Ancient mesopotamia, sumerians, and the book of Genesis?

[pm2222]

I read in my history book for school today that the creation story in the book of Genesis along with the flood story in the book of Genesis is very similar to creation myths and flood myths by the Sumerians. I looked this up and they seem pretty similar and I am really confused by this. How are these so similar and does this mean that the book of Genesis came from the Sumerians?

 

[Swiss_Guy]

They’re similar because Genesis is true and the ancients (sort of) realized that. What the sumerians got wrong is that God (or as I think they thought “gods”) made a miscalculation with creation so they/he started all over. The truth is the problem was because of our sin, not a “miscalculation”.

Thanks NABRE intro to Genesis.

 

[Crumpy]

I read in my history book for school today that the creation story in the book of Genesis along with the flood story in the book of Genesis is very similar to creation myths and flood myths by the Sumerians. I looked this up and they seem pretty similar and I am really confused by this. How are these so similar and does this mean that the book of Genesis came from the Sumerians?

The highest purpose of reading scripture is to find out what God is telling us. What God is teaching us.

It is natural and good to probe the literary aspects and do such comparisons with other nearby languages and beliefe systems.

But, Jews, and, independently, Catholics, read scripture with a deep faith and reverence. You can probe these questions, but ultimately you should detach from how the Bible was written and focus on what God is teaching us by the “story.”

the existence of similar stories in the Near East does not cause us to deviate from the belief in the inspiration of the Bible writings.

The questions in this thread challenge genuine scholars. No disrespect intended, but if they can’t solve the problems, we’re not going to solve them here. Our best effort is to find and follow the teachings of the Church, including commentaries on the Bible.

 

[MrZetterlund]

I look at the Biblical stories as a critique of the Sumarian myths. For example, rather than the sun, moon, stars and earth be gods they are objects of God’s creation. Instead of the “great flood” that inspired the Epic of Gilgamesh being about the gods punishing the humans for disturbing their sleep, it’s about God punishing wickedness. Etc.

It’s not always a question of “if” it is true but “why” it is true.

I recomend reading Margaret Nutting Ralph’s book: And God Said What? An introduction to Biblical Literary forms.

It helped me out a great deal when I had similar questions.

 

[puzzleannie]

I read in my history book for school today that the creation story in the book of Genesis along with the flood story in the book of Genesis is very similar to creation myths and flood myths by the Sumerians. I looked this up and they seem pretty similar and I am really confused by this. How are these so similar and does this mean that the book of Genesis came from the Sumerians?

if there was indeed a global flood in prehistory, at least the prehistory of the middle east, you would indeed expect to find some kind of flood account in the mythology or oral traditions of all the cultures that arose in that place in the same time the group that became the Hebrews arose. If anything it is confirmation of the literal truth of the Genesis account, rather than a rebuttal. The difference in those accounts comes in how those peoples interpreted the same events. In the case of the people who became the Hebrews and first orally transmitted, and later wrote down the Genesis acocunt, they interpreted these events as the action of God in creating the world and intervening in human history.

 

[pm2222]

OK it makes sense that similar stories about the flood would be going around, but how would the Sumerians know that God created light, firmament, humans, all seperatly and that there was a day of rest at the end?

 

[Iron_Donkey]

How are these so similar and does this mean that the book of Genesis came from the Sumerians?

As to whether the Jews got their creation story from the Sumerians or not - this is not as big of an issue as it may at first seem.

Either:

1. they didn’t, or
2. they did, sort of, but we know that their version is still infallible.

A likely example of how number 2 could have occurred: The Sumerians have their myths based on historical stuff or what have you, and these myths begin to spread to the Jews. Then some prophet or other comes along and says “look, these guys have some of the right ideas - except the various things aren’t gods in any way shape or form - but here’s what actually happened.” (Or if the stories are not literal, “here’s a better metaphor” or what have you.)

That is, just because a doctrine or metaphor or whatever is revealed/developed in response to something else does not mean that it is somehow less valid than it would have been had it appeared spontaneously. After all, even our Catholic doctrines tend to get their best work done on them when someone proposes something wrong.

See also wordonfire.org/WOF-TV/Commentaries-New/Fr-Barron-comments-on-Misreading-Genesis.aspx. Fr. Barron is primarily addressing people coming at this as though it were science, but he does explain pretty well what it actually is as well.

 

[chosen_people]

Well any Israeli high school graduate from a regular state high school could give you a detailed comparative analysis of the creation story in the Tanach and the Enuma Elish (the Babylonian creation story). By using this widespread and accepted myth as its basis, the Jewish story of creation becomes a powerful and comparative polemic emphasizing the inherent differences between the Jewish monotheistic concept of God as opposed to the accepted beliefs of all others at that time. The Jewish story of creation begins with the declaration that there is one eternal God and He and He alone is the source of all things. With this opening statement the Jews declare that all the gods of all other nations are nothing but false myths. The Jews will point to their right over the promised land in that God is the creator of all things. For the first time there is no story of the birth or the death of gods, no violent clashes of forces to cause creation. We have a single, unseen all powerful God who has always existed and will exist eternally, who has merely to will something for it instantly to come about.

 

[CHRISTINE77]

OK it makes sense that similar stories about the flood would be going around, but how would the Sumerians know that God created light, firmament, humans, all seperatly and that there was a day of rest at the end?

Because it was true?

 

[edwest2]

Genesis does not contain purified myths. (Pontifical Biblical Commission, 1909)

Peace,
Ed

 

[Dwyer]

Here are two answers to similar questions I found on EWTN 's Catholic Q & A Section that I thought were most relevant:

1. Old Testament and the Sumerian Mythology

Question from on 02-15-2002:

Dear Dr.Carroll,

I heard some things from my friends and I have started to search about Sumerian Mythology. What I found out is many similarities to Old Testament such as the creation of Genasis, going without eating, women cover their heads and so on.

What is your explanation and Catholic Churchs official response to this? (If there is one)

Thank you very much for your help.

Cagri Yilmaz

Answer by Dr. William Carroll on 02-16-2002:

Abraham, our father in faith, came from Mesopotamia, where Sumeria was located.

He knew its mythology, which contained some stories based on historic truth, such as the Great Flood.

There is nothing disturbing about this, but rather confirmation of the historic truth in the Old Testament.

• Dr. Carroll

Old Testament and Sumerians Mythology

Question from on 02-16-2002:

Dear Dr.Carroll,

I have been examing the sumerian history and mythlogy for more than a month now and I figured out many similarities with old testament scriptures.

For example the creation of the havens and the earth, going without food, Angles(Creatures with Wings) and so on…

How do you and How does Catholic Church answeres these similaraties? It can many believers and atheists to belive that old testament is effected from sumerian mythology …how can we answer to these questions?

Thank you very much for your help.

Cagri Yilmaz

Answer by Dr. William Carroll on 02-20-2002:

As I said in answer to your earlier question about this, Abraham came from Mesopotanuam where ancient Sumer was located, so it was natural that he would be familiar with its mythology, which had preserved some true stories later written in our Book of Genesis.

This should not disturb you. Everything in the Bible is true, but there is no reason why some of the truth should not have been given to other peoples beside the Hebrews.

• Dr. Carroll

Warren H. Carroll, Ph.D.:

Warren H. Carroll was the founding President, and later Chairman of the History Department, of Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He is the author of the Church history series ‘Ch*rist the King, Lord of History’ *and ‘Isabel of Spain: The Catholic Queen’, as well as many other history texts.

While retired from Christendom College and EWTN’s Expert Forums, his knowledgeable answers continue to serve those looking for the truth.