Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" 17. "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." 18. "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "`Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19. honor your father and mother,' and `love your neighbor as yourself.' " 20. "All these I have kept," the young man said. "What do I still lack?" 21. Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22. When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23. Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 25. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" 26. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." |
NIV Mark 10:17-28
17. As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 19. You know the commandments: `Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.' " 20. "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21. Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22. At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" 24. The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26. The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" 27. Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." |
NIV Luke 18:18-27
18. A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19. "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. 20. You know the commandments: `Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.' " 21. "All these I have kept since I was a boy," he said. 22. When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23. When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25. Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26. Those who heard this asked, "Who then can be saved?" 27. Jesus replied, "What is impossible with men is possible with God." |
NIV John 8:1-12
1. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.
3. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group
4. and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.
5. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"
6. They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger.
7. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."
8. Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9. At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
10. Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11. "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." ----------
NIV Matthew 22:34-41
34. Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
35. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36. "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
37. Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'
38. This is the first and greatest commandment.
39. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.'
40. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." NIV Mark 12:28-34
28. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"
29. "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
31. The second is this: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
32. "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.
33. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
34. When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.NIV John 13:34-35
34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
NIV John 14:15
"If you love me, you will obey what I command.
NIV John 14:21
Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
NIV John 15:9-12
9. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
NIV John 15:17
This is my command: Love each other.NIV Matthew 28:19-20
19. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20. and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
GRrrr.....
You sound like a scripture lawyer.
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