Did People in the Bible Really Live for 900 Years? | Fr. Mike Schmitz | Catholic Answers

Early parts of the Bible depict humans living incredibly long lives—some of them for over 900 years! Are Catholics really supposed to believe that humans lived that much longer than they do today? Fr. Mike Schmitz discusses this question on Catholic Answers Live.

Father Michael Schmitz, director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Duluth as well as the chaplain for the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, inspires and educates through his priesthood and preaching. His Newman Center focuses on helping students be fed through the sacraments and grow in knowledge about the teachings of the Church. Ordained in 2003 at St. Paul Seminary, he has preached to youth and young adults across the country about the love of God and the call of Jesus Christ for saints to be raised up in the Church. Father Mike’s hope is that these saints will redeem the entire world for Christ.

Do We Take the Ages of People in the Bible Literally?

[vinnyvincelive]

Yaaaay mama I made it !!! My question!

[katpellot]

I had the same question. Loving Bible in a Year! Thank you Father Mike! 🙏🏽

[knights]

Some of the work of the Kolbe Center is great in this area. I remember decades ago watching a documentary on the human body. According to the scientist on that show they believed the human body was designed to live for 1000 years or so. They attributed the shortened life span to corrupted DNA, sickness, disease, and heredity factors. It would make sense that if Adam had a perfect genome in a pristine world; he would live so long and so would the generations closest to him. We are told the Fall began a crescendo of negative effects not only on fallen humans but all of Nature. It also appears the time of the Flood must have been a time of rapid degradation for the Earth. Immediately afterward; not just humans but plants and animals within a few generations became more disease ridden and experienced greatly shortened lifespans with more 'health'-issues.
Apparently with the advent of DNA decoding; it has been determined with some reliability how many genetic defects enter our gene-pool with each successive generation. Working backward it is estimated there could have been 'perfect' humans about 6000 years ago. What a coincidence.

[getkraken]

It could be possible, because the ancient world didn’t use the modern Gregorian calendar.

[junebug]

I had this question when I listened to Fr. Mike's podcast.

[injanhoi]

We are talking about the supernatural here. With that in mind anything is possible. God can do anything. It is the same with the Trinity which other religions fail to understand. God can do anything. God the father, God the son, God the holy spirit. One God in three forms. We must remember we are having a human experience and think like a human which at times might struggle to accept something the supernatural delivers.

[ewankerr]

Jesus believed in Adam and Eve. He believed in the Flood. He believed in the Patriarchs. But what did he know, right?

[johnfitzsimmons]

Not to mention the calendar and years were not looked at the way we look at them now.

Any way you look at it, they were old, they were beyond the age of child bearing, God is great and can do anything He wants.

[undergrace]

Genesis 6:3 Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.”

[ashlyansalam]

"For nothing will be impossible with God"(Luke 1:37)

[shaunguffey]

Psalms 90:10 "The days of our years are threescore years and ten."
Threescore and ten = 70.
70 years = 910 moons/months(13 moon cycles a year).
Ancient peoples aged themselves by moons/months.

[alexlanne]

I think it's pretty clear. The Bible says, flat out, that they did live that long.

[GovtWatchdog]

The energy throughout our universe is supernatural. The life force that causes our hearts to beat is supernatural. Our very existence is supernatural. All gifts from God.

[RicardoGarcia-ibro]

The first thing we need to clarify is that the Bible is not a book of data, it is a spiritual revelation that reveals God salvation plan.


There is also the possibility that they didn't have the modern definition of a year. For us is obvious that a year is 365 but probably thousands years ago it wasn't.

Ultimately the purpose is not the data but the meaning of the message.

[rosiegirl]

I always think it could have been that they had a cleaner gene pool..no cancerous pollution..organic food..no fast food and no junk food..and they didnt smoke cigarettes!

[wms]

St. Augustine said we cannot admit one LIE in Sacred Scripture. Should we limit God's power by our lack of faith?

[Hsauzier]

There was a turning point... people lived several hundred years until Genesis 6.3 And God said: “My spirit shall not remain in man forever, because he is flesh. And so his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

[jakelivingstone]

Much love to Fr. Mike Schmitz, but Genesis 1-50 is all history history according to the Church Fathers and Doctors of the Church.

[smeatonlighthouse]

They most certainly did. I tell you too, when the Lord Jesus returns to this earth as the Son of Man, after the Tribulation period, you will find that long life will once again be the norm. Someone dying at 100 will be classed as having died young.

[tyn]

The first few chapters of Genesis, with the exception of chapter 1, are so ancient. Their original context has largely been lost over time. Comparing them to the intent of other ancient Mesopotamian texts has been very enlightening for me. I have spent several years studying these works. They are nothing short of awe-inspiring. The views I now loosely hold as to the intent of these texts are not shared by many in the church.