What is Behemoth??
Is it a dinosaur, or is it as some commentaries suggest and Elephant or a hippo etc....
Just like to hear peoples thoughts.
Personally I believe that it is a dinosaur like a Diplodocus, or something similar
It has to be really big beast if it doesn't fit into just one post and you had to start 2 forums for it... [:)]
haha yeah. i don't know why but i clicked the post button and it made 2.
haha, that's mean but i like it. ;-P
Yeah, that's me all right. Mean to the core.
I really struggle with the "Love thy neighbor" part a lot. Especially when it comes to celebrities.
Yours in Christ
John
What is Behemoth?? Is it a dinosaur, or is it as some commentaries suggest and Elephant or a hippo etc.... Just like to hear peoples thoughts. Personally I believe that it is a dinosaur like a Diplodocus, or something similar
I believe it is dinosaur meant, because of the large tail and his strength is in his belly muscles. You can find an interesting explanation here.
John,
I just shot coffee out of my nose...
While it has been supposed by some that "behemoth" might represent some creature such as the crocodile or hippopotamos, it seems rather to be used for the ancient chaos monster in some of the ancient Near Eastern creation myths. It is also described as a serpent (as in the Garden). It would not be possible for it to be some extinct creature such as the dinosaur since the dinosaur was long extinct before man ever appeared on earth.
It would not be possible for it to be some extinct creature such as the dinosaur since the dinosaur was long extinct before man ever appeared on earth.
Many would disagree. Extinction and contemporaneous existence with man are not mutually exclusive. Just ask the Dodo bird. (Oh yeah, he's recently extinct.)
Some of us take a literal road more often than others. Behemoth, unicorns, dragons and even harps in heaven can possibly be literal descriptions.[A] [8] [*]
I won't be agreeing with you on this one George. But that's to be expected.
I'm firmly in the, "Probably some kind of dinosaur" camp here. Whatever it is, I do want to shoot down Elephants and hippos in any case. They most certainly do not have tails that swing like cedars. Whatever it is, it had a massive tail. Croc? I don't think so, their tails are used for swimming or "whipping" but they don't generally sway in a stately manner.
Moreover I find it difficult for God to say, "Hey look at this mythic creature that people give my glory to!" Nope - for that reason I'll jettison Tiamat or whatever as an explanation. I believe Behemoth to be a real beast. IMHO Probably Saurian.
Job 40:15 Behemoth's tail like a cedar -- seen an elephant or hippo tail lately?
It had to be a different creature. After all God said only it's Maker could subdue it and we have zoos full of crocodiles, hippos and elephants.
Dinosaurs weren't merely extinct; they had been extinct for a long period. The Dodo is an extinction which occurred in historical times.
Some of us take a literal road more often than others. Behemoth, unicorns, dragons and even harps in heaven can possibly be literal descriptions.
And perhaps von Daniken was correct that ancient astronauts really did construct the pyramids. All you need to do is believe it to be so and POOF ! , it's real.
Carbon14 dating, Mount St. Helens, Paluxy River footprints.......
According to drdino.com, it's possible that Dinosaurs and and man co-existed before the Great Flood, since God didn't allow any of His creations to be carnivores until Genesis 9:3.
For another possibility, how about similar to the Brachiosauraus? The New Answers Book states: "Not long after the Flood, God was showing a man called Job how great He was as Creator, by reminding Job of the largest land animal He had made: 'Look now at the behemoth, which I made along with you; he eats grass like an ox. See now, his strength is in his hips, and his power is in his stomach muscles. He moves his tail like a cedar; the sinews of his thighs are tightly knit. His bones are like beams of bronze, his ribs like bars of iron. He is the first of the ways of God; only He who made him can bring near His sword' (Job 40:15–19). The phrase 'first of the ways of God' suggests this was the largest land animal God had made. So what kind of animal was 'behemoth'? Bible translators, not being sure what this beast was, often transliterated the Hebrew, and thus the word behemoth (e.g., KJV, NKJV, NASB, NIV). However, in many Bible commentaries and Bible footnotes, 'behemoth' is said to be 'possibly the hippopotamus or elephant.' Some Bible versions actually translate 'behemoth' this way. Besides the fact that the elephant and hippo were not the largest land animals God made (some of the dinosaurs far eclipsed these), this description does not make sense, since the tail of behemoth is compared to the large cedar tree (verse 17). Now an elephant’s tiny tail (or a hippo’s tail that looks like a flap of skin) is quite unlike a cedar tree. Clearly, the elephant and the hippo could not possibly be 'behemoth.' No living creature comes close to this description. However, behemoth is very much like Brachiosaurus, one of the large dinosaurs."
