Ask Your Preacher - Archives

Ask Your Preacher - Archives

“Oh, The Humanity!”

Categories: OLD TESTAMENT, WORLD EVENTS
    Recent research says that most of the first chapter of the Bible was written in 100 AD.  The part that is puzzling is that there are two ‘creation of man’ stories.  One is the traditional rib story, and the other is that He created them man and woman.  Which is true – if any?  Another part says that God created man in His image and likeness.  If God is a spirit, what are His image and likeness?

Sincerely,
Fabri-created?

Dear Fabri-created,

We don’t know what recent research you have been reading, but there is not a notable Bible historian on the planet that would say that the first chapter of Genesis was written in 100 AD.  Even if you only used the Dead Sea Scrolls, those manuscripts are dated around 100 BC.

As for the dual creation stories, the confusion comes when people read Genesis 1 and see that God made man and woman, and then read Genesis 2 and see God making man and woman all over again.  The key is to realize that chapter one is an overview of the entire six days of creation (which includes the creation of man on day six), and Genesis chapter two is a more detailed account of what happened when God made Adam and Eve.
Think of chapter two as a microscope honing in to get a closer look at the most important detail of the creation story – the creation of humans.