IN THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE BIBLE LESSON May 4, 2009 Issue

TWO STORIES, ONE TRUTH

BRIAN HALL

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IN THE BOOK OF GENESIS there are two stories of creation. This week's Bible Lesson, titled "Adam and Fallen Man," provides ways to differentiate between these two accounts.

The Golden Text speaks of trees and fruit, and their relation to each other. Trees are known by their fruit. What the tree produces, indicates what kind of tree it is. This passage from Matthew, which also appears in the second section of the Lesson, makes the point that like produces like: Good trees produce good fruit, and evil trees produce evil fruit, and neither type of tree produces the opposite kind of fruit (see Matt. 7:17–20, citation 6). Science and Health supports this point: "The tree must be good, which produces good fruit" (p. 459, cit. 6).