A. No part of Scripture can contradict another

     part of Scripture.
 

B. Interpret Scripture as literature; in practice,

     this means literally unless there is clear

     reason to do otherwise.
 

C. Always consider the surrounding context.
 

D. Always seek to determine what it meant to

     those it was originally written to.
 

E. Historical narratives are to be interpreted 

     by didactic (teaching) passages.
 

F. The Bible uses the language of appearance,

     not precise technical language like a science

     textbook. 
 

Common Interpretations of Genesis 1

A. The Day-Age Theory
B. The Gap Theory
C. The Literal View
 
 

How do we interpret Scripture?

A. No part of Scripture can contradict another part of Scripture.

B. Interpret Scripture according to its literary genre;
     in practice, this means literally unless there is clear reason to do otherwise.

C. Always consider the surrounding context.

D. Always seek to determine what it meant to those it was originally written to.

E. Historical narratives are to be interpreted by didactic passages.

F. The Bible uses the language of appearance, not precise technical language
     like a science textbook. 
 
 

Common Interpretations of Genesis 1

A. The Day-Age Theory

1. II Peter 3:8 used to support this, and the Hebrew "yom."

2. The "days" in Genesis overlap with the 7^th day a continuing day.

3. The order of events supposedly follows evolution.
 
 

B. The Gap Theory

1. The Genesis days said to be days of re-creation, not the first creation.

2. There would be a great gap of time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2, which

    are meant to include the geological ages of evolution.

3. A great catastrophe occurred in this gap of time that supposedly connected

    with the fall of Satan (see Ezekiel 28:11-19).
 
 
 
 
 

C. The Literal View (correct interpretation of Genesis 1)

1. Creation by fiat command ex nihilo

    (Psalm33:6-9, Hebrews 11:3, Romans 4:17)

2. Earth formed out of water (II Peter 3:5)

3. Light before Sun or stars (Gen. 1:3, 14-15)

4. Six literal solar days (Exodus 20:11, Gen. 1:5)

5. Fixed Biblical kinds of living things (Gen. 1:11,21, 24; I Corinth. 15:39)

6. Vegetarian nature of Man and animals (Gen. 1:29-30 and Gen. 9:3)

7. Adam and Eve real people in history (I Corinth. 15:45, I Timothy 2:13)

8. Ideal environment in the beginning (Gen. 1:6-8, Gen. 2:5-6)

9. Created maturity (Gen. 1:11-12, 24-25, 27-28; Gen. 2:7, 22)
 

by Wayne Spencer
creationanswers.net