The Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Mythology

Guest

by Paul Miles

Mythological hermeneutics is a growing threat to evangelicalism today. The notion is that Genesis does not give a literal account of human origins, but is a monotheistic rearrangement of pagan texts from the Ancient Near East and therefore is subject to error. If this accusation were coming only from atheists or even progressive Christians, it would be unfortunate; but mythological hermeneutics is infiltrating evangelicalism, so we need to equip ourselves with responses.

Discussion

An Assyrian Genie in First Temple Jerusalem

Filings

“With a hole drilled through it, the seal was likely worn around the neck and served as both the personal seal and as a protective amulet of a local official….it may have originally been owned by a man named Hoshʼayahu, who held a senior position in the kingdom of Judah.” - Biblical Archaeology Review

Discussion

Ancient Near Eastern Religion and the Old Testament (Part 1)

Bob Gonzales

The discovery and publication of ancient Near Eastern literature has shed much light upon the religious beliefs and practices of earliest civilization. It has also generated much discussion about the relationship of Mesopotamian and Egyptian religion to that of the Old Testament. In fact, many scholars view the similarities in cosmogonies, flood accounts, cultic ritual, legal texts, wisdom literature, and belief in the afterlife as proof that the Old Testament writers borrowed from or adapted the literary corpus of Israel’s neighbors.

Discussion

Iron Technology in the Patriarchal Era

Filings

“Most antiquarians … tell us that the Hittites developed iron metallurgy around 1500 BC. However, Moses in the Pentateuch tells us otherwise… . that iron-working actually predates the flood since Tubal-Cain forged iron (Genesis 4:22).” - AiG

Discussion