A debate has been raging for some time now, about how to read the first couple chapters of the Bible. On one side of the spectrum are people who read it as a scientific document and argue the earth is only 6,000 years old.
On the other side are people who feel the first few chapters of Genesis are more interested in telling us why the world was created, than the specifics of how it was created.
On the other side are people who feel the first few chapters of Genesis are more interested in telling us why the world was created, than the specifics of how it was created.
But setting aside that debate for a moment, how would Jesus have read it? Or at least, how were the first couple chapters of Genesis read in Jesus' day. In the video below, leading scholar N.T. Wright provides interesting insight into that question:
Please leave your comments below.
4 comments:
a great watch - at first I was a bit puzzled by we should interpret it through the lens of a 1st century person rather than who it was written for in its own time - but when you connect it to the events the Jews were experiencing it makes a lot of sense
That is one of the difficulties with not knowing when a text was written and or compiled...who was the original audience?
But the audiences have always been different, haven't they? Genesis is created through a historical dialectic, borrowing from other traditions native to the area... So haven't the audiences always changed and thus, interpretation has always been changing?
I try to stay away from debate on Genesis, but I've come to a few conclusions. Within the context of the Christ, Genesis is a consistent interpretation of the human condition.
oh, and N.T. Wright is AWESOME
I agree - the message is in need of constant re-contextualization and I also feel your comments on Genesis' stance regarding the human condition are right on.
Post a Comment