The Unity of the Race -- By: Samuel J. Schultz
Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 113:449 (Jan 1956)
Article: The Unity of the Race
Author: Samuel J. Schultz
BSac 113:449 (Jan 56) p. 46
The Unity of the Race
Recent investigations and interpretations have focused a new attention to the proper exegesis of Genesis 1—11 as it affects the question of the unity of the race. This passage is the Introduction to the written revelation which God has left to mankind and very briefly surveys for us the beginning of all things. As far as the human race and its beginnings is concerned, we do well to re-evaluate the question whether or not the whole human race is included throughout this introduction.
In order to limit our discussion as we focus our interest on this question, we suggest that we assume first that all mankind descended from Adam and Eve as Paul asserts that God “made of one blood all nations” (Acts 17:26); second, that a careful exegesis does not state whether or not the flood was universal; and, third, that the genealogies given in Genesis 5 and 11 do not necessarily give us a complete chronological account so that we may not be able to estimate accurately the time included in this introductory passage. With this as a common ground for our investigation we suggest the following propositions: first, that God created man as a moral being; second, that all moral beings were involved in the flood; and, third, that the whole human race was included in the covenant God made with Noah.
Man Created as a Moral Being
In the opening chapters of Genesis that describe the beginning of the universe and all related things, the climactic act is the creation of man. All things up to that point were
BSac 113:449 (Jan 56) p. 47
made for man; after that creation all things revolve around man and his descendants.
When God made man we are plainly informed that man was made a nephesh hayah or “living soul.” This term is applied to land animals and marine life in this account (cf. Gen 2:7—man; Gen 1:24—land animals; Gen 1:21—marine life; Gen 1:30; 2:19 —nephesh hayah applies to both). Theistic evolution suggests that in the process of creation God may have used animated dust or animals to make man (A. H. Strong, Systematic Theology, pp. 465ff). It is significant to note that when God breathed into him the breath of life he became a
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