LinearAq writes:
What translation of the Bible are you using?
Coragyps writes:
Far more to the point, what does it say in the earliest Greek that we have? And is that even directly comparable to the Hebrew that's in the OT?
In a nutshell sir:
The Greek (
ghee) is used pretty much the same as the Hebrew (
erets); and neither was traditionally employed in what we imagine to be a 'global' sense. The Septuagint, (Greek language Bible) was produced by devout Jews not long after the heathen Greeks had proposed their godless theory regarding the spherical shape of things under heaven. Nowhere in the Hebrew text is there revealed a concept such as this: that land and sea are part and parcel of a greater whole called "Earth."
Genesis is very clear regarding the definition of "Earth," and Seas are not included.
(The opinion of Aristotle notwithstanding)
Some Background:
But the opinions of Aristotle were mighty important to the Church of Rome. Thus, when the Greek text was brought into Latin, an Aristotelian imagination colored the interpretation of it.
A much worse situation arose when the scripture was brought into English. Now, a single word of the original language, designed to depict the original theory, becomes several words in the target language. Where the translator didn't mind revealing the original scope, he could say "land." And where the scope was somewhat larger he could say "earth," and in so doing, call to mind the Aristotelian model of the universe. Even so, the full extent of earth's parameters remained a mystery; such that Columus discovered a "New
World" where he expected to encounter India.
But even as the hugeness of the earth/sea/ball began to be appreciated, no one yet imagined that the ball might be rotating, much less orbiting the sun. (No one but the Muslim scholars who preserved volumes from the library at Alexandria).
At any rate: No Old Testament author espoused the notion of an Aristotelian 'earth' and it seems highly unlikely that Jesus' and his disciples would be promoting that hellenistic heresy.
Summary:
There is no reason to assume that the biblical word "earth" means
planet earth. It is, in fact, for the most part, a simple reference to real estate: a piece of dry
land. (Gen 1:10) The extent of that land must be determined from the context.
Edited by doctrbill, : To Tweak the Summary
Theology is the science of Dominion.- - - My God is your god's Boss - - -