Today we think of the earth as a
round planet which is part of a solar system of other planets in
year a larger galaxy. As people told and wrote sacred stories, a certain point of view influenced the way they told it. It's important to understand the culture of Biblical times to understand why certain things were written.
Today we think of the earth as a
round planet which is part of a solar system of other planets in
year a larger galaxy.
In Old Testament times, people
looked at the world differently.
The world was flat. A canopy held up with pillars covers the earth. Chaotic waters surround the earth. The universe is three-tiered:
The sun
travels across the canopy to the underworld then returns to its
rising point.
How does this ancient worldview influence the writer?
Worldviews and the belief of people surrounding them influenced the record of God's people in the Bible. Read some of the following stories.
Joshua 10:11-14 Sun, Stand Still.
More Indepth
You can go more indepth and explore the adult Bible study pages:
More Indepth
You can go more indepth and explore the adult Bible study pages:
Cosmology of the Middle Eastern People
Ptolemaic/New Testament Cosmology
Discoveries of galaxies,
solar systems, atomic theory, medicines, causes of mental
disorders, etc., influence our worldview. Humans have
walked on the moon
predicted weather patterns and cycles
looked into the galaxy
sent explorative expeditions to Mars
circled the earth
discovered medicines and cures
Reading verses in the Bible with today's worldview elicits different understandings of tempests, earthquakes, demons, and much more.
As people read stories, a certain point of view works it's way into their interpretation of the story.
Now that we've discussed
influences on the writings and readings of scripture, let's look
at how the books became part of the Bible.