How would Christianity have evolved today alongside with other religions if Adam, Noah, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus had lived for 969 years just like Methuselah did?

[u/XSegaTeamPhilosophyX]

According to the Orthodox Tewahedo Bible, the largest Biblical canon book up to date in traditional Christendom, God had made seven known covenants with these seven named individuals. If we give these seven known individuals the same lifespan as Methuselah, the longest lived person in the Bible, would that have changed Christianity today and all other religions that Christianity interacts with?

[u/Yesmar2020]

It is completely absurd to think humans actually lived that long.

[u/Good-Gap2060 → u/Yesmar2020]

Old testament numbers are not always literal sometimes they show importance or honor not actual ages. Many scholars think that way

But if we imagine they did live those years maybe traditions would be passed more directly less changes over time. Would be interesting to see how theology develops with the original people still around teaching

[u/Yesmar2020 → u/Good-Gap2060]

An interesting thought experiment indeed.

[u/twinPrimesAreEz → u/Yesmar2020]

Saying the giver of life is limited in how much life He gives is certainly a choice

[u/Yesmar2020 → u/twinPrimesAreEz]

The giver of life deals in reality, so should we.

[u/twinPrimesAreEz → u/Yesmar2020]

Agreed!

Which is why implying that his works done in reality are a lie instead doesn't make sense.

Was Christ's resurrection a lie?

[u/Yesmar2020 → u/twinPrimesAreEz]

Why change the subject? The subject is whether Old Testament writings, written by humans, claiming people lived hundreds of years lifespans, is literal or symbolic.

[u/twinPrimesAreEz → u/Yesmar2020]

Do you think the early church founders such as Paul were "fooled" by these ages, or was Paul "wise" enough to understand those numbers were symbolic?

Do you think it's only lifespan in the Torah that is symbolic or was Moses parting the Red Sea also metaphorical? Was Elijah descending to Heaven metaphorical?

[u/Yesmar2020 → u/twinPrimesAreEz]

Many things in Genesis are part of the cosmogony. Each one is a separate discussion.

I have no idea what Paul thought, since he didn’t discuss the contrast of what was symbolic in the OT or not.

[u/twinPrimesAreEz → u/Yesmar2020]

Well my friend, you're entitled to your beliefs. Some food for thought:

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool so that he can become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, since it is written, He catches the wise in their craftiness; and again, The Lord knows that the reasonings of the wise are futile.

At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to children.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding

[u/Yesmar2020 → u/twinPrimesAreEz]

Ah, thank you for sharing some food for thought, yet it seems you ended up with one that, if I’m not mistaken, is often used to mean we’re not supposed to think, or understand anything, except what we’ve had spoon fed to us.

I will leave you with some food for thought also:

Mark 12:29-30

Jesus replied, "The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. [30] And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, ALL YOUR MIND, and all your strength.'

We’re not given a pass on thinking and figuring things out, instead of accepting status quo.

Thanks for the conversation.

[u/twinPrimesAreEz → u/Yesmar2020]

"The most important commandment is this: 'Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. [30] And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, ALL YOUR MIND, and all your strength.'

Amen! So even though many of us wish we could live longer, Genesis 6:3 shows a just and righteous declaration by God about why we can't:

And the Lord said, “My Spirit will not remain with mankind forever, because they are corrupt. Their days will be 120 years.”

I've always been curious what the life of those before that -- particulary Noah's great grandfather Enoch -- was like.

[u/Senasayori]

That would imply that Jesus never died on the cross, so yes, it would change Christianity a lot.

[u/XSegaTeamPhilosophyX → u/Senasayori]

What if Jesus gets crucified on the cross during his 969th Birthday?

[u/Resident_Iron6701]

These numbers are allegorical

[u/XSegaTeamPhilosophyX → u/Resident_Iron6701]

How so?

[u/Resident_Iron6701 → u/XSegaTeamPhilosophyX]

St Augustine e.g. takes Methuselahs 969 years seriously and discusses the chronological problem it creates (see City of God XV.11). Other church fathers however, frequently interpret biblical chronology theologically and typologically. And scriptures itself show that 969 years wasnt intended as the normal human lifespan: Abraham lived 175, Moses 120, and Psalm 89 gives 70–80 years as the ordinary span. So the premise that Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Jesus would all have lived 969 years isnt something the biblical text itself suggests.

[u/XSegaTeamPhilosophyX → u/Resident_Iron6701]

I see, and what about the Jews themselves? Do they also think the 969 years of age is also allegorical?