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Johnny V. Miller
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In the Beginning… We Misunderstood: Interpreting Genesis 1 in Its Original Context Kindle Edition

by Johnny V. Miller (Author), John M. Soden (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 124 ratings
For years, the evangelical church and its members have debated whether the Bible should be interpreted literally or symbolically in regards to the age of the earth. In their groundbreaking new book, In the Beginning . . . We Misunderstood, authors Johnny V. Miller and John M. Soden say that all these
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  1. Print length
    222 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Kregel Publications
  4. Publication date
    September 1, 2012
  5. File size
    2.4 MB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John M. Soden (ThM, PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) teaches Old Testament at Lancaster Bible College and Graduate School. Prior to coming to LBC, he was a pastor in Colorado. He and his wife, Janet, live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Johnny V. Miller (ThM, ThD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is a teaching pastor and professor who currently serves as a professor emeritus at Columbia International University. He has contributed writings to many publications such as Decision Magazine, Leadership Journal, and Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. He and his wife, Jeanne, live in Pennsylvania.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B008RLPSTC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Kregel Publications (September 1, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 1, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2.4 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 222 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 124 ratings

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Johnny V. Miller

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
124 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book well-written and complex topics presented in an accessible manner. They appreciate its thoughtful approach and honest pacing, with one customer noting it's not condescending.

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BrevityReadabilityThought provokingPacing
28 customers mention "Brevity"28 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the brevity of the book, finding it a well-thought-through explanation of Genesis 1 that is complex yet readable.

"This book is an excellent analysis of how little we all (Science and Religion) really know about how God created...." Read more

"...how the book was consistently footnoted, and an excellent bibliography is provided for people who want to study the issue further...." Read more

"...The book centers on very readable descriptions of the creation accounts of the ancient Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Canaanite, and how they are..." Read more

"...Here in this book, we see another step forward in linking science and scripture, God's world and God's word, into a unified coexistence...." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and interesting, with one noting its refreshing tone.

"This book is, by far, one of the better books I have read dealing with the issues surrounding Genesis 1 and how to understand them in light of their..." Read more

"...Excellent book, every church needs it in their library!" Read more

"...The tone of this book was refreshing...." Read more

"...goddesses are all fakes - is amply detailed, making their effort worth the read." Read more

6 customers mention "Thought provoking"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book thought-provoking.

""In the Beginning We Misunderstood" is a warm, lucid and thoughtful exegetical consideration of the function of Genesis 1-2 with particular respect..." Read more

"...Lovingly, objectively, and responsibly written, so well thought out...." Read more

"...The author does an excellent job of making this complex topic readable and understandable." Read more

"A very thoughtful and well-researched volume by two honest, thought-provoking authors...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the pacing of the book, finding it honest and objective, with one customer noting it is not condescending.

"...That said, in contrast to most dialogue from OECs, this book is not condescending...." Read more

"...The authors are experts at communicating effectively. Lovingly, objectively, and responsibly written, so well thought out...." Read more

"A very thoughtful and well-researched volume by two honest, thought-provoking authors...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Jeremy Little MA C.E. DTS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Letting God keep His secrets
    Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This book is an excellent analysis of how little we all (Science and Religion) really know about how God created. The main point is that He did it in His time and in His way. God exists within time and space, but He also exists outside of time and space. The Bible doesn't tell us when God created the earth other than "In the beginning..."

    Genesis chapter 1 is written from God's perspective and not that of man's perspective. Can you imagine if Job got in God's face when God said to him, "Now gird up your loins like a man, and I will ask you, and you instruct Me! Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding..." in Job 38:4-5. Yet my fellow Christians want to get into a fight with each other over literal days, and the ins and outs of creation. They also want to fight with scientists that are equally as ignorant for lack of observation and the accounting of myriad unknown variables. God used phenomenological language to question Job about things that Job could not possibly know, yet we think that we can speak in absolutes about what God did.

    Jesus said, "Yes, I am coming quickly," and that was in the 1st century AD (Revelation 22:20). It is now 2013. Peter warned that it would be a long time for man, but short for God (II Peter 3:3-9). Since God's timing is different than man's timing, and note that His grace, mercy, and long-suffering are different as well; then we can expect that this is always true for Him. Since this is always true for Him, then we can't really know the timing of His creative work. We sure don't know when the angel's were created, but we know that some fell, and we know that Satan had already fallen in the Garden of Eden.

