Renewing Your Mind Literary Forms: Is the Bible History or Myth?
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Jan 1, 2026 
R.C. Sproul, a prominent theologian and founder of Ligonier Ministries, delves into the intricate relationship between literary forms and biblical truth. He examines poetic expressions like personification in the Psalms and the literal implications of Balaam's talking donkey. Sproul addresses the historical significance of Genesis 3's serpent and affirms a historical Adam amid literary complexity. He argues that Christianity hinges on real events, emphasizing markers that validate the historical nature of biblical narratives, particularly in Genesis.
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Personification Is Poetic License
- Personification attributes human traits to nonhuman things and appears often in Hebrew poetry like the Psalms.
- R.C. Sproul warns we should read such language as poetic license, not literal fact.
Balaam's Donkey Raises Questions
- R.C. Sproul recounts the narrative of Balaam's donkey that speaks to its master in a narrow mountain pass.
- He highlights the difficulty of categorizing that story as poetry, fable, or historical prose.
Fable Versus Historical Prose
- Some interpreters treat Balaam's donkey as a fable used to teach a moral lesson, resembling Aesop's style.
- Sproul nonetheless leans toward reading it as historical narrative because the surrounding text reads like prose.