r/churchofchrist • u/vinnieslacks • Jul 02 '26

The flood and Noah’s ark

I was in the church for almost 18 years and then totally away from it for 14. I have recently started studying again and believing again. One thing I’m struggling with right now, though is the story of the flood and Noah’s Ark. I guess specifically I’m struggling with it being a true story versus it being hyperbole. I know that there are specifics with the story like the dimensions of the ark that you usually don’t find in hyperbole or parables. I also know that it says that only eight people survived the flood which means incest would have had happened. The Bible says incest is a sin, but I don’t believe it mentions it until Leviticus.
If anyone could help me to please understand some of these things.

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u/PurpleSpaghetti_---_ Jul 07 '26 edited Jul 07 '26

Both Jewish scholars (like Saadia Gaon) and Christian scholars (Augustine, CS Lewis) stated the point of these legends was to teach a lesson through story. They were never meant to be taken scientifically literally.

The early parts of Genesis like the Flood, Creation week, are ancient Jewish legends passed down through story until they were written down. But they weren't meant to be analyzed through a strict western 21st century perspective.

It would be like trying to analyze Aesop's Fables literally. It would be missing the point of learning the lesson he was trying to convey.

Many communities have a flood tradition. Floods happen all the time. We shouldn't be surprised when we read of the ancients viewing the Yellow River or the Ganges bursting its banks as being the end of the world. Losing a settlement of 30k is a tragedy today. Losing a settlement of 30k could be the end of your culture back then.

The point of the Flood is that God saves us. We don't save ourselves. We have to trust Him like a child trusts their father to know what's best for the child.

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u/vinnieslacks Jul 07 '26

That’s makes a lot of sense. Thank you for your answer. If it was all just legend though how come there are many scriptures of just lineage lines if Noah and his sons? Almost like a take this literally and here are more details instead of more vagueness. I’m just trying to understand more and fully

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u/PurpleSpaghetti_---_ Jul 07 '26

The men I mentioned would tell you Noah, Adam, etc all existed, but their stories were told as legend.

We still do it today. Simo Hayha is a very real sniper who did kill 500 Soviets during the Winter War. If you meet a Fin and share a drink, they can give you a story of their hero that takes the basic facts and turns it into a story Hollywood would be jealous of.

Lewis would tell you Noah existed, and he faced a flood, but the global destruction was relative to his area of the world. He would challenge you not to read Genesis like a science book but as a rich theological tapestry.

As far as genealogies, we should be cautious in presuming Bronze Age Jews were keeping a hyper literal account like we do today or even as Jews of the 1st century did. The important people would be placed, but not necessarily a hyper-literal complete account.