    We all need to be comfortable with mystery. Let God have His secrets. It is foolish for Religion or science to speak definitively about things that they can't possibly observe. That is to say, there is nothing in the Bible that makes God's timing of creation clear other than He is inside and outside of time. The earth may be billions of years old, trillions of years old, or thousands of years old. You weren't there, and you don't know. We can't observe all of the things that science accepts about the past. They may well be right. Whether or not it is billions of years or thousands, or if dinosaurs roamed the earth before man or during man, or if some things evolve or adapt...who cares. That is all God's prerogative. He knows what He did. Our views on it are purely chasing after the wind, and the Church is greatly harmed by taking sides where God is unclear or silent. If arrogant men want to say what happened in times that they can't observe, do not engage them on their foolish and fruitless quest. Speak about things that matter.

    God's rhetorical question asking where Job was at creation is aimed at all of us as well. Remember Job's humble response: "Then Job answered the Lord and said, 'I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. 'Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?'Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
    Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Hear, now, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct me. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42:1-6) Please, please, please respond the way that Job did - in humility.

    Please be humble. Please do not attack these men as they are on the right side of this issue. Be comfortable with God's mystery - with not knowing. God's secrets are not for us to know at this time. Rather speak what is true of God, and do not do as Job's friends did for God was angry with them for their lack of humility and over confidence in their mistaken "knowledge" (Job 42:7). Rather share the Gospel. Preach Christ crucified and let the Holy Spirit open minds to that Truth. Stay away from these useless controversies that the Bible is not clear about. Stand firm on our Creator, but do not venture onto the thin ice of nailing down His timing.

    Many thanks to these men of God. Your labor is not in vain. (I Cor 15:58)
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Jeremy Myers - Writing at RedeemingGod
    5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Books I Have Read on Genesis 1
    Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    This book is, by far, one of the better books I have read dealing with the issues surrounding Genesis 1 and how to understand them in light of their original context.

    Of course, maybe this is because both of the authors graduated from the same seminary I did, and so likely had some of the same classes from the same professors. I didn’t enjoy all my classes at seminary, but the one who taught me the truths about how to understand Genesis (Dr. Gordon Johnston) was one of my favorite profs there.

    I read this book as part of the One Verse podcast I am publishing on Genesis 1, and found it to be further confirmation of much of what I am teaching there.

    The original context of Genesis 1 is NOT the creation vs. evolution debate, and so we cannot say that this is the issue Genesis 1 addresses. Instead, the original authors and audience were concerned with how the God of Israel measured up to the gods of Egypt, Babylon, and Canaan. Genesis 1 is a polemical counter-myth to the teachings and traditions of these other religions. This doesn’t mean Genesis 1 isn’t true, but that it is more true than we ever imagined.

    I highly recommend this book if you are seeking to understand Genesis 1. This book goes onto my list of books that every Christian should read.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Bob
    4.0 out of 5 stars Persuasive Case that Genesis is Primarily Theology--not Science
    Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2013
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    I read "In the Beginning...We Misunderstood" on the recommendation of Greg Koukl of the Christian apologetics organization "Stand to Reason". Koukl believes in intelligent design, but also seems to lean toward the idea that the universe is much older than the 6,000 to 12,000 years often cited by evangelical believers. I have leaned to the young earth ideology, but wanted to get another perspective.

    I expected the book to eventually make the case for an old earth...but to my surprise, the authors say they leave the question open. Their concern, instead of with science, is with the text of Genesis.

    The story of the Exodus and the Sinai covenant provide the context in which the Creation story exists. The original "audience" of Genesis 1 was the Hebrew nation, led by Moses out of the grip of Egyptian rule and culture. Many of us believe, with good reason, that the plagues of Egypt were direct challenges to the various gods that ruled the Egyptians. This book also asserts that the story of creation in Genesis was a direct challenge to the gods of Egypt. We are urged to remember that the nation of Israel wandering in the wilderness likely didn't have questions about the mechanics of creation. God had brought them physically out of Egypt, but the "spirtual" darkness of that land was still within the people. After all, they had lived there for 400 years, soaking up all sorts of pagan Egyptian spirtuality. God's creation account is an attempt to correct the faulty THEOLOGY of His chosen ones, not necessarily to give them a scientific reckoning of the beginnings.

