Two Creation Accounts?

[Earthling]

Why the contradiction in the two creation accounts of Genesis 1:1-4:26?

The two creation accounts are given in different order, but that doesn't make them contradictory. The first account is a chronological account (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and the second account is a topical account. (Genesis 2:5-4:26) The first account is a chronological description of the creation of the heavens and earth and it's inhabitants. The second account describes the human race and the fall into sin, introducing various aspects of the story as they are necessary.

 

[WalterTrull]

Why the contradiction in the two creation accounts of Genesis 1:1-4:26?

The two creation accounts are given in different order, but that doesn't make them contradictory. The first account is a chronological account (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and the second account is a topical account. (Genesis 2:5-4:26) The first account is a chronological description of the creation of the heavens and earth and it's inhabitants. The second account describes the human race and the fall into sin, introducing various aspects of the story as they are necessary.

Maybe. I saw the descriptions as before and after the mist.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Why the contradiction in the two creation accounts of Genesis 1:1-4:26?

The two creation accounts are given in different order, but that doesn't make them contradictory. The first account is a chronological account (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and the second account is a topical account. (Genesis 2:5-4:26) The first account is a chronological description of the creation of the heavens and earth and it's inhabitants. The second account describes the human race and the fall into sin, introducing various aspects of the story as they are necessary.

Why does it matter? We know that both versions are wrong.

 

[Earthling]

Maybe. I saw the descriptions as before and after the mist.

[Sigh] The mist?

 

[Subduction Zone]

[Sigh] The mist?

Why sigh? Do you think that your interpretation is any more valid than his? Anyone that tries to defend a literal interpretation of Genesis ends up looking like a loon when their interpretation is compared to reality.

 

[Thief]

Day Six.....evolution
no names, no garden, no law

Chapter Two.....manipulation
an alteration of mind and body

the test....to make sure the alteration had taken hold

we ARE that creation curious to know.....even as death is pending

and then release into the environment
not condemnation

 

[Earthling]

Day Six.....evolution
no names, no garden, no law

Chapter Two.....manipulation
an alteration of mind and body

the test....to make sure the alteratio had taken hold

we ARE that creation curious to know.....even as death is pending

and then release into the environment
not condemnation

What the hell are you talkin' about?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

The two creation accounts are given in different order, but that doesn't make them contradictory.

What makes them contradictory is that they contradict one another. They are two mutually exclusive accounts of what is being claimed to have happened. For example, one has man created before Eve and the beasts, and the other has Adam and Eve created together after the beasts.

Additionally, In the first story, Genesis 1, plants are created before man, but in the second account, the order is reversed.

Incidentally, the believer also has two conflicting and mutually exclusive genealogies of Jesus, possibly for the same reason. There seems to have been two separate Hebrew traditions evolving independently that were eventually both written and compiled into a single holy book.

I've often commented on why unbelievers make more reliable interpreters of scripture than believers. The difference is that the unbeliever doesn't need to sanitize the various errors in the Bible - its internal contradictions, failed prophecies, unkept promises, moral and intellectual errors attributed to an allegedly perfect god, and errors in science and history. The unbeliever is free to point out these problems, whereas the believer feels the need to make the words appear worthy of a perfect god.

The believer is not free to call these two accounts contradictory, so he must reconcile the contradictions with assorted tricks such as saying ad hoc that only one account is in chronological order. Where's the evidence for this? None. None is needed for the believer. Just some words that somehow appear to make the problem go away, usually beginning with an effort to disqualify the unbeliever's opinion with any of a couple dozen proclamations about why the unbeliever is unqualified to read and understand the English in this one book.

 

[pearl]

The two creation accounts are given in different order, but that doesn't make them contradictory.

No, it doesn't. And if a multi source is considered, the first account reflects a 'priestly' order, known as the P source, tradition. The 'P' author teaches that there is only one God that one God created all that exists, he created man in His image and likeness and made him master of created things. The author has nothing to say concerning science or the how of creation.
The so-called 'J' tradition contains some of the favorite stories; Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the flood, the tower of Babel, the call of Abraham and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is to the wisdom of the final editor of the Pentateuch that both traditions have particular value towards the whole.

