Re: [asa] Ages of the Patriarchs

The Ages of the Antediluvian Patriarchs In Genesis 5 By: Andrew P.
Kvasnica 2005
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=3054

Thanks Janice, the article you linked is a very helpful summary of the
different approaches.
(I'm not going to bite on how the vapor canopy theory relates to global
warming :-) )

On 2/15/07, Janice Matchett <janmatch@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> At 08:15 PM 2/14/2007, David Opderbeck wrote:
>
> I'm wondering if anyone has any references / perspectives on the ages of
the antedeluvian patriarchs. I saw Carol Hill's 2003 PSCF article, which is
very interesting ( http://www.asa3.org/aSA/PSCF/2003/PSCF12-03Hill.pdf). I
see also that Walton in the NIV Commentary favors taking these lifespans at
face value. I guess they could be some kind of miraculous thing, but the
sort of approach Carol takes seems reasonable. (My very bright daughter was
reading her Bible on her own -- praise God! -- and was asking about this,
and it kind of stumped me.)
>
> @ I thought this paper was interesting:
>
> The Ages of the Antediluvian Patriarchs In Genesis 5 By: Andrew P.
Kvasnica 2005
> http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=3054
>
> [snip]
>
> The Literal View
>
> Historically, the most prevalent way to take these numbers is as literal
ages.The numbers mean what they appear at first sight to mean. This is
reason enough for many. Some add reasons to this and hold that the
patriarchs needed to personally pass on to future generations the wisdom and
art that they learned"such a duty, it is said, could not have happened
during a "normal" life span of 70 or 80 years. Luther states that these
patriarchs also had a better diet, more sound bodies, and experienced a less
developed impact of sin on the physical creation. Some also propose
longevity based on the idea of a water vapor canopy that protected the earth
from physically and genetically harmful solar radiation. .."
>
> ~ Janice :)
>
>
>
>
>
>

-- 
David W. Opderbeck
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