What is Behemoth?? Is it a dinosaur, or is it as some commentaries suggest and Elephant or a hippo etc.... Just like to hear peoples thoughts. Personally I believe that it is a dinosaur like a Diplodocus, or something similar While it has been supposed by some that "behemoth" might represent some creature such as the crocodile or hippopotamos, it seems rather to be used for the ancient chaos monster in some of the ancient Near Eastern creation myths. It is also described as a serpent (as in the Garden). It would not be possible for it to be some extinct creature such as the dinosaur since the dinosaur was long extinct before man ever appeared on earth.
It is possible for it to be an extinct animal, Because in Genesis chapter 1 is when God created everything, God created all the land animals and Man on day 6, now is a dinosaur a land animal?? Of course it is, so both man and dinosaurs co-existed. It would not be some Mythical creature either because God was describing it to Job as if Job himself knew what the animal looked like. and Behemoth could be described as a hippo or elephant. Have a look at its tail, it does not sway like a cedar tree!! The only option is some sort of dinosaur like a brachiosaurus, or similar.
What is Behemoth?? Is it a dinosaur, or is it as some commentaries suggest and Elephant or a hippo etc.... Just like to hear peoples thoughts. Personally I believe that it is a dinosaur like a Diplodocus, or something similar Job 40:15 Behemoth's tail like a cedar -- seen an elephant or hippo tail lately? It had to be a different creature. After all God said only it's Maker could subdue it and we have zoos full of crocodiles, hippos and elephants.
Definitely. I whole heartedly agree
Many would disagree. Extinction and contemporaneous existence with man are not mutually exclusive. Just ask the Dodo bird. (Oh yeah, he's recently extinct.) Dinosaurs weren't merely extinct; they had been extinct for a long period. The Dodo is an extinction which occurred in historical times. Some of us take a literal road more often than others. Behemoth, unicorns, dragons and even harps in heaven can possibly be literal descriptions. And perhaps von Daniken was correct that ancient astronauts really did construct the pyramids. All you need to do is believe it to be so and POOF ! , it's real.
So George does that mean you do not believe in a literal 6 days creation???
in Genesis chapter 1 is when God created everything, God created all the land animals and Man on day 6, now is a dinosaur a land animal?? Of course it is, so both man and dinosaurs co-existed
I totally agree with you Aaron.
But not everybody takes the six day creation as 6 literal 24 hour periods. Some cling to the "Gap theory" believing there were possibly millions of years between a failed original creation/evolution and the Garden of Eden narrative. Who knows, they may even believe God created Adam as a newborn baby and he had to grow up through all stages of child development. (Evolving into a mature man.....[;)])
I'd suggest reading Religion and Its Monsters by Timothy K. Beal for an analysis of behemoth and Leviathan - especially the playful aspects. But recognize that I think the philological evidence for "dinosaur" is non-existent.
Excellent! I also suspect that a lot of the earlier bibles (pre 1800's) probably did try to compare it to what they saw in the world around them, since then there have been a lot more discovery of dinosaur bones, especially in the last 100 or so years. The word dinosaur itself is a created word, and was made up by a man Sir Richard Owen in 1842. so before that time they weren't referred to as dinosaurs, a lot of them were referred to as dragons.
What is Behemoth?? I'd suggest reading Religion and Its Monsters by Timothy K. Beal for an analysis of behemoth and Leviathan - especially the playful aspects. But recognize that I think the philological evidence for "dinosaur" is non-existent.
I think Beal reads more into the Bible than is actually stated. His characterization of monsters as not being created by God but somehow preceding and opposing creation are just NOT listed in Psalm 74, as he asserts. As in the account of Lucifer, we have a narrative of God the Creator bringing his creation into subjection. Someday "every knee shall bow" and the raging heathen will be made a footstool. Never did the Bible say something exists without God creating it. Beal is not a very good Bible student. IMHO.
