Thank you for the interpretative question regarding Genesis, “When it is known that Adam & Eve, 7 days of creation and Noah’s Ark were written as parables and meant to be compared with original versions, why do many insist they are literal accounts? Is this a case of worshipping their doctrine before God?”
As one reads the Scriptures, the reader has to decide is the account literal or figurative, a fact or a fable. In the last two centuries, there is a shift that questions the authority and historicity of Scripture. Today, the interpretation of especially the Torah is not from the viewpoint of the writer but the reader. My concern is that scholars are imposing their interpretation onto the text instead of letting the text speak for itself.
For example, what is the bases to say that Adam and Eve, the Seven Days of Creation and Noah’s Ark are parables or fables. Is it based on the text itself? What criteria is used to assert that the text are parables? Is it based on our scientific understanding of our planet?
As I read Genesis 1, the Scripture’s description of the physical earth is not that different from our modern theories of our planet. Genesis 1 describes the world as being surrounded by a body of water with God commanding the water to recede and land to appear. In recent discoveries, geologist now think that there is a body of water in the earth’s crust. The theory of tectonic shifts on the earth crust reflects the Scripture stating by God of land to appear above the ocean. The existence of seashells on every mountain top in the world including Mt. Everest, the Andes, even the Rockies gives some credence that the land mass was once beneath the ocean. Can it be that there is something more to the Scriptures than a fable or parable? I believe so even as scientists makes more discoveries of our world and the universe.
To some extent, the Jewish faith is a comparative religion to the Egyptian and Canaanites’ deities. Moses was not giving a lecture on comparative religion to the Jewish people so that they can decide which religion to follow. Moses is declaring that the freed slaves have seen for themselves the power of the Creator God, heard and felt the presence and provision of God in the journey to the Promised Land. It is more than a comparative religion, but the assertion/declaration that there is a Creator God and he is the one to be worshiped. The account of cellular regeneration is not that far fretch in our medical research as researchers are only on the verge of this field that may one day replace damage body parts. What once seem like a fable like Jesus healing or restoring a man’s limb or removing diseases from the body is within our coming technology.
If one asserts that the Torah is primarily a parable or a fable, would someone spend all that time writing all the laws for the Jewish people like the Book of Leviticus? Are the Ten Commandments are to be viewed as the Ten Suggestions for the nation of Israel? What if someone decided to interpret the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution as a parable since there is no creator who can endow anyone with any inalienable rights. If we can interpret the Freedom of Religion as Freedom from Religion who is to say that one can’t interpret the Freedom of Free Speech to Freedom from Free Speech. There is a danger of readers to impose their interpretation on the author’s intent and their words. The text must speak for itself.
Lastly, Christians worship God, not doctrine. Doctrine is important as that is a manner in which the teachings of Scriptures are organized in a topical manner. The doctrine is based on God’s revelations to his people. Believers cherish the words of God for they come from God. They believe that God is truthful and trustworthy since he is holy and righteous.
If I may use an analogy that Christians do not worship doctrine. As parents, we make certain promises to our children. That child believes the parent’s word of taking him to the park next Saturday. The child does not worship the words of the parents, but trusts in the parent’s character that s/he will fulfill what they promised to him. That child holds dearly to the promised words of his/her parents taking him to the park next Saturday. Does the child worship the words of the parents or trusts in the parents to fulfill their words? If that parent fulfills their promise, that child holds that parent in greater esteem and honor. Thus for Christians, they believe that God will fulfill what he has promised to them. They cherish the words of God who is worthy of all worship since God’s character is immutable.
It is granted that there are agnostics, atheists, and even some Christians who interpret Genesis as a parable. I do not believe that Genesis’ accounts are parables or fables, but are historical facts.
SUMMARY: The accounts in Genesis have historical reality and recent discoveries by scientists provide some credence that the Genesis’ account is more than a parable or fable. Due diligence is required on studying the text and on the scientific discoveries.
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