“You just copied the Bible from some other story.” If you spend any time on social media, you have probably run into that accusation. And if you are honest, maybe you have not known how to answer it. For a long time, neither did I.
In this episode, the first in a series on the polemics of the Bible, we tackle that challenge head-on. We start with a simple question: what is a polemic, and why does it matter that the Bible functions as one? Polemical theology is the deliberate strategy biblical writers used, not to ignore the surrounding ancient Near East cultures, but to take their familiar stories and concepts and reorient them entirely around Yahweh, the one true God. Rather than simply saying the other gods are false, Scripture demonstrates Yahweh’s superior claim over everything those gods were thought to control.
From there, we look at the deep theological chasm between the Bible’s strict monotheism and Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) polytheism. We talk about a transcendent God who creates out of nothing by his word and for his glory, the creator versus creature distinction, and the staggering truth that humanity is made in God’s image with dignity and purpose, rather than enslaved to serve moody, limited deities.
Then we get specific. We walk through the Babylonian creation myth, the Enuma Elish, and set it next to Genesis 1 and 2. We compare the flood account in Genesis with the flood in the Epic of Gilgamesh, looking at who causes the flood and why, the heroes, the details, and the character of the divine beings involved. The similarities are real, but the meaning and theology could not be more different. One God punishes sin because he is holy. The other gods brought catastrophe because humans were too loud.
Why does any of this matter today? Because Scripture is under attack from every direction, and you deserve more than “I just have faith” when someone challenges what you believe. This episode is about giving you a deeper, more confident foundation and a genuine sense of awe for the Word of God.
This is Part 1, with more to come.
