334
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
September, 1936
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Interesting Scientificc ACCURACIES in the Bible fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth B y ALVA J. McCLAIN* and uprightness” (vs. 7, 8 ). Scientific truth Ashland,"“Ohio
and religious truth must agree, because they have their common source in the one true God whose “ works” and “ commandments” are both “ done in truth.” P rinciples of a F air I nvestigation
Any unprejudiced investigation of the re lation o f the Bible and science should keep in mind at least four principles. First, as Profes sor Townsend pointed out many years ago, we should be careful to distinguish between what the Bible says and what is sometimes said in the Bible. In many places the Bible records the thinking and utterances o f fallible men. In Isaiah 2 2 :13 it is said: “ Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die.” In Malachi 3:14 you may read: “ It is vain to serve God.” In Romans 3 :8 it 'is recorded:, “ Let us do evil, that good may come.” These things are said in the Bible, but the Bible does not say them. They were spoken by men, and recorded in the Bible. And the record is verbally inspired. Thus when the Word quotes Satan as saying, “ Ye shall not surely die,” we may be sure that he spoke those very words. The words are a lie, but the record o f the incident is true. So also-when we read o f Jacob’s ideas concerning prenatal control, recorded in Genesis 30, we should not be over-hasty to ascribe these notions to the Bible. Second, we should remember that many attacks upon the Bible for alleged scientific blunders have been based upon what it was supposed to teach, not upon what it really does teach. Sound exegesis and interpretation are the most effective weapons against the critical foe in the camp of modern science. All the Bible asks, or needs, is fair treat ment at the hands o f its critics. It is a rather well recog nized principle that at least a reasonable amount o f knowl edge in any field o f knowledge is required before men are competent to set themselves up as responsible critics in that field. Unfortunately it seems to be the opinion in many quarters that any one is competent to sit in judgment upon the Bible, regardless of his limited knowledge. I re call the case of the lumber dealer, an avowed unbeliever, who became interested in the Bible because he heard a ser mon on Noah’s ark. Rather startled at its huge dimensions, he sat down to figure the thousands o f feet o f lumber re quired for its construction. Through this means he began to read the Bible, and he found, to his surprise, that it was an interesting book. But one day he chanced upon the pas sage which read that “ the children of the Levites bare the ark o f God upon their shoulders” (1 Chron. 15:15), and throwing the Book down, he declared that he was sure now that it was “ all a pack o f lies” ! Many criticisms o f the Bible, on alleged scientific grounds, are based on interpre tations which are not much more intelligent. Third, to those acquainted with the history of Biblical
To the ancients the heavens contained only one thousand heavenly b o d i e s . Pictured above is the nebula In the con stellation of Andromeda, of which the central portion is shown at the right. Visible to the eye as single stars, nebulae are believed by astronomers to be, in at least some cases, great "island universes" Containing an innumerable host of stars. It was in these terms that God counted Abraham's posterity: "Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them . . . So shall thy seed be" (Gen. 15:5).
“ Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever” (Psa. 119:160). T his text makes a most remarkable assertion. Accord ing to its testimony, the Bible can never become an obsolete book. The Word inscribed upon its pages was true when it was written; the same Word is true today, and a thousand millenniums hence it will still be true. There may be a certain degree of relativity to what man is pleased to call “ truth,” since his ideas are constantly changing, but the Revelation o f God depends for its truth upon neither time, place, nor circumstance. It is “ true from the begin ning” and “ endureth for ever.” In this respect the written W ord partakes o f the nature of the incarnate Word. He in His own blessed Person was “ the truth,” and of Him the writer o f Hebrews declares that He is “ Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (1 3 :8 ). If the Bible is in any real sense the “ Word o f God,” then it is impossible that there should be any contradiction between its statements and the findings o f science. For sci ence, if it be true, is simply an orderly and systematized description o f nature, and nature is the work o f God. Be tween God’s Word and His works there can be no final conflict. It seems to me that this truth is taught very clearly in Psalm 111: “ The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand
*Dean, The Ashland Theological Seminary.
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