 

[Thief]

What the hell are you talkin' about?

the manner the text is displayed

note the way Chapter One ends
then notice....as per scripture....
Adam is a Chosen son of God

Eve is a clone
no navel
not born of woman
Adam was given his twin sister for a bride

the forbidden fruit was a test
will they go for it?.....even if death is pending

they did
it was not a fail

Man needs to be that creature curious even if death is pending

how else to survive the last breath?

 

[Earthling]

What makes them contradictory is that they contradict one another.

Ah, but you see, they don't.

They are two mutually exclusive accounts of what is being claimed to have happened. For example, one has man created after the beasts (Genesis 1:24-26), in the other, the order is reversed.

What exactly does it mean to say they are mutually exclusive? And the order differentiation doesn't constitute a contradiction unless you assume that both are given as chronological. If I tell you that I'm going to the mall (old building or connection of buildings where businesses used to sell their wares) to buy a coat and I later say that I bought a coat at the mall it isn't contradictory.

Also, one has man created before Eve and the beasts, and the other has Adam and Eve created together after the beasts.

Additionally, In the first story, Genesis 1, plants are created before man, but in the second account, the order is reversed.

Because one account is chronological and one is topical. The first gives the order and the second gives the order introducing aspects as they pertain to that portion of the account. For example, Adam lives in the garden so the garden is mentioned, Adam named the animals so their creation is mentioned.

Incidentally, the believer also has two conflicting and mutually exclusive genealogies of Jesus, possibly for the same reason. There seems to have been two separate Hebrew traditions evolving independently that were eventually both written and compiled into a single holy book.

Somewhat off topic, but what or where specifically, are these contradictory genealogies of Jesus?

 

[Earthling]

No, it doesn't. And if a multi source is considered, the first account reflects a 'priestly' order, known as the P source, tradition. The 'P' author teaches that there is only one God that one God created all that exists, he created man in His image and likeness and made him master of created things. The author has nothing to say concerning science or the how of creation.
The so-called 'J' tradition contains some of the favorite stories; Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, the flood, the tower of Babel, the call of Abraham and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. It is to the wisdom of the final editor of the Pentateuch that both traditions have particular value towards the whole.

Ah, the P&J (Peanut butter and Jelly?) of the questionable scholarship of higher criticism. Not that I don't already know the answer, but tell us how one determines if Peanut Butter or Jelly allegedly wrote the text?

 

[metis]

Some theologians who have analyzed the writings believe it was likely from two different authors-- what theologians call "variations".

Therefore, for those of us who do not have a blind belief in the concept of inerrancy, what difference does it really make if they're an exact match? There are so many other variations with so many of the narratives, thus the main thing is what's the basic message?

 

[Earthling]

the manner the text is displayed

note the way Chapter One ends
then notice....as per scripture....
Adam is a Chosen son of God

Eve is a clone
no navel
not born of woman
Adam was given his twin sister for a bride

the forbidden fruit was a test
will they go for it?.....even if death is pending

they did
it was not a fail

Man needs to be that creature curious even if death is pending

how else to survive the last breath?

If we had interpreters in a thousand years subjecting our simple meanings to such superfluous nonsense our descendants would have no possible way of understanding a word we had said but there would be an extravagant guru on every channel.

 

[Thief]

If we had interpreters in a thousand years subjecting our simple meanings to such superfluous nonsense our descendants would have no possible way of understanding a word we had said but there would be an extravagant guru on every channel.

yep.......

 

[Earthling]

yep.......

So, uh . . . you get any snow?

 

[Earthling]

Some theologians who have analyzed the writings believe it was likely from two different authors-- what theologians call "variations".

Therefore, for those of us who do not have a blind belief in the concept of inerrancy, what difference does it really make if they're an exact match? There are so many other variations with so many of the narratives, thus the main thing is what's the basic message?

Evidence?

 

[WalterTrull]

[Sigh] The mist?

" But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground." Genesis 2:6

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

[Sigh] The mist?

Your "sigh" is hilarious. Reminds me of pots and kettles... and the color black.

"You're wrong in your made-up stories because mist!"
"No - you're wrong in your made-up mist because stories!"

 

[metis]

Evidence?

I am not Hebrew scholar but I do read what those who are have to say, and it is very easy for one to google this. If you want to argue this, I'm not really interested.