The Whole Counsel of God Genesis 1:1-8
Jul 24, 2023
A lively tour of Genesis 1 exploring the Hebrew title bereshit and the grammar behind 'In the beginning God created.' Discussion ranges from tohu v'bohu and the image of chaotic waters to the Spirit brooding like a mother bird. The talk compares creation language with John’s prologue, surveys patristic takes on uncreated light and angels, and questions how time and 'days' function in the narrative.
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Genesis 1:1 Is A Summary Statement
- "In the first place, God created the heavens and the earth" functions as a summary statement for what's narrated next.
- Fr. Stephen De Young emphasizes Genesis 1:1 announces the ordering act rather than a temporal sequence.
Create vs. Make In Hebrew
- The Hebrew bara means to create ex nihilo and differs from asa, to make from existing materials.
- Fr. Stephen De Young notes Genesis 1 focuses on ordering potential into being rather than explaining creation from absolute nothing.
Genesis Counters Succession Myths
- Genesis rejects ancient succession myths by asserting there were no gods or worlds before Yahweh.
- Fr. Stephen De Young stresses this establishes God's absolute uniqueness and that he makes, not inherits, all things.
