All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17, NRSV)

It is a comforting thought, is it not?  That all Scripture is inspired by God.  But what does this mean?  How exactly did we get the Bible as we know it today?  How reliable is it?

Suppose Pastor Art told a joke in a recent sermon about a man in the flood waiting for God to rescue him.  Now suppose twelve people from our congregation went home and told the joke to a grandchild.  Their grandchildren then shared the joke with a friend.  One of the friends happened to be the grandchild of another local pastor who ate lunch with Pastor Art a couple of weeks later and told the joke to Pastor Art.  When the joke got back to Pastor Art, many of the details had changed, but the overall message and punch line were in tact.

What role do details play?  Is it important that the details change if the overall message remains the same?  Differences in details can either get us focused on the details, or can help us to see what the common idea and main point is.  What should we do with these differences?  Include all versions?  integrate them?  These are the questions people asked when compiling the stories in the Bible.

Genesis 1:1–2:3 and ‎Genesis 2:4–3:24 both tell the creation story, but the details are different.  When reading these stories notice how they are alike and how they are different.  These stories do not tell us exactly how and when the world was created – they do not agree.  The Bible was never meant to be a history book, providing an exact chronology of historical details.  Neither is the Bible a book primarily about values or instruction.  It’s not meant to be used as a reference book.  The Bible is a collection of stories meant to reveal God to us and help us decipher God’s actions both in the past and also in our lives and world today.  If we get caught up in the details and focus on the discrepancies, we may miss the point of the stories.  The important thing Genesis 1-3 tells us is WHO created the world, God and all God created is good, God wants to be in relationship with us, and that we are separated from God by sin.  On these points, both accounts of creation do agree.

More on Reading and Interpreting Scripture next week.  Read Genesis 1:1–2:3 and ‎Genesis 2:4–3:24, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis+1%3A1-3%3A24&version=NRSV