For instance, the pagan story -- Epic of Gilgamesh -- historically preceded the book of Genesis by hundreds if not thousands of years. It was being forced upon the captive Jews in Babylon (the diaspora) and the book of Genesis was written in a somewhat parallel matter to turn their pagan story of multiple gods into a one god story -- Yahweh. Therefore, if we read the pagan story, how can we be so silly as to believe that Genesis was to be interpreted literally and not figuratively?
2006-12-06 14:01:35 · 6 answers · asked by Turnhog 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ignoring the details of your question because they make no sense to me ,
let me say -
Yes! Context is extremely , vitally important in Bible interpretation.
2006-12-06 15:33:06 · answer #1 · answered by Hope 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, context is important when studying anything.
but the context is internal not external.
If two or more people are part of an experience or conversation, getting all their input of the shared event is important.
Going out and asking someone else what happened is taking things out of context, and is heresy.
Trying to use a pagan story to prove or disprove an event in the bible is taking things out of context.
Also remember after Noah's account, and the tower of Babel, the creation account and flood account was taken to the far corners of the earth.
So we shouldn't be surprised if various forms of the event is told and retold, with variations.
2006-12-07 04:20:33 · answer #2 · answered by TeeM 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually sense the book of Genesis occurs before the Exodus its quite possible that the Noah story fits at the same time as the Epic of Gilgamesh. If you go by the Biblical calender it fits very well.
but your right much of the Bible is figurative especially the story of Creation.
if you want to find Semitic influence in the Bible read about the Ugaritic language and the Hammurabi code.
2006-12-06 14:04:51 · answer #3 · answered by Gamla Joe 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Genesis is an account of creation. Nothing preceded creation. God created all, so therefore nothing existed before He created.
2006-12-06 14:08:37 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Top news of the hour!!! aliens just landed at the white house!!! news @ 11 oclock. don;t believe evreything you read
Come on....heres a fable theres a fable... I believe in Genesis to the letter... Hence the flood to get rid of evil!
2006-12-06 14:08:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No. It means getting a clearer understanding of the text.
2006-12-06 16:02:44 · answer #6 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