Interpreting Eden: A Guide to Faithfully Reading and Understanding Genesis 1–3

by Vern Poythress

Publisher:

Crossway

, 2019

Overview

Christians have long discussed and debated the first three chapters of the Bible. How we interpret this crucial section of Scripture has massive implications for how we understand the rest of God’s Word and even history itself. In this important volume, biblical scholar Vern Poythress combines careful exegesis with theological acumen to illuminate the significance of Genesis 1–3. In doing so, he demonstrates the sound interpretive principles that lead to true understanding of the biblical text, while also exploring complex topics such as the nature of time, the proper role of science, interpretive literalism, and more.

Key Features

• Focuses on biblical truths that offer us a basis for sound interpretive principles
• Provides a hermeneutical framework in which gradually to proceed toward answers
• Explores topics including the nature of time, the proper role of science, and interpretive literalism

Contents

Part 1: Basic Interpretive Principles

• God
• Interpretive Implications of God's Activity
• The Status of the Bible
• Interacting with Scientific Claims
• Three Modern Myths in Interpreting Genesis 1
• The Genre of Genesis
• Summary of Hermeneutical Principles

Part 2: Exegetical Concerns

• Correlations with Providence in Genesis 1
• The Water Above (Gen. 1:6–8)
• Correlations with Providence in Genesis 2–3

Part 3: Interpreting Genesis 1–3 as a Larger Whole

• Time in Genesis 1
• Implications for Modern Views of Genesis 1
• Attitudes and Expectations
• The Days of Genesis 1
• Factuality and Literalism
• Conclusion
• Appendix A: Genesis 1:1 Is the First Event, Not a Summary
• Appendix B: The Meaning of Accommodation
• Appendix C: A Misunderstanding of Calvin on Genesis 1:6–8 and 1:5
• Appendix D: Multiple Interpretations of Ancient Texts

Top Highlights

“The grand popular myth is that modern science exposes the way things ‘really are,’ as opposed to the mistaken character of appearances.” (Page 75)

“The ancient Near East had counterfeit gods in counterfeit creation stories” (Page 40)

“And—here is the important point—to be usable in practice, the rhythm in question must already be in place during the first three days, not merely afterward.” (Page 218)

“(3) the relation of Genesis 1–3 to modern scientific claims. We will focus primarily on this third set of questions.” (Page 18)

“It is well to recognize that the dominant viewpoint among scientists is not the only one. There are various minority viewpoints, represented by qualified scientists, but these viewpoints are largely suppressed by majority voices, by active persecution, and by selective reporting in the media.” (Page 19)

Praise for the Print Edition

This is not the usual book on Genesis 1–3. It takes up many of the same problems other books do (such as the length of the creation days), but it expects you to think much harder about them than you were expecting to. Perhaps, for example, you might approach this book looking for arguments defending literal interpretation. Well, Poythress will tell you that the term literal has at least five meanings, so theses about literal versus figurative interpretation generally need more careful formulation than we usually give them. But none of these careful distinctions has the aim of compromising the inerrancy of Scripture as God’s Word. Indeed, you will emerge from this book with a greater sense of how Genesis really is the Word of God. Indeed, you will learn much about how, as Poythress says, we should ‘read the Word of God in the presence of God.’ This is how biblical and linguistic expertise ought to be used in expounding the Bible.

—John M. Frame, Emeritus Professor of Systematic Theology and Philosophy, Reformed Theological Seminary

This new book by Vern Poythress is a remarkably wise and comprehensive analysis of multiple recent approaches to interpreting Genesis 1–3. Drawing on several decades of detailed biblical research, Poythress effectively answers modern views that simplistically attribute ‘scientific error’ to Genesis, and he demonstrates convincingly that Genesis 1–3 must be understood as prose narrative that purports to describe actual events, not as fictional or allegorical literature. But he also wisely cautions against ‘overinterpreting’ Genesis 1–3 by claiming that it contains scientific information that was not the intention of either its human or divine author. Highly recommended!

—Wayne Grudem, Distinguished Research Professor of Theology and Biblical Studies, Phoenix Seminary; author, Christian Ethics

We always owe our thanks to Vern Poythress for his characteristic of careful and thoughtful engagement with the biblical text and with other interpreters; how much more on these texts and topics! Besides attention to linguistic details, Poythress always draws the reader to the bigger issues connected to interpretation and to the Christian worldview. This will be worth your time to read, study, consider, and digest.

—C. John Collins, Professor of Old Testament, Covenant Theological Seminary

Product Details

• Title: Interpreting Eden: A Guide to Faithfully Reading and Understanding Genesis 1–3
• Author: Vern S. Poythress
• Publisher: Crossway
• Publication Date: 2019
• Pages: 400
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Topic: Doctrine of Creation

About Vern Poythress

Vern Sheridan Poythress (b. 1946) is an evangelical philosopher, theologian, and Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Westminster Theological Seminary where he has taught since 1976. In 1981 he was ordained as a teaching elder in the Reformed Presbyterian Church Evangelical Synod, which later merged with the Presbyterian Church in America.