What is Behemoth?? I'd suggest reading Religion and Its Monsters by Timothy K. Beal for an analysis of behemoth and Leviathan - especially the playful aspects. But recognize that I think the philological evidence for "dinosaur" is non-existent. I think Beal reads more into the Bible than is actually stated. His characterization of monsters as not being created by God but somehow preceding and opposing creation are just NOT listed in Psalm 74, as he asserts. As in the account of Lucifer, we have a narrative of God the Creator bringing his creation into subjection. Someday "every knee shall bow" and the raging heathen will be made a footstool. Never did the Bible say something exists without God creating it. Beal is not a very good Bible student. IMHO.
I agree in genesis it says that God created everything. and it was allgood. now after the Fall in Chap 3, everything was cursed. So thatmeans there are no "monster under the bed" or 'In the closet'.
Beal is not a very good Bible student. IMHO.
I certainly would not argue in favor of Beal's interpretation but I certainly would rather read him than most of the websites associating behemoth with dinosaurus. Beal is at least entertaining and informative even if he's not erudite and a Biblical scholar. For a Biblical (extreme) literalist to convince me of the dinosaur theory, he'd have to start by addressing two issues:
1) Assuming that humans and dinosaurs co-existed, what is the evidence of terms for dinosaurs in any Semitic language? or any language for that matter? If there are no terms for dinosaurs, can you give me other examples of animals bigger than a breadbox that co-existed with a tribal group circa the time of Job that the group did not name?
2) Much of the book of Job is poetry, using language in an evocative and figurative manner. What criteria did you use to determine that this passage is literal not figurative?
Then again, I'd give my usual response - what difference does it make? I agree with http://www.thirdmill.org/answers/answer.asp/file/99844.qna/category/ot/page/questions/site/iiim when it says:
"In the context of the book of Job, the passage is intended to show Jobhis own limits and weaknesses. Whereas God can do as he wills even withthe behemoth, Job cannot, nor can any other man. Job is nowhere nearbeing God's equal, and thus should not presume to question God'sactions or motives.Answer by Ra McLaughlin"
I'd suggest reading Religion and Its Monsters by Timothy K. Beal for an analysis of behemoth and Leviathan - especially the playful aspects.
Okay, for those not wanting Frankenstein with their morning Scripture, may I suggest the more Hebrew oriented Ross G. Murison - The Mythical Serpents of Hebrew Literature at http://www.scribd.com/doc/12706046/Murison-The-Mythical-Serpents-of-Hebrew-Literature-No-Date-Complete. Sorry about that "mythical" in the title - it is not intended to be derogatory.
I certainly would not argue in favor of Beal's interpretation but I certainly would rather read him than most of the websites associating behemoth with dinosaurus. Beal is at least entertaining and informative even if he's not erudite and a Biblical scholar
Oh, I grant you Beal is entertaining. I find him very much so and enjoy his wide ranging perspectives. His other works are way off the map too. At least he does not hide his bias. The bottom line is I don't give equal weight to the external documents or Jewish commentary as I do to the Bible. To me it is first a matter of faith. Logic is secondary.
If one handles the whole book of Job as poetic expressions we can easily dismiss the reality of Satan. Once we have dispensed with Satan we can call into question everything Christ said about Hell being prepared for Satan's judgement.. If we have been lied to in one respect what else has been misrepresented? Where is faith to rest?
Beal is a fantastical adventure in literary metaphors but not what I base my theology on.
I certainly would not argue in favor of Beal's interpretation but I certainly would rather read him than most of the websites associating behemoth with dinosaurus. Beal is at least entertaining and informative even if he's not erudite and a Biblical scholar Oh, I grant you Beal is entertaining. I find him very much so and enjoy his wide ranging perspectives. His other works are way off the map too. At least he does not hide his bias. The bottom line is I don't give equal weight to the external documents or Jewish commentary as I do to the Bible. To me it is first a matter of faith. Logic is secondary. If one handles the whole book of Job as poetic expressions we can easily dismiss the reality of Satan. Once we have dispensed with Satan we can call into question everything Christ said about Hell being prepared for Satan's judgement.. If we have been lied to in one respect what else has been misrepresented? Where is faith to rest? Beal is a fantastical adventure in literary metaphors but not what I base my theology on.
And also in line with those comments. if you don't believe that God made the world in 6 literal days, that Dinosaurs lived with man, etc. Then that undermines the entire gospel. In the book Revelation it says that Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega. the Beginning and the End. There is a reason that Genesis is at the beginning of the bible and Revelation is at the end,
The reason is if you read Genesis, and do not believe what it says from the very first verse, than how can you rely and believe what the rest of the bible says.
