Thursday, September 4 Getting to know the story
Open Genesis 1 and Genesis 2 in separate
windows. Compare and contrast the two texts. What are the differences between
the creation stories in Genesis 1 and Genesis 2-3? Cite chapter and verse (e.g. Gen 1:26). Read as deeply as you can. Be as comprehensive
as possible. In addition to the blog,
bring your work to class for discussion, as well as a translation of Gen 1-3
(any one on internet).
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There
are significant differences between the creation stories in Genesis 1 and
Genesis 2-3, although there are some similarities. However, Genesis 1 generally
has significantly more detail, such as what day God created things, God calling
his creations “good”, as well as events that are not mentioned in Genesis 2-3.
However, more importantly, the order in which God created everything is different
between the two stories.
Comparing
the two stories of creation is somewhat difficult when the order of which
things were created differs. I will follow the order of creation according to
the story in Genesis 1. Then I will compare what is in Genesis 2-3 to Genesis
1, which will result in the second story (Genesis 2-3) being out of order. Having
an entire story out of order can be confusing, so I have made two (over-simplified)
lists with the order in which everything was created. Seeing these lists may
help keep things “straight” when comparing the two different stories in greater
detail.
The
order of creation according to the different stories are as follows:
Genesis 1:
1.
Creation
of Heaven and Earth
2.
Creation
of Light
3.
Separation
of Heaven and Earth
4.
Creation
of Land
5.
Creation
of Vegetation
6.
Changes
of Light
7.
Creation
of Animals
8.
Creation
of Man and Woman
Genesis 2-3:
1.
Creation
of Earth
2.
Creation
of Man
3.
Planted
a garden in Eden
4.
Grew
Every Tree
5.
Creation
of a River
6.
Creation
of Animals
7.
Creation
of Woman
Creation of
Heaven and Earth
In
Genesis 1:1 “God created the heavens and the earth”. At this point the earth
was only formless water that the Spirit of God moved over (Gen 1:2).
In
Genesis 2 when God made heaven and earth there was already land. However there
were no plants or herbs growing because only a “mist [that] went up from the
earth and watered the whole face of the ground” (Gen 2:6). In other words,
while land exists, it is barren.
Creation of
Light
In
Genesis 1:3-4, God created light that separated from the darkness and named
them day and night – the first day.
Genesis
2 does not mention the creation of light.
Separation of
Heaven and Earth
On
the second day God created a firmament that separates the waters. God named the
firmament Heaven. (Gen 1:6-8)
This
event did not occur in the story in Genesis 2-3.
Creation of Land
God
created land to separate the waters on earth on the third day, in Genesis
1:9-10.
As
previously discussed, in Genesis 2:6, there is land with only a mist rising
from the earth. There is no mention of the mist actually becoming rain and thus
needing land to separate the waters. However, in Genesis 2:10-14, there is a
description of a river flowing through Eden to the rest of the world. Unlike
Genesis 1, there is a brief description of the land through which the rivers
flow (Gen 2:10-14).
Creation of
Vegetation
Also
on the third day, “God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation, plants
yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each
according to its kind, upon the earth.’ And it was so” (Gen 1:11).
In
Genesis 2:7-9 God created man, planted a garden in Eden, placed man there and
then grew every tree.
Changes of Light
Although
God created light on the first day (Genesis 1:3), he made different ‘shades’
(for lack of a better word) of light on the fifth day. A “greater light to rule
the day, and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars also. And
God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth” (Gen
1:16-17). The lights were also “be for signs and for season and for days and
years” (Gen 1:14).
Light
is not mentioned in Genesis 2-3.
Creation of
Animals, Man and Woman
On
the sixth day God made all creatures, man and woman, and then blessed them all
in Genesis 1:20-31. First He had “the waters bring forth swarms of living
creatures, and… birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens”
(Gen 1:20). He blessed them to be “fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:22). He did similarly
with “cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their
kinds” (Gen 1:24). Finally, on the sixth day God created man in His own image,
“male and female he created them” (Gen 1:27). He gave man dominion over all the
animals on the earth and plants. (He specifies that the plants are also for the
animals to eat.) “And God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and
multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it…’” (Gen 1:28).
There
are a few differences between the two stories. In Genesis 2, man was created
first and then the animals followed. “God formed man of dust from the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living
being” (Gen 2:7). This description of the creation of man is more detailed than
the one in Genesis 1. The animals followed, “the Lord God said, ‘It is not good
that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him’” (Gen 2:18)
and proceeded to create all animals. Unlike in Genesis 1, in this story, all of
the animals were created at once. Finding the creatures poor companions for
man, God created woman using the man’s rib (Gen 2:22). Genesis 1 says nothing
about the animals not being fit helpers for man and also does not describe how
woman was made.
A
similarity to note between the two chapters regarding the creation of man, is
the description of man and woman. God says that man and woman are made of his bones
and flesh in Genesis 2:23 and Genesis 1:27 says that man is made in God’s image.
Another important similarity between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, is man was put in
charge of taking care of the earth. In Genesis 2:15 when God put man in Eden,
man was “to till and keep it” and in Genesis 2:19 man named all the animals
after they were created.
There
is one part of the creation story that does not overlap between Genesis 1 and
Genesis 2, how man and woman should interact after being created. “Therefore a
man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become
one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed” (Gen
2:24-25).
First a minor point: “On the sixth day God made all creatures, man and woman, and then blessed them all in Genesis 1:20-31.” This occurred over two days, day 5 (sea and air creatures) and 6 (earth creatures, including us). We don’t get our own day.
ReplyDelete“A similarity to note between the two chapters regarding the creation of man, is the description of man and woman. God says that man and woman are made of his bones and flesh in Genesis 2:23 and Genesis 1:27 says that man is made in God’s image.” No, the man exclaims that the woman is his “flesh and blood” (although how he knows this, being asleep when it all occurred, is something we will have to discuss). So it’s not God speaking, nor does the expression apply to both. Please try to read closer.
“Another important similarity between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, is man was put in charge of taking care of the earth. In Genesis 2:15 when God put man in Eden, man was “to till and keep it.” Rather than a similarity, it seems there’s quite a difference between given the right to “rule” over all other creatures, and being created from the soil “to serve and keep it” (the latter verbs are redolent with religious overtones). One emphasizes how god-like we are, the other how ungodlike.
“There is one part of the creation story that does not overlap between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2, how man and woman should interact after being created. “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed” (Gen 2:24-25).” We’ll discuss 2:24 in class next week. It’s worth noting that the lack of shame is precisely what is affected by eating the forbidden fruit, so even if that’s how we were meant to be, we ain’t like that any more.
P.S. We missed you in class on Thursday. I hope it wasn't an emergency.