    The parallels, if the book is accurate, between the Egyptian stories of creation and the Genesis account are remarkable similar. Yet where differences exist, they are profound; profound enough to put the God of the Hebrews in a wholly different category than those of the Pharaohs. What Yahweh was trying to teach His Hebrew children wasn't necessarily the exact details of how and when the cosmos came into being, but WHO was in control of the process...and why they needed to align themselves with Him and his Sabbath.

    The authors also teach about the parallels and differences between Genesis and the Mesopotomian and Canaanite myths of creation.

    Key to understanding the perspective of the authors is realizing that sometimes our perceptions aren't challenged by God--or by society. Instead, we work within the parameters of our language to explain our perceptions and our world. The best example is our notion that the sun "rises" and "sets". Of course we realize the sun doesn't really RISE, but it certainly APPEARS to rise. Yet we continue to use the language in the same way...so, too, the authors assert, God used the ancient Hebrew perception of creation (they got from Egypt) to teach them theological truths about Him.

    The authors also address the idea that many ancient cultures have similar ancient stories--and how the "common thread" notion may be an influence on the story of Creation.

    We even are treated to a couple of chapters that include objections to the author's prevailing point of view. They are willing to take on some of the more aggressive challenges to their conclusions. "How can I trust the Bible if it does not mean what it says?", for instance, is a common question for those who believe Genesis 1 is written to solely address the scientific question of creation.

    Occasionally I had a little difficulty understanding exactly what the authors meant; the syntax and construction of their sentences required some re-reading...what would REALLY help this book would be an expansion of the explanations beyond text. Perhaps an audio or video discussion would help the ideas become more clear to the layperson.

    I appreciated greatly how the book was consistently footnoted, and an excellent bibliography is provided for people who want to study the issue further.

    I have to say, I am much more willing to consider that Genesis is more theology than science AFTER reading this book...perhaps we HAVE misunderstood this part of the Bible.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Noah
    5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome and well researched addition to the literature
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 7, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This excellent book offers a well researched view about Genesis 1&2 that does for those chapters what we are all keen to do for the rest of the Bible, which is to try and understand it as the first readers did. As Moses recounts creation for the Israelites leaving Egypt against a backdrop of 430 years of slavery in a nation that had many gods and their own ideas of creation, the authors suggest to us that this is the important context that explains Genesis 1&2.
    To cover all bases the authors also go into the Mesopotamian and Canaanite contexts, although majoring on the Egyptian.
    The authors state that Genesis 1&2 offer a theological statement about creation and not a scientific one (I think most of us had realised that bit) but it is introducing Yahweh to a people who understood Egyptian mythology that is critical to these chapters.
    The book has ample endnotes and an excellent bibliography, but has not been written for a purely academic audience - this is readable by anyone who can handle a book - and in producing something so accessible the authors have done and excellent job.
    This certainly adds to the debate about the Christian creation account and personally I found the arguments very engaging. I would recommend this to anyone with faith in their creator, who want to have a clearer understanding of the message intended by the original writer.
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  • Anton Brink
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on April 3, 2018
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    Well written and insightful.
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  • Mike C
    4.0 out of 5 stars Interpreting Genesis can be difficult if you believe fully in God and in science.
    Reviewed in Canada on August 30, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    By examining Genesis through it's author and audience, this book places you in a position to understand how and why Genesis was written. Far too often we place our own world view in what we read, neglecting to see things through the eyes of those who wrote Biblical text. This book examines how various cultural mythology needed to be challenged by the Israelites as they exited Egypt, and why Genesis 1 was more about correcting the flawed Egyptian myths than presenting a scientific basis for creation events.
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  • C. A. A. Drinkwater
    5.0 out of 5 stars encouraging
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2013
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    A thoughtful engaging study of how difficult it is to read the Bible in its proper context. I find incredibly to almost take the Bible literally when the ancient people who assembled and wrote meant it to be far more a way of living than any literal story and backdrop for reason.
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  • George
    5.0 out of 5 stars Genesis 1...understood!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    This book is excellent. It is easy to follow and it gives you valuable information regarding the purpose of Genesis 1 and what people of Israel would have understood by reading it. No science or evolution, only theology and historical/social background involved.
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