The Book of Genesis, Mainly the 1st 11 chaps, is the entire foundation of the rest of Scripture. We have our 7 day week based from Creation, If those 6 days of creation (the 7th day God rested) were figurative of thousands of years as one day than we would have an interesting working week wouldn't we. But God's word contradicts that by saying that 'a thousand years is as one day, and one day is as a thousand years'.
Why do we believe in marriage?
Why do we promote the wearing of clothes?
Why are there rules—right and wrong?
Why are we sinners—what does that mean?
Why is there death and suffering in the world?
Why is there to be a new heaven and a new earth?
If you look at anything in the Christian life it all in one way or another leads back to Genesis.
The whole Reason that Jesus Died to take the punishment and pay the penalty for our SIN goes back to Genesis.
If one handles the whole book of Job as poetic expressions we can easily dismiss the reality of Satan.
We can? What about the temptation of Jesus Christ? or the temptation of Eve? My question was more basic - what is the criteria for determining what is figurative language and what is literal language.For example, am I to believe that faith is measurable in feet, centimeters etc. because Jesus refers to faith the size of a mustard seed?
Of course not . The thought of doing so had never crossed my mind before I read your statement. I simply suggested that someone interested in behemoth might find his book interesting reading.
Christian life it all in one way or another leads back to Genesis
While I don't disagree with the statement, I would think it misleading without an additional phrase i.e. Christian life it all in one way or another leads back to Genesis as seen through the Cross.
John Behr in his The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death does a far better job of making this point than I can do.
If we can dismiss scriptural content as allegorical, metaphorical or parabolic when in fact the writ itself does not categorize it as such we then have no reliable writings we can count on as being literal. Many make this mistake with Luke 16:19-31. We are never told this is a parable so we can accept it as fact, if we believe Jesus is incapable of a lie. Therefore if Satan is fictitious in Job, Satan is fictitious elsewhere in the Bible. If Satan is not real, Jesus is not honest. If Jesus is not honest we have no sure foundation for our faith.
Faith is measured by how firmly it is placed. A point in mathematics has no size, it has location (co-ordinates.) Just because we can not see a point does not mean it does not exist. The US Navy successfully tested Ronald Reagan's "High Frontier" particle beam to destroy missiles using GPS co-ordinates. Of course if our faith is mis-placed (wrong co-ordination) we will experience failure.
If we can dismiss scriptural content as allegorical, metaphorical or parabolic when in fact the writ itself does not categorize it as such we then have no reliable writings we can count on as being literal.
But Mariam sang a song, Jesus spoke in parables etc. Isn't this Scripture categorizing itself? And I've never thought of allegory, metaphor or parable as dismissive - they are simply ways of communicating truths. I think we are back to the truth vs. fact diachotomy that has been on the forum already.
Yep I think this discussion i going a bit off topic, Not that i mind, it's good to have good discussions about this, but i think i will bring us back to the original question i asked at the beginning.
What type of animal is Behemoth???
Christian life it all in one way or another leads back to Genesis While I don't disagree with the statement, I would think it misleading without an additional phrase i.e. Christian life it all in one way or another leads back to Genesis as seen through the Cross. John Behr in his The Mystery of Christ: Life in Death does a far better job of making this point than I can do.
Thanks for that.
Apparently Behemoth is both kosher and tasty. According to 2 Esdras (4 Ezra) 6:52 and 2 Baruch 29:4 and following, the saints will get to eat Leviathan and Behemoth at the Messianic feast at the end of time. A sort of cosmic surf and turf, if you will.
This probably safely rules out dinosaurs. They didn't have split hooves, and most dinosaurs didn't have molars for chewing much of anything, let alone the stomachs for chewing cud.
In all seriousness, there is a detailed summary of the rabbinical discussion of Behemoth in Ginsberg's Legends of the Jews that makes for a fairly interesting read (and don't skip the footnotes on this one - that's where the good stuff is). (http://www.logos.com/products/details/2999)
Have a read of a great technical breakdown of the origional language
http://www.answersingenesis.org/tj/v15/i2/behemoth.asp
How I would like a slice cut very thin and barbecued. Or perhaps stewed or even broiled.
John! Peace to you! And JOY!
