[asa] Genesis - literal or not

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

Years ago I read a book on Genesis which I have wanted to quote
here as I felt it highly relevant - but I could not find the book.
I since found some key quotes I typed years ago but I still do not
have a copy of the book. It is a book called _In the beginning,
the opening chapters of Genesis_ (Translated from the original
German) and is by Henri Blocher.

The quotes below are from Pgs 51-59. I did not not at the time
record the specific pages per each quote so forgive me for that.

He writes:

"The authors' (of Genesis) intention is not to supply us with a
chronology of origins. It is possible that the logical order he has
chosen coincides broadly with the actual sequence of the facts of
the cosmogony; But that does not interest him. He wishes to bring
out certain themes and provide a theology for the sabbath. ...We
discerned a composite literary genre, skilfully composed. We
admired its author as a wise man...fond of manipulating numbers
[such as] the number seven. "

(Here he quotes another author, Paul Beauchamp) "EJ Young...points
out the frequency in ancient Near East texts of the pattern 6 +1
(...often six days plus one) The more it appears that the biblical
writer used a stereotype from his cultural milieu in presenting
creation in the from of a week, the less likely that he limited
himself to transcribing a chronological sequence. ...Kline draws
attention to the preamble of the second tablet, in Genesis 2:5.
which explains the absence of grass or shrubs (whether locally or
universally is irrelevant) by the absence or rain and of human
irrigation. :"There was no...for (kî ) the Lord God had not caused
it to rain , and there was no man to till the ground". That
explanation predisposes the normal activity of the laws of nature
for the growth of plants (an operation of [the] divine), and a
sufficient length of time for the absence of rain to be able to
constitute the cause of the absence of plants.
This does not fit the the hypothesis of a literal week for the
creation of the whole cosmos.

  If the dry land did not emerge until Tuesday and if vegetation
has only existed from that day, an explanation is not going to be
given the following Friday that there is no vegetation because
there is no rain! ...Moses would not have preserved a contradiction
in 2:5. If he repeated the explanation given, it is because he did
not understand the days of the first chapter literally. "

(Henri again)
"...[The other clue] is the omission of the formula for the evening
and morning of the seventh day. It is deliberate. ...the day is
never finished! Gods rest signifies the completion of creation and
the conditions for history to proceed, since mankind may act on the
basis of laws...permanently established."

(Henri quoting again)
"EJ young questions the view that Hebrews 4:3-5, which is sometimes
referred to in this debate, upholds the idea of an eternal 7th day.
This...difficult passage in any case gives no support to the
literal reading o Genesis one. ...Accused of breaking the sabbath
law..., Jesus pleads that he is working as his Father is still
working (Jn. 5:17) following the principle "whatever the father
does, that the son does likewise."

"Jesus' reasoning is sound only if the father acts during his
sabbath; only on that condition has the son the right to act...on
the sabbath. Jesus stresses, "My father worketh even until now
(RV)"; Gods sabbath, which marks the end of creation but does not
tie God's hands, is therefore co-extensive with history.
Our Lord himself did not see the seventh day... as...literal..."

(Henri again)
"The narrative has two peaks, mankind and the sabbath....the
creation of mankind crowns the work...the sabbath is its supreme
goal. ....The sabbath sums up the difference between the biblical
and the Marxist visions. The essence of mankind is NOT work!....The
form of the days, employed with consummate skill, tells mankind
that he will imitate God on earth, which...forbids him to identify
with his earthly work. It refers him back to his most essential
relationship, that with God. That is the message of the sabbath. "

Pgs 51-59

=====================================
iaincw@hushmail.com (PGP Key id: 0x3BCCA6CE)
iain@secure.holuwon.com (PGP key id: 0x722EE765)
iw@pos-aman.com (PGP key id: 0x043A5687)

This email is confidential and may also be privileged. If you are
not the intended recipient, please notify me immediately and delete
this message from your system without first printing or copying it.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Note: This signature can be verified at https://www.hushtools.com/verify
Charset: UTF8
Version: Hush 2.5

wpwEAQECAAYFAkdeQo0ACgkQCQeomTvMps5pPAP/ZaFDvqfNJ9wT8xvZLrB2uFw8ZRv8
mUthkLFyYa1TKLb52wf+SBSLDbb5wEDN8rAyL7+qjjP7VkTWRk1knqGX5Ljpbzkdnjpu
nAMolRvLtu1FAnqcUVqju3DpYv7ceUD9y4zjUNqgJD76yrVduUXHn79QVnCANkO845o2
jUubaLk=
=5Zwk
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Tue Dec 11 02:57:01 2007