High-resolution computer images out of the UK have shown some DNA strands wiggling and dancing. They moved to facilitate atoms linking in precise order. These tiny necklace-like beads form molecules that connect in a certain shape. Tiny DNA strands are inside every living cell. These miracle machines are the carriers of complex codes that reproduce life.
Paul Ratner writes about scientific research. He says, "The reason for the DNA writhing dance? The molecule needs to find a way to fit quite a lot inside a cell. Each human cell is comprised of about 2 meters of DNA strands. The whole body, with roughly 50 trillion cells, would have about 100 trillion meters of DNA. That's per human."
That is an amazing amount of information. Think it all comes together by chance? No way! Mathematical theories show that order must be determined purposefully. If not, decay, chaos, and disintegration occur. Makes you wonder about the Original Coder for the DNA program that produces self-perpetuating life.
If you combine astronomical observations about the age of the universe with mathematical models for what it takes for a living molecule to occur by chance, you get results showing there hasn't been enough time for even one single living cell to have evolved by itself. So much for random evolution without an Intelligent Designer! Details really do matter!
On another subject, Paul Ellis, writing in his "Escape to Reality" blog, says, "Even a tiny error can lead to a lot of trouble, and there may be no better example than the one I'm about to give you. It is possible to read the Bible without getting confused, but it helps to have a good Bible. No translation is perfect, but sometimes Bible translations are flat out wrong."
Paul goes on to say, "Got a Bible handy? Open it to 1 Corinthians 14:36 and look at the first word in that verse. It should be "What?" The word "What?" is absolutely essential to this passage for it captures Paul's reaction to the Corinthians' suggestion that women should stay silent in church.
A little context: The first letter to Corinthians consists of Paul's answers to their questions. Since women were forbidden by law from speaking in both Greek cities and Jewish synagogues, the Corinthians wondered if women should be allowed to speak in church. In 1 Corinthians 14:34-35, Paul repeats their question before giving his reply in verse 36. "What? Came the word of God out from you? Or came it unto you only?" (KJV). The suggestion that half the church should stay silent riled Paul. You can almost hear him shouting his reply. Many Bibles, such as the ESV, ISV, NASB, NIV, NKJV, and the NLT, dilute Paul's reaction by omitting his exclamatory "what?" Paul wrote it, but they didn't translate it. They left it out. Many other translations do have the "what."
To be fair, the original Greek word is hard to translate. It is a disjunctive particle, easily overlooked. But the same word is found at the start of 1 Cor. 11:22. "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink?" If Paul's exclamatory "What?" is recorded in 1 Cor 11:22, why is it left out of 1 Cor. 14:36? It's the same word in both cases. The next time some misguided soul tells you that women should be silent in church, do what Paul did and hit them with a disjunctive particle: "What?"
Details do matter. God's design is carefully crafted. He is a brilliant Creator.
Ron Wood is a retired pastor and author living in NWA. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editor's Note: The ancient understanding of 1 Corinthians 14:34ff., interpreted in the light of the Apostle Paul's letter to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:11-15 (interpreting Scripture in light of Scripture) is that women were not permitted to serve in the roles of pastors and teachers in the New Testament churches. The prohibition in verses 34 and 35 is almost identical to the directive given by the Apostle Paul to Timothy for all the churches in 1 Timothy 2:11-12. The reference to the "law" in 1 Corinthians 14 is taken, not to refer to Greek or Roman law but to the Torah, which refers to the first five books of the Old Testament but was often used in reference to the entire Old Testament Scriptures. The "what" referred to in the article above is understood as Paul's rebuke to the Corinthians for assuming they could do as they thought right and ignore the clear teaching of the Scriptures. Though increasingly unpopular with modern views, many churches today continue to hold to this literal and ancient interpretation of the Scriptures.