The introductory descriptions in the Bible are very good for reflection because we are acquainted and familiar with them. They lead us easily into deeper level, to important particular issues and they make us sensitive. Thus, as people of the Word, urged by the voices of the modern ecology movement we realize with shame and humility our original obligation and mission so old and genuine as the Bible itself.
The first texts of the Holy Scripture show us God who is not distant but present, engaged in more than one way with his creation. And above all reflecting and evaluating. These texts give prospective to human mission in the world and define the dignity and the boundaries of our vocation. The mere fact that creation of human being is within structured in the day six is not only a sign of it being “crown of creation” but pointing out that there is vast area of the world that is before and beyond our existence.
Creative Creator – active and productive
In the biblical presentation sometimes there is an immediate effect of God’s speaking in the being of creatures: so it is with the light (Gen 1:3), with collection of waters in one place (Gen 1:9) and with the plants (Gen 1:11). In other instances the word of God comes to realization through God’s further action. God makes things, he is working and in this way there will be intended effect: in this manner it is with the vault the Creator shapes and divides waters (Gen 1:7); with the sun, the moon and the stars where it is God making two big lights and the stars (Gen 1:16); in the same manner it is with the animals of the dry land (1:25).
To the description “and God said” there is an adequate description “and so it was”. In the biblical text of Gen 1 we find this important parallel six times, the word brings about being:
“and God said” – “and it was so”
Gen 1:6f – 1:9 – 1:11 – 1:14f – 1:24 – 1:29f.
According to this first description in the Bible God creates in the strict sense. This is a creation pointed out with the reserved biblical verb ברא bara’. It is the act of creation that refers to heaven and earth as a whole (Gen 1:1; 2:4)), and describes God’s engagement when creating animals in the water and in the air: God creates fish, see beasts and birds (Gen 1:21). The place of humankind is distinguished with immediately three times “to create” in very first occurrence (Gen 1:27).
The optimistic and trustworthy structure
The whole description of God’s primordial creative work has a well
known structure of the week – of seven days. The number seven suggest in Hebrew a rounded whole, something that can be trusted. This number has namely the same root שבע as the verb “to swear, to promise firmly” and alludes to the central motive of the Old testament: God has sworn to the fathers.
There is something more that also occurs seven times giving essential mark to the structure of this text. It is the evaluation and proof of quality, stating: “it is good” (Gen 1:4.10.12.18.21.25.31). Decisive point is that the author of the work himself brings about this judgment – it is the Maker, the Creator. That means he is not only actively engaged but also contemplatively reflecting. The evaluation comes as a result of looking back and considering the work done. It is in all seven cases that we read: “And God saw” (Gen 1:4.10.12.18.21.25.31) and then “it was good”. Essential God’s action in this creative process is looking back and pondering, seeing the thing done (hebr. ראה ra’a – to see).
Moreover this evaluation has it’s culmination and conclusion because in the last repetition the evaluating mark in the adjective good (hebr. טוב tob) gets additional adverb: “very, powerfully, intensely good” (טוב מאד Gen 1:31). Important is even more that this last evaluation takes place when all the process reaches an end, the first creation is completed. So the evaluative judgment encompasses not any more only one aspect of creation, or only one being but all of them together. The reflective look of the Creator this time aims at “all that he had made”. And this belongs still to the sixth day before God’s rest on the seventh.
Until then “good” referred to the light (1:4); land and sea (10); plants and trees (12); the sun, moon and stars (18); fish and birds (21); and finally the animals of the dry land (25). The final evaluation “good” (31) is declared when also the human being is created – the one who really can hear and understand the evaluation.
- The fact that there is “good” seven times and never “evil” or “bad” is relevant not only for the literal and theological composition of this text but also for the description following in the next chapters of the Bible. It is well known that the serpent in its conversation applies the method of lie so that the New Testament speaks about Satan as “old snake” (Rev 12:9; 20:2) and “father of lies” (John 8:44). Sevenfold “good” discovers the lie hidden in the statement that God has recognized evil. Serpent says: “Your eyes will open and you will know good and evil” (Gen 3:5). In the whole preceding text God recognizes “good”. “And God saw that it was good” – it is seven times repeated. Goodness is thus in the very structure of the biblical view of the universe which by itself calls for respect and attention.
- Yet in the anthropological review of the creation (Gen 2) God’s evaluation finds one disadvantage. “It is not good for the human to be alone” (Gen 2:18). And even in falling down to the evil there is still the “good” that is in the center: The fruit of the tree is “good” to be eaten – so says the description (2:9), so sees it Eve (3,6).
- “Evil” is mentioned for the first time in the notion of knowing good and evil that should be reserved for God (Gen 2:17; 3:22). He is the only one who can up to the last ground discern what it is good and what not. This is the fruit that human being should actually not eat, but respectfully recognize boundaries and divine action. The man can entrust his sake to God. The strongest relevant example is that of Jeremiah who in the name of God demanded that Judea do not engage in conflict with much, much more powerful adversary Nebuchadnezzar, but to accept the foreign rule in order to live. Most probably the lives, the city and the temple would have been spared. It would have been, against our first instinctive judgment, good or at least better, and not evil. When ever Israelites in their history let the Lord fight their fight, they would win. When they let their sake in his hands they would win.
Before expulsion from the garden of God’s presence God states that the human being took over the deciding between good and evil (Gen 3:22). How it developed it is unfortunately clear in the example of Cain and Abel. Not respecting the created nature leads to disrespect of human life.
The roots of the world and humankind
If we want to go back to the biblical origins we have to notice at first that the whole story in the Book of Genesis has a mark of family history or genealogy expressed by a Hebrew plural noun תולדות tôledôt. Where we usually in the translations read history or genealogy, the literal meaning is “the birth giving, begetting” in plural: “childbirths”. It is important that by this same word the origin of heaven and earth (Gen 2:4), of the whole universe is described. In our modern ecological sensitivity we immediately grasp the essential impact of such perspective. Our familiar responsibility encompasses the environment and the world around us. The family we live in is a great one and has a long history, it includes the whole God’s creation – not only in a free poetical, but in strict biblical, theological sense.
Biblical term “begettings, childbirths” reminds us at the same time of St. Paul and his remark about desire and duty to fully accomplish our mission, to achieve blessed aim of our being created: “The whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Rom 8:22).
The first biblical description highlights the different kind of plants and trees (Gen 1:11.12), of fish and birds (1:21), of animals and insects (1: 24.25). Over and over the view remains on their individual mode, each „according to it’s own kind“ (למינו lemînô Gen 1:11.12[2x].21[2x].24[2x].25[3x]). In one chapter this is ten times repeated; no other aspect of creation is so insistently pointed out. This prospective of diversity is amazing and opens our eyes to carefully follow the particular way of the numerous species we encounter around us.
Final, special point this biblical consideration of created world is three times coming back to, reveals special autonomy of the nature that reflects the original plan of the Creator. The description in Genesis ponders on how plants and trees bear their own seed. They are given the power of procreation. This is how the Scriptures see the Creator’s intention (Gen 1:11), how it is realized in the world (1:12), and it is once more repeated in God’s speech to make it clear and keep it firm also in the communication with human being, entrusted with created botanical world (Gen 1:29).
11 February 2011
