Question: I have a question regarding Genesis 1 and 2 and the different accounts of creation. I am not an inerrantist, so accept the J, P, E hypothesis, but am curious as to how inerrantists handle it. I have not really ever gotten an answer (except along the lines of "we may not understand now, just trust in God" sort of answers.)
Genesis 1 presents a watery world, then the creation of land, plants, sun and moon, air and sea animals, land animals, finally man. Genesis 2 presents an earthen world, watered by mist, the creation of a man, then the garden and plants and animals, then woman.
How do inerrantists handle the obvious contradiction?
Nicolette
Answer: Dear Nicolette,
As you probably know, there are many other points on the spectrum, other than absolute inerrancy and the acceptance of the Documentary Hypothesis. No need to discuss all of these views at length, as space and time do not permit in any case.
In brief, I believe that most discussions of the initial chapters of Genesis need to begin with the literary context and genre. The subject, the audience, the purpose, the language and style which was used to communicate the topic. Most battles over Genesis 1-3 are between people who overstate their case. For example, the atheist may use this material to try to disprove God’s existence, while a fundamentalist Christian may use it to deny truths of science.
The great creation hymn of Genesis is not a scientific treatise about how God did what it asserts that he did. It is not a blueprint. It is more profound than that. The Hebraisms used are the deep and profound language of poetry (which is not to say that poetry is untrue, but in fact is often "more true" than wooden literalism). If God had intended, for example, to inspire this passage so that it would take into account the technology that humans would arrive at in 1999-2000 AD, he would have completely overlooked the audience for whom the material was originally written – and all generations and centuries until now.
The creation hymn has one overarching purpose – to show and demonstrate that there is one God, not many – and that the one God is greater, more powerful than all the gods of the pagan world. When we try to read the creation hymn as a blueprint, it would be like reading Maya Angelou or Robert Frost and trying to construct a mathematical/engineering model. The genre does not allow it.
For centuries Christians insisted that the Bible taught that the earth was the center of the universe. Every verse in the Bible was quoted about the sun rising and setting to prove this theory and teaching. But today no informed Christian holds that view, for there is too much evidence to show otherwise. Copernicus helped us along that road. We know now that the Bible speaks of the sun rising and setting using phenomenological language. Was the Bible wrong, or were the humans who sincerely tried to interpret it wrong? Paul counsels, "Let God be true and every man a liar".
If we do not read the creation account/creation hymn for what it is, and try to make it something it is not, then we will have many questions – 1) what about the order of events – in chapter 1 it seems like animals were created before humans, in 2:19 it seems like Adam was already alive and then the animals were created. Genesis 1 gives a general chronological order, an outline – with Genesis 2 giving more of a topical order and some details. There is no contradiction.
Once again, an understanding of the purpose of this material – to demonstrate that there is one true God. The compound name Yahweh Elohim is used to help readers understand the transcendent Creator as well as the personal and relational God – that he is one and the same.
The above should answer your question – there is no contradiction in a "water" world of Genesis 1 or of a "earthen" world of Genesis 2. Genesis 2 supports and confirms chapter 2, giving more details. The word "mist" in the King James Version in 2:6 is more accurately translated as "streams" – so that water is very much a part of the world depicted in chapter 2 as well.
I hope this serves to help. May God bless you.
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht