Jason Lisle's Commentary On Genesis Creation Account
The Genesis creation account, spanning Genesis 1:1–2:3, serves as the foundational narrative for the Pentateuch, establishing that the world was created, ordered, and populated by the one true God [2]. This account is presented as a historical document, intended to be accepted as actual truth in all its stages [3]. It forms an integral part of the book of Genesis, which is recognized by Christians as a book of divine authority and historical record [1].
The narrative begins with the declaration, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) [2]. This opening statement is understood to exclude errors such as the world's eternal existence or the idea of two opposing principles of creation [4]. The phrase "In the beginning" signifies a remote and ancient period, hidden in the depths of eternal ages [9]. The Hebrew word for God, Elohim, used here in the plural form, is seen by some as an obscure teaching of the plurality of persons within the Godhead—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—a doctrine more clearly revealed elsewhere in Scripture [9].
The creation process unfolds over six days, culminating in a day of rest. Adam Clarke outlines this progression:
- First day: Creation of the heavens and the earth, light, and its separation from darkness (Genesis 1:1-5) [7].
- Second day: Creation of the firmament, separating waters above from waters below (Genesis 1:6-8) [7].
- Third day: Separation of waters from the earth, forming seas, and the earth becoming fruitful with vegetation (Genesis 1:9-13) [7].
- Fourth day: Creation of celestial luminaries for measuring time (Genesis 1:14-19) [7].
- Fifth day: Creation of aquatic and avian life (Genesis 1:20-23) [7].
- Sixth day: Creation of land animals and humankind (Genesis 1:24-31) [7].
God blessed three specific aspects of creation: animal life, human life, and the Sabbath day [2]. Humankind, created in God's image, was given dominion over the earth's creatures and invited to participate in God's Sabbath rest [2, 5]. The creation of humanity is detailed in Genesis 1:26-27, where God states, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness," and then creates male and female in His image [5]. Genesis 2:7 further elaborates that "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul" [5].
While Genesis 1:1–2:3 provides a comprehensive overview of creation, Genesis 2:4-25 offers a theological and historical expansion, focusing on what the cosmos produced, particularly the first man and woman [6]. This second account is not a separate creation narrative but rather an elaboration, highlighting themes of good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, life and death, and harmony and discord [6].
The chronological order of creation has been a point of discussion. For instance, the Midrash Rabbah records a debate between Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel regarding whether the heavens or the earth were created first, noting that Genesis 1:1 states "heavens and the earth," while Genesis 2:4 states "earth and the heavens" [10]. Despite such discussions, the overarching message remains that God is the sole Creator of the universe [8]. The Genesis account counters pagan philosophical ideas of the world's eternity or self-existence, asserting God as the ultimate Maker [8].
Sources
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 36: rude speculation, the Scriptural account is simple, intelligible, and pregnant with the highest truths. (2.) From the fact not only that it is presented as a matter of history in a book which all Christians recognize as of divine authority, but that it also forms an integral part of the book of Genesis, which is confessedly historical. It is the first of the ten divisions into which that book, in its internal structure, is divided, and belongs essentially to its plan. (3.) It is no only an essential part of the book of Genesis, but it is ”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 1:1: 1:1–2:3 These verses introduce the Pentateuch (Genesis—Deuteronomy) and teach Israel that the world was created, ordered, and populated by the one true God and not by the gods of surrounding nations. • God blessed three specific things: animal life (1:22-25), human life (1:27), and the Sabbath day (2:3). This trilogy of blessings highlights the Creator’s plan: Humankind was made in God’s image to enjoy sovereign dominion over the creatures of the earth and to participate in God’s Sabbath rest. 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth: This statem”
- Genesis (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Genesis 1 (introduction): The Creation of the World - Genesis 1:1-2:3 The account of the creation, its commencement, progress, and completion, bears the marks, both in form and substance, of a historical document in which it is intended that we should accept as actual truth, not only the assertion that God created the heavens, and the earth, and all that lives and moves in the world, but also the description of the creation itself in all its several stages. If we look merely at the form of this document, its place at the beginning of the book of Genesis is sufficient to war”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part (Prima Pars), Of the Beginning of the Duration of Creatures, Art. 3: Article: Whether the creation of things was in the beginning of time? I answer that, The words of Genesis, "In the beginning God created heaven and earth," are expounded in a threefold sense in order to exclude three errors. For some said that the world always was, and that time had no beginning; and to exclude this the words "In the beginning" are expounded---viz. "of time." And some said that there are two principles of creation, one of good things and the other of evil things, against ”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 4: § 1. Scriptural Doctrine . The Scriptural account of the origin of man is contained in Genesis i. 26, 27 , “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” And Gen. ii. 7 , “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and b”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 2:4: 2:4-25 This account (see study note on 2:4) of the heavens and the earth is not a second creation account; rather, it is a theological and historical expansion on 1:1–2:3. The focus is now on what the cosmos produced rather than on its creation. Special attention is given to the first man and woman. As the story progresses, it is colored by contrasts of good and evil, knowledge and ignorance, life and death, harmony and discord. 2:4 This is the account (literally These are the generations; Hebrew toledoth): This or a similar phrase is repeated throughout Genesis, ”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 1 (introduction): First day's work - Creation of the heavens and the earth, Gen 1:1, Gen 1:2. Of the light and its separation from the darkness, Gen 1:3-5. Second day's work - The creation of the firmament, and the separation of the waters above the firmament from those below it, Gen 1:6-8. Third day's work - The waters are separated from the earth and formed into seas, etc., Gen 1:9, Gen 1:10. The earth rendered fruitful, and clothed with trees, herbs, grass, etc., Gen 1:11-13. Fourth day's work - Creation of the celestial luminaries intended for the measurement of time”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 1 (introduction): The foundation of all religion being laid in our relation to God as our Creator, it was fit that the book of divine revelations which was intended to be the guide, support, and rule, of religion in the world, should begin, as it does, with a plain and full account of the creation of the world - in answer to that first enquiry of a good conscience, "Where is God my Maker?" (Job 35:10). Concerning this the pagan philosophers wretchedly blundered, and became vain in their imaginations, some asserting the world's eternity and self-existence, others ascrib”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 1 (introduction): Genesis 1:1 THE CREATION OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. (Gen 1:1-2) In the beginning--a period of remote and unknown antiquity, hid in the depths of eternal ages; and so the phrase is used in Pro 8:22-23. God--the name of the Supreme Being, signifying in Hebrew, "Strong," "Mighty." It is expressive of omnipotent power; and by its use here in the plural form, is obscurely taught at the opening of the Bible, a doctrine clearly revealed in other parts of it, namely, that though God is one, there is a plurality of persons in the Godhead--Father, So”
- Midrash Rabbah (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit Rabbah 1:15: Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel, Beit Shammai say: The heavens were created first and the earth was created thereafter. Beit Hillel says: The earth was created first and the heavens thereafter. 60 One verse puts the order as “God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1), but another has the opposite: “On the day that the Lord God made earth and the heavens” (Genesis 2:4). Which is the true chronological order? These cite a reason for their position and those cite a reason for their position. According to the opinion of Beit Shammai, who say that the ”