Creation Science Book Review
After Eden
Chapter 4: Jots and Tittles
Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
First Published 11 August 2005
The Bible Insists on Supernatural Accuracy (Page 57)
Of course, I have no problem with this claim. I agree that Jesus warned against twisting the clear teaching of Scripture. It's a good thing us old earthers don't do that! We do, however, deny the "young earth interpretation" of those scriptures. Our interpretations are not against Jesus' warning, but they are totally against young earth creation science. That is one thing that makes Morris resort to such emotional arguments. He knows that we can interpret the Bible inerrantly with an old earth.
YEC objections to old earth creationism boil down to two issues...the meaning of the Hebrew word "Day" (Yom), and the Death before Sin issue. All else relates to these two. Except for these two issues, YECs and OECs look alike....therefore...
It's not about "supernatural accuracy."
The Writings Cannot Be Deconstructed (Page 58)
He opens with a story from our Lord, which inserts emotion but has no actual bearing on the topic. He goes on to claim that "Some of today's Bible scholars excel in attempting to break the Scripture!" I agree, we do have some Bible scholars today who are idiots. Of course, he is implying that old earth creationist scholars, who accept an inerrant, infallible Word, are included here. On this I disagree.
Morris mentions they convolute grammar, rewrite history, impose culture, twist nuances, invent connotations, etc. When it comes to an old earth interpretation, only two things really matter...your interpretation of the word "Yom" (Hebrew for day), and your view of Death Before Sin. If it were not for these two different interpretations, you would not be able to tell an old earth creationist from a young earth creationist. Yes, there are bad theologians who badly twist scripture...but most old earth creationists do not fit this category. Morris is all too happy to lump us all together.
Old earth creationists do not have to do any of the twisting that he claims. The word Yom can mean long ages, and there is no valid argument that says we cannot interpret it this way. Also, there is even less of an argument against death before sin.
In the bottom paragraph on page 59, he says Jesus did not give any room to wiggle when understanding the meaning of God's Word. It means what it says. What Morris is saying is that we are not free to interpret the Scriptures...they must be taken at face value. I guess all us Christians should check our brains at the door when we go to church, and accept our pastor's preaching from the Word without questions. The earth is young, and that's that...believe it or leave the church. This is the intent of what Morris is saying, but that's not Jesus' intent. The Creator blessed us with brains...I prefer to use mine.
It's not about "deconstruction."
Every Word of Scripture Is Precisely the Right Word (Page 60)
Once again, I agree that every word of Scripture is what God intended. Morris pulls a story of Jesus out of the Bible to show this point. While interesting, it only emotionally adds to his argument. There is nothing of substance here for the age of the earth (it has nothing to do with "Yom" nor death before sin...the real issues).
It's not about Scripture being precise.
Even the Tenses are Absolute (Page 61)
He is really reaching here. I agree, the tenses are what God intended. To prove his point, he says Jesus quotes from Exodus 3:6, and Jesus stresses the tense of the verb "to be". He then writes the portion from Exodus, "God is not the God..." It says in parenthesis, "author's emphasis". Morris admits that he italicized the "is", but he claims Jesus stressed the verb tense. Morris is the one doing the stressing, not Jesus!
He ties this in the last paragraph to the age debate. He says, "Sadly, some Christian scholars claim to believe in inerrancy and inspiration yet attempt to "interpret" the written words of God to fit the ideas of the atheist, naturalist, or evolutionist. That is illogical." It is only illogical if you believe in a young earth.
Recall from above, the only two things interpreted differently is the meaning of the word "day" and death before sin. Everything else is the same. It is quite easy, and permissible hermeneutically, to maintain long ages and death before sin. For more on the word for day, see Word Study: Yom. For more on death before sin, see Death Before the Fall and Death Through Sin. These are the only issues which matter for the age of the earth debate.
It's not about "tenses."
God Does Not Hide His Revealed Words (Page 62)
I agree, God does not Hide His Words. The opening sentence says "If the words of the Bible can be "interpreted" to mean whatever we want them to mean, then the words are meaningless! I agree we cannot make it say what we desire, but I also disagree...we are each free to interpret the Bible.
As a counterstatement, I would say, "If the words of the Bible "must be interpreted" to support a young earth, then the words are meaningless." Should I just accept the young earth creationist interpretation, and "check my brain" at the door when I come into church? No. We are free to interpret the Bible, according to our own understanding and knowledge. What did all the church fathers of old do? Their volumes of commentaries are full of their own interpretations. Morris calls this wrong???
He says "Why would anyone even want to "interpret" what God says?" Obviously, we cannot understand what God is saying unless we interpret it!!!
It's not about "hidden words."
Men Change the Word of God (Page 63)
Yes, some men change the word of God. The Mormons, Jehovah Witnesses, and others come to mind. However, the age of the earth issue has nothing to do with changing the word of God. The only issues are the length of "day" and death before sin. You don't have to change the Word of God to interpret day as long ages, nor to prove that there was death before sin. Therefore...
It's not about changing the Word.
The Logic and Philosophy of the World Robs Us of Truth (Page 64)
Again, this leads to the "we are not free to interpret the Bible" issue. The passages he quotes do nothing to argue against us using our brains to read God's Word. Yes, there are those that carry the Bible too far, and make it say things that it doesn't, but that has nothing to do with the age of the earth issue. The only thing that matters is the length of days and death before sin.
It's not about the world robbing us of truth.
The Bible Demands Obedience to God (Page 65)
I wholeheartedly agree. It does not, however, demand obedience to young earth creationism. It does not say "Believe in a young earth and be saved." We old earth creationists know that we must obey God, therefore...
It's not about obedience to God.
God's Written Word is God's Supernatural Record (Page 66)
Once again...I agree! He sums it up with "One of two positions must follow: either the Bible is what it claims to be -- the written revelation of truth from God the Creator --" or not. I agree, it is the written Word of God.
This chapter is full of nice points that we all agree with. They all have nothing to do with the age of the earth! We only differ on two points...how long is a day of creation, and is there death before sin. Everything else is just emotional rhetoric from the author.
For more on the Hebrew word for Yom, see Word Study: Yom.
For more on death before sin, see Death Before the Fall, and Death Through Sin.
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
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