Description

In this lecture, you'll learn about anthropology--the bible's view of humanity.  In particular, we'll focus on the two ends of the spectrum: creation and death.  We'll see how the biblical view of humanity is rather exalted since we are made in God's image.  We'll examine what the bible teaches about death and resurrection and how the intermediate state is regularly labeled sleep. 

—— Notes ——

Why start here?  it’s where the bible starts (creation)

anthropology: your understanding of humanity

where do humans come from?

• two typical answers
  • unguided natural processes based on huge amounts of time and inconceivably unlikely chance events (evolution)
  • God made the first people (imago dei)
• Genesis account

Gen 2.7: God personally creates humans

• with heavenly bodies God says, “let there be”
• with plants God says, “let there be”
• with animals (air, land, or sea) God says, “let there be”
• with humankind God stoops down
  • he forms us; he shapes us from dust, like clay
• he breaths into our nostrils the breath of life
  • sounds like mouth to mouth
• animals have the breath of life, but not such a tender description

consider God’s human design

• 22 square feet of skin
• 206 bones
• 25 feet of intestines
• 45 miles of nerves
• 100,000 miles of blood vessels
• can live from hottest equatorial climates to the frigid polar caps
• skin provides
  • waterproof barrier
  • temperature regulation
  • sensory input
• fingers are both finely tuned (painting) and strong (boxers)
• wrists enjoy 160 degrees of motion
  • throw frisbee
  • ride a motorcycle
• ball and socket shoulder joint allows
  • 360 degrees of motion
  • lift an object from the ground over our heads in one fluid motion
• hearts pump 2,000 gallons of blood each day
  • never rest
• stomachs produce hydrochloric acid powerful enough to digest solid metal
• biped design allows for ridiculous range of activities
  • climb trees
  • run marathons
  • ballet
• ears pick up incredible range of sounds
  • soft sounds
  • rock concerts
• voices can whisper, speak, yell, sing
• eyes allow for nearly 180 degrees of horizontal vision
  • three dimensions
• brains process everything effortlessly
  • and assemble a realistic perception of the external world
  • capable of thinking abstractly (what’s better courage or integrity?)
  • can imagine future possibilities
  • mental simulator to run through plans
  • art, science, relationships, sports, etc.
• people are capable of incredible creations
  • Shakespeare
  • your favorite song
  • Burj Khalifa skyscraper in Dubai (more than a half mile high)
  • Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in China (more than 100 miles)
  • bicycles, performance cars, submarines, airplanes, and spaceships
• we are discoverers
  • charted a billion stars
  • catalogued over a million animals species
• we are producers
  • 130 million books
  • over 28 million songs
  • more than 2 million movies
• we peer into space far away and examine the minute DNA within the microscopic world
• you gotta admit, that God did a pretty amazing job making us!

God’s creation was good (7x)

• significant b/c it means God made the universe and people the way he wanted
  • it wasn’t some accident (Gnostics)
• was God’s origin