As the book gives an overview of the Bible it obviously starts with Genesis and the Garden of Eden and the bit that has had me puzzled the most is the fall of Adam and Eve. Vaughan Roberts asks the question what are we supposed to make of Genesis 3, was it factual or is it all a myth? This question arises in particular reference to the snake that tempts Eve.
'Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"
Genesis 3:1
The snake talks to Eve, since when could snakes talk? I don't know about anybody else and perhaps I am just really slow but I had never thought about that before. Anyway Roberts brings this issue up with the question 'Are we meant to take that literally?' and that's my question. Snakes don't talk so was it really a snake that talked to Eve or is it some sort of symbolism? This then makes me question the Garden of Eden as a whole. Was it a garden or is it all just one big metaphor?
4 comments:
Ooh, Claire, you don't half bring up some big questions in your blog. Good on you. Big questions all the way.
Honestly, the literal vs symbolic issue is widely debated among Christians and theologians in many aspects of the Bible, not least the Genesis account. Many people have different opinions. The whole issue of the snake talking is not really a proof in itself because just as God said that he would be cursed and forced to slither round He could just as easily have said, and you will stop being able to talk. Its hard to know seeing as we weren't there! God can do anything, He could have made a snake talk!
The other thing people often debate is whether Adam and Eve were actual individual people or whether they were a race of people, and so on. To be honest, I really don't know where I stand on all this. I am not convinced it all happened in 7 days (as we know 7 days to be), but I myself have not read into it enough or read enough things from both perspectives to be able to know my stand on it all yet.
I think its always worth looking into these things and trying to fathom it out. However, in doing so it is likely that you will come accross a lot of literature which shakes some of the foundations your faith is built up on, so my suggestion is to investigate it but to do so with God, by praying about it, and as you already are doing, making sure you share it all with God.
Sorry, I didn't really answer, but I think it really is something you have to read up about and gather your own opinion that way making sure that you read both perspectives of it.
Very interesting question though. I am looking forward to seeing peoples opinions of this one!
Apparently the site for the Garden of Eden is near Epypt, or in Africa somewhere - bit like the site for the landing of Noah's Ark , Arrarat in Turkey. It's amazing that these places can be pin pointed isn't it. Talking of Noah, I rememeber seeing a programme once about factual evidence for the flood, and to my horror I can't rememeber if, archeologically, there was or not. I mean a world flood would certainly leave some kind of evidence if folks chose to dig down deep enough, and there would be lots of fossils of dead things in that particular layer wouldn't there? Sorry it's not an answer, just something else to ponder really.
Liz u bring up an interesting point. I had never thought about the flood before. Someone surely would have dug to see if it had actually happened wouldn't they? Even if people haven't is the flood just supposed to be a metaphor? Perhaps the whole of Genesis is just full of symbolism and metaphors and we just take it at face value too much?
It's all so confusing.
I agree with Dale's point regarding how Noah knew, or rather didn't know it was a global flood. I mean let's face it, he didn't get very far did he? Turkey is quite near to where much of the Bible Stuff happened and also, here's an interesting fact - when we are first introduced to Noah, he's 500 years old, but it doesn't start to rain 'til he's 600!Actually Gen Chps 7 and 8 are quite an eye opener, I'm off to read some more :)
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