Essay on Four Functions of Myths in Genesis

     In this essay I will take an interpretive look at Genesis chapters 5-9. The main focuses will be: the relationship between God, Noah, and Noah’s generation of mankind; the barriers and boundaries for

Mythology serves to create an explanation for why the world is the way it is. All religions have mythology in them and myths help people understand history. Myth can mean so many different things to different people. Some myths are total fiction, while others may have a hint of truth in them. But most myths are more of a symbolic and metaphoric truth, rather than a literal truth, because most of the time myths cannot be proven and people are not trying to prove that they are true. Myths become true to the people who believe in them and they use them as a sort of lens through which they see the world. They use myths to create explanations for themselves as to why the world is the way it is and they use them to help cope with the difficulties of life. Myths are a natural outgrowth of our imagination and our passions.

Biblical myth probably covers the greatest range of human situations, encompassing all ages of life including the next life, all relationships whether personal or governmental, and all phases of the individual’s experience, physical, sexual, psychological, spiritual (p.

Myth – Is a cultural featured folklore story of some early history regarding a supernatural phenomenon or wild belief. Myths are often told by people in order to explain a particular history or the origin of a custom. This can include contexts to a story that is over exaggerated or truthful in some perspectives. For example, the folklore history of “Bloody Mary” and saying her name three times will make her appear.

A simple definition of a myth is a story handed down through history, often through oral tradition, that explains or gives value to the unknown. Myths are composed of stories or explanations. Myths are not always false sometimes they have some truth to them. They come to being by people making an assumption about a person based on their race.

There are different types of definitions for the word myth. Etymological definitions concentrate on the subject at head being untrue. One of these definitions states the word myth is defined as a story about the gods that is false. Another type of definition is sociological-theological definitions. In this definitions, the person telling the myth is only telling what is true to them. The story is not false in their mind. The truth is whatever the person thinks is true.

For the past two-thousand years, the Book of Genesis has served as work of literature to the western civilization. Whether people believed in the Bible or not, the Book of Genesis tell stories they talk about having good morals, teaching live-learned lessons and overall it gives a glimpse of how the first human being acted when the world was developing and how they handle problems and situations. However, even though the book of Genesis shows a tone of life long morals, Genesis also shows the different sides of humans. Genesis shows how human can be deceitful, evil, and disobedient to authority figures. But these traits with humans were rarely displayed by man, but mostly by woman. In

The question that I will be exploring over the course of this essay is: What is the best explanation we can give why Adam and Eve take of the forbidden fruit in the Genesis story of the Fall ( see Genesis 1-3 )? I will be dividing this essay into two sections and look at two aspects: Theological and Philosophical. In regards to this I will also look at the Genesis story and outline three things:

This presentation is about the book of Genesis in the Old Testament. Its main purpose will be to educate you, the audience on hermeneutics, the literal and contextual interpretations of the creation story, as well as the history, author, date and importance of the book of Genesis.

We tend to think of myth as an untrue story or as an outdated explanation of a mystery long since cleared up by science, but myth is actually a framework of meaning, a set of collective fantasies that story our relationship to each other, the world and the universe. To tell a myth is to tell a culture 's dream about its inner workings and truths. A myth tells its tale through symbol, image and metaphor.

In “The Fall of Man” from The Book of Genesis, the most important idea is explaining human tendencies. The first demonstration of this idea, even though it might merely be a technicality, is when God says, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make hime a help meet for him.” This demonstrates the desire for companionship and the yearn for a partner. The next validation of this idea, is when the first woman, Eve, gives into temptation and curiosity and follows the serpent’s orders, then has Adam join her. This shows the temptation and curiosity of all human beings which allowed us to become as advanced as we are today. In conclusion, The fall of man was meant to show and leave the reader to interpret that specific human tendencies

A myth is an ancient story that contains ancient forces. Such stories and the powers behind them, which are given voice through their enormous characters, once animated and motivated whole peoples and civilizations. They are anything but quaint.

"A myth is a collective term denoting a symbolic narrative in religion, as distinguished from symbolic behavior (cult, ritual) and symbolic places or objects (temples, icons)". (The New Encyclopedia Britannica. Vol. 24)Mythology is a collection of myths meant to explain the universe. Mythological stories were told in many different cultures and civilizations. The existence of myths is known in every society. Many different myths were conceived to explain occurrences that happened in nature.

The following essay I will be conducting an exegesis of Genesis 3; 1-12 in its ancient and modern context. I will be analysing themes that run throughout the text and the importance of these themes in identifying the meaning of this passage. Genesis 3 revolves around the fall of creation, in this essay I will analysing the fall and the roles the characters play in the fall and evaluate the fall of humanity and the implications this has modern society.

The very first value presented with the story of Adam and Eve and the tree of knowledge is that of obedience to a higher power, in this case God. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were punished by banishment from the Garden of Eden, as well as a formidable curse "To the woman he said, "I will greatly multiply the pain of your childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children, yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you." And to Adam he said, "...cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life...(p.3 ch.3-16)" In punishing Adam the severity of the transgression of disobedience to God is shown, and thus it is implied that obedience to a higher power is a quality favorable to an ideal society. Similarly, in the story of Cain and Abel, Cain is cursed and exiled for the murder of his brother (p.4 ch.4-8). Thus, the act of murder is condemned in an ideal society. In this manner, the stories within The Bible serve as a manner in which the qualities of an ideal society are presented.