*smile*
Thank you muchly! I needed that today .........
Yours in Christ,
........ Mel
The reason is if you read Genesis, and do not believe what it says from the very first verse, than how can you rely and believe what the rest of the bible says
This Sunday's Gospel reading was from the Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John. Do you apply the same sense of literal meaning to this passage?
51I am the living bread that came down fromheaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the breadthat I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”53So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you,unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, youhave no life in you.54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day;55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.58This is the bread that came down from heaven,not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one whoeats this bread will live forever.”
I ask because I suspect I take this passage more literally than you. If you don't take it literally, what criteria do you use to determine that it is not lo be taken literally? I am genuinely interested in your answer - not spoiling for a fight.
The flip-side of that argument is , "Why do you take transubstantiation literally if you reject other written scriptures? What criteria do you use to determmine when it is literal or not?" See? It works both ways. [;)]
It is a whole lot easier for me to believe God is intelligent & honest enough to say what he means and mean what he says than be sneaky and self-deprecating. I have no problem believing God is capable of creating, ex nihilo, a universe that appears "billions and billions" of years old (as Carl Sagan said) when it is in fact only 6 days old. Jesus replicated the loaves and fishes on the spot when he fed the crowds. There was no need to bake the loaves or roast the fishes.
The flip-side of that argument is , "Why do you take transubstantiation literally if you reject other written scriptures? What criteria do you use to determmine when it is literal or not?" See? It works both ways.
I genuinely am not seeking an argument - and transubstantiation is only one of at least 3 theological descriptions (Orthodox and Lutheran use different but compatible descriptions). And I am (slightly) offend by your suggestion that I reject scripture. Yes, I could give you my criteria - logical, semantic, literary and historical. But what I am interested in is your criteria - it is a part of a mind-set that I truly do not understand.
To put it in perspective, I've recently been reading Hicks (Church of Christ) and have come to respect much of what he has to say. I feel I could carry on a conversation with him with real understanding. I can't say that I understand your understanding of literal vs. figurative - and I'd really like to.
I genuinely am not seeking an argument - and transubstantiation is only one of at least 3 theological descriptions (Orthodox and Lutheran use different but compatible descriptions). And I am (slightly) offend by your suggestion that I reject scripture.
I'm sorry for offending you, even slightly.
When I ask why you "reject scripture" it is following your example of accepting some literally. Some you take literally, some figuritively. Same formula for me and probably Aaron. (I better let him speak for himself.)
I guess what really surprises me is how I seem to agree with Erasmus more than most orthodox people on the forums. Now Erasmus and Luther both knew they were in the right. At least one of them had to be wrong. Then there is Behemoth, 6 day creation, Wikipedia's "List of logicians" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_logicians .......not everbody can be right. My bets are on God.
there is a detailed summary of the rabbinical discussion of Behemoth in Ginsberg's Legends of the Jews that makes for a fairly interesting read (and don't skip the footnotes on this one - that's where the good stuff is). (http://www.logos.com/products/details/2999)
I have this resource but have had difficulty finding reference to Behemoth in the resource. Could you elaborate more exactly where it can be found (what chapter etc)?
Much appreciated.
Mark
Well that's good but I was kind of hoping that you would answer the question. Are Jesus' remarks about eating his flesh and drinking his blood in John 6 supposed to be taken literally or not and if not why not? There certainly isn't any mention of a parable anywhere in that discourse. Wasn't that the criteria you said was the deciding factor in making decisions like that?
Nope, we are not to be caniballistic of our Lord.
I said - "If we can dismiss scriptural content as allegorical, metaphorical or parabolic when in fact the writ itself does not categorize it as such"
This passage catagorizes itself as metaphorical. In context, Christ likens himself to bread, specifically refering to manna. He draws contrast and comparison with the manna.
He also says the bread is flesh, another metaphor. He then commands blood drinking which if taken literally would be direct disobedience to the command not to drink blood. (A command given in the Law and reiterated by the Apostles.) We are left with one way to apply this scripture without God contradicting Himself. I agree with St Augustine who taught the sacrament is a symbolic, physical representation of a spiritual event.
