>... what appears to be
>the obvious theological organization. I'm sure that most are aware of this,
>but since I haven't seen it spelled out, it might be useful for some who
>haven't heard or seen it (assuming that I remember it all correctly).
>
>Day Realm Day Occupants
> 1 Light & Darkness 3 Sun, moon, stars
> 2 Sky & Waters 4 Birds & Fishes
> 3 Dry Land 6 Land animals
>
- I also looked up and here append extracts from Kline's "popular"
treatment in:
The New Bible Commentary: Revised
ed. D. Guthrie, J.A. Motyer, A.M. Stibbs & D.J. Wiseman
Wm. B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 3rd edn. 1970
Genesis (Meredith Kline)
"...Decisively in favor of the judgement that Gn 1-11 is not mythological
but a genuine record of history is the testimony of the rest of the Bible.
The material in these chapters is unquestionably interpreted by inspired
writers elsewhere in Scripture as historical in the same sense that they
understand Gn 12-50 or Kings or the Gospels to be historical. Literary
analysis points to the same conclusion. These chapters cannot be identied
as non-historical on the basis of any generally applicable literary
criteria. Neither are they distinguishable from Gn 12-50 by significant
differences in their literary character. There is no great divide between
Gn 11 and Gn 12. Gn 1-50 is history throughout, and when the writing of
history is informed by divine inspiration the resultant product is a fully
trustworthy historical record, however remote in time the human historian
may have been from the events recorded. This position does not permit an
easy side-stepping of questions raised by the inevitable comparison of the
conclusions of modern research in the various sciences with the historical
presentations in the early chapters of Genesis...
...the prologue's literary character...limits its use for constructing
scientific models, for its language is that of simple observation, and a
poetic quality...permeates its style.
Exegesis indicates that the scheme of the creation week itself is a poetic
figure and that the several pictures of creation history are set within the
six work-day frames not chronologically but topically...
..the seventh day [is] a distinct state of triumphal consummation for the
Creator. This state had a temporal beginning but it has no end (note the
absence of the concluding 'evening-morning' formula). Yet it is called
'day', so advising us that these days of the creation account are meant
figuratively..."
- [were there any changes in later edns?]
Peter
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Peter J. Vibert
Senior Scientist Interim Pastor
Rosenstiel Basic Medical The Congregational Church
Sciences Research Center in North Chelmsford
Brandeis University 15 Princeton Street
PO Box 9110, Waltham, MA 02254 N. Chelmsford, MA 01863
tel: (617) 736-4947 tel: (508) 251-1261
fax: (617) 736-2419
Int: peter@hydra.rose.brandeis.edu
WWW: http://www.rose.brandeis.edu/users/vibert
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