Today we are going to cover gap theories and John Walton’s temple idea. Will Barlow explains how gap theories work, including the classic idea that there’s a gap of billions of years between Genesis 1.1 and 1.2 as well as the modified version. After explaining the pros and cons for these views, he briefly explains John Walton’s theory that Genesis 1 solely focuses on function not physical creation.

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See below for notes.

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—— Notes ——

Gap Theory

There are various versions of Gap Theory:

• Standard – multiple options here • Modified (“Preparing the Garden”)

Pros of Standard Gap Theory

Here are some pros with the standard formulation of Gap Theory:

• It takes the word “day” literally as a 24-hour period • It fits directly with scientific evidence for an old Earth • It looks to the text (both in Genesis 1 and remote texts) to reach conclusions

Internal Evidence

Genesis 1:2 The earth was [or became] without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

“Was” or “became”?

• Generally, in Hebrew, the verb “was” is unnecessary when talking about simple existence

Genesis 23:17 So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, was made over

“Was” or “became”?

• Some scholars suggest that the verb is needed for

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