At the risk of getting too involved, I think that Glen is asking not so
much unreasonable questions, but the *wrong* questions.
George hinted at this with his first principle of hermeneutics, on how
the passage points to Christ Jesus.
In a few cases, clearly it is important that the writing is an account
of actual events. "On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women
went to the tomb taking the spices which they had prepared."
In many other cases, the type of literature is clearly not a narrative
of historic events, but an exhortation or a prayer or something. "Sing to
the Lord a new song!"
And, in many cases, there are narratives which may or may not be of
historic events--and it doesn't really matter one way or another. "A
certain man went up to Jerusalem from Jericho." "And there was a certain
beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores."
In these latter cases is may be good to know that something happened in
history as related, but it is not something worth getting worked up over.
God does not save people because they can correctly interpret each passage
of scripture. He saves them by His grace, through faith, in His Son.
Yours in Christ, | ----Solo Christus----
James | In faith and in science,
James K. Gruetzner <jkgruet@unm.edu> | All truth is God's truth.
"A bruised reed he will not break; a smoldering wick he will not snuff out."