The reason is if you read Genesis, and do not believe what it says from the very first verse, than how can you rely and believe what the rest of the bible says This Sunday's Gospel reading was from the Bread of Life Discourse in the Gospel of John. Do you apply the same sense of literal meaning to this passage? John 6:51-58 51I am the living bread that came down fromheaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the breadthat I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”53So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you,unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, youhave no life in you.54Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day;55for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.56Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.57Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.58This is the bread that came down from heaven,not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one whoeats this bread will live forever.” I ask because I suspect I take this passage more literally than you. If you don't take it literally, what criteria do you use to determine that it is not lo be taken literally? I am genuinely interested in your answer - not spoiling for a fight.
That is a very good question and one that can (and is) taken and used for so many false beliefs. I can believe what it says because it is in God's word. We don't literally eat and drink his body and blood, this is where the catholics get their eucharist etc stuff from, which is totally wrong. I can't say this any better than this quote from John MacArthur from his 'New Testament Commentary John 1-11'. Sorry i know it is long.
There certainly isn't any mention of a parable anywhere in that discourse. Wasn't that the criteria you said was the deciding factor in making decisions like that?
Any time a scriptural reading appears to violate or contradict another scriprural reading we are obviously misreading at least one of them. That is what I mean by labeling myself a literalist. I do believe the Bible contains allegories, parables, metaphors and literal statements.
Daniel's image is allegorical
Jesus as the livimg water = metaphorJesus as the bread of life = metaphor
Jesus walking on the water is literal.Virgin birth of Christ is literal.Bodily resurrection of Christ is literal
Each of these is catagorized by their own inherent content.
why you "reject scripture" it is following your example of accepting some literally. Some you take literally, some figuritively.
I'm actually more comfortable with the phrase "plain meaning" - I try to read history as history, geneology as geneology, prophecy as prophecy, law as law, poetry as poetry, parable as parable ... when language is used figurative I want to read it figuratively, etc. ... I would plead guilty perhaps to failing to recognize language as it is used in the Hebrew original ... which is a long ways from "rejecting"
I can state reasons for taking a passage figuratively. In the case of the first creation story in Genesis, some of the reasons (not as a fully developed logical argument which would take several pages)
1. The first Genesis story is one of several creation stories in Scripture. Said stories do not agree in details (sequence of events, for example), but they all agree that God is the creator - the most critical element for the salvation history story that we trace through all of scripture. The structure of the first creation story is pointed towards the 7thday - the sabbath and, perhaps, even the tabernacle/temple. I would,therefore, agree with you that Scripture begins with a pivotal story.
2. The term "day" is stated as not being applicable to God in the sense that it applies to people "a thousand years is as a day ..."; the Hebrew term translated "day" is used variously to mean period of daylight, period of time from one sundown to the next, an indefinite period of time etc. Jewish interpretation suggests that the light used to define the day was of a different order (at least until the sun was created - note that it is not until Gen 2:4 that earth is given priority over heaven i.e. "heaven and earth" vs "earth and heaven".
3. The structure of the first creation story is poetry patterned by repetitions - hence it is interpreted as poetry.
4. Humans are treated by God as thinking creatures... [long exposition on nature as pointing to God, rationality leading towards God etc.] there is no reason to assume God set the world up to trick us. Rather it is more likely that poetry uses figurative language.
5. And, yes, after a long argument as to why I would also appeal to tradition - the history of interpretation of the passage and the line of authority supporting the intepretation.
Criteria: (1) the apparent purpose of the passage in the whole of scripture (2) the usage of the word in question throughout the Hebrew scripture with all the typical philological stuff (3) genre of passage as determined by the structure and content of the passage (4) logical patterns based on other truths taught in scripture (5) history of interpretation and authority behind the history ...I could easily triple the list.
However, I honestly am not interested in establishing right or wrong - I just want to understand how you came to the conclusion that Genesis 1 is literal and John 6 is figurative (an assumption from your original post). Both Erasmus and Luther explained well why they came to their conclusions and I understand why they differed. Several of the major splits I understand, although I haven't studied Calvin sufficiently yet to really grasp his thought.
Thank you. This is definitely a step in the right direction for helping me to understand your view and helps me formulate questions going deeper into our differences.
Just where does it do that? Personally, I don't hold to transubstantiation or consubstantiation either but to the Reformed position that Christ is spiritually present by faith, but nevertheless it doesn't give any indication that this is metaphorical (other than common sense). Jesus says "I AM the bread of life." You can't simply pick and choose when you wish something to be literal and when you wish it to be figurative willy-nilly. You must have some principle. I think M. J. has the better of you here.
