Good Article from Conservative Scholars on Genesis Context

[Canuckster1127]

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed ... stand-rjs/

I like this article from scholars from Dallas Theological Seminary and Lancaster Bible College. I think it's a worthwhile blog and the book looks interesting as well.

The question, however, is not “How can I trust the Bible if it does not mean what it says?” What this question is really asking is, “Can I trust the Bible if it does not mean that I thought it meant from my context when I originally read it, before I understood what it would have meant to the original readers?” -- Johnny Miller & John Soden

[Sam1995]

Must give this a read, thank you for sharing this, definitely a topic I'm tryin to concrete in my own set of beliefes at the momen!
SB

[PaulSacramento]

The question, however, is not “How can I trust the Bible if it does not mean what it says?” What this question is really asking is, “Can I trust the Bible if it does not mean that I thought it meant from my context when I originally read it, before I understood what it would have meant to the original readers?” -

Nicely said.

[jlay]

Thanks Bart, may need to add this one to my reading list. Some of the points brought up are why I've never adopted any of the OEC positions.
I've always been up front with the issues with YEC, but never felt like OEC positions rightly handled Genesis.

[Philip]

Miller and Soden recast the question “How can I trust the Bible if it does not mean what it says?” as “Can I trust the Bible if it does not mean that I thought it meant from my context when I originally read it, before I understood what it would have meant to the original readers?” Are they right? Is this the question many are asking whether they realize it or not?

While I would agree that understanding the meaning as per the ancient audience it was originally made available to is important, I would also question as to whether a given ancient Biblical text does not also have meanings that transcend the time it was written in. As Scripture wasn't written only for the ancients, as God well knew that those in our own time would be reading it as well. And because of leaps in literacy, scholarship, scientific knowledge, and technology, He also knew that we would be analyzing it on a very deep level and with modern understandings. And so, were there not perhaps at least some understandings that the ancients had wrong but that modern Christians understand better, especially as we can look back on history and as they couldn't? God knew of ALL the audiences Scripture would reach across time - so did He gear it to only understandings of the ancients? Think of the prophetic Scriptures about Christ, and how they were not well understood when first received.