Questions in Genesis Part 1: Which Creation Account?

          Foreword: I have chosen to begin the blog with a series of articles that I had typed up entitled Questions in Genesis.  These articles were originally composed a few years ago as part of how I processed a visit to the Creation Museum in Kentucky.

                    Questions in Genesis part 1: Which Creation Account?

        

The biblical narratives in the first few chapters of Genesis are taken by many to mean that the earth is only a few thousand years old and that all which exists was brought into existence in the span of six 24 hour periods of time.  More often than not this position is combined with the view that any other understandings of the text subvert the authority and veracity of the biblical text.  This essay will argue there are multiple readings of the creation accounts in Genesis that disagree with a six 24 hours periods of time creation and are in no way bowing to the pressure of society in doing so.

I cannot recollect the number of times that I have encountered the phrase "the biblical account of creation" or something like it.  This became particularly irksome to me as I meandered the halls of the Creation Museum.  I am naturally and often easily irked by things which I find to be dishonest and misleading.  Such is the case with this statement.  As one moves from the first verse of Genesis, one begins to read an account of God creating the earth and the heavens in 6 days and then resting on the seventh day.  This account in Genesis 1 is what Young Earth Creationists speak of when they use the phrases “the Biblical creation account” or “the Genesis creation account.”  The use of the phrase “the Genesis creation account” is disingenuous and begs the question. 

There is not only one creation account in Genesis.  There are actually two creation narratives in Genesis and they do not agree in the time or the ordering of creation.  This is problematic and was understood to be problematic in the early church as well.  In Genesis 1:1-2:3 there is one account and then Genesis 2:4-2:25 provides a second account.  In a way, I feel bad for the Genesis 2 account because it is often treated as though it does not provide a serious record of the creation account.  For example, when was the last time you heard the phrase, “the one day of creation” from a young earth creationist?  The six “literal” days of creation are spoken about at length, but never the one day of creation.  However, if we are going to take the biblical text seriously, we should give a careful examination to both accounts.  Below is a comparison of the two creation accounts of Genesis.

Genesis 1	Genesis 2
6 day creation, 1 day of rest	One day of creation
Order of creation Light and darkness created Waters separated, Heaven created Land and plants Lights in the heavens: Sun, moon, stars Aquatic creature and birds Lands creatures Humanity	Order of creation Dirt and mist already in existence Adam Plants Rivers Animals
Plants are given for food	Plants are given for food
God rests	Eve is made after none of the animals are found to be suitable helpers.
Creation is used to teach the importance of Sabbath keeping.	Creation is used to teach the importance of marriage.

The first thing that I mentioned is the difference in the time of the creation accounts.  The is quite important because the position of Young Earth Creationism is often based upon the understanding that “day” in Genesis 1 means “one 24 hour period of time” and yet in Chapter 2 we have the account of creation taking place in the space of one of these 24 hours periods of time.

The second thing to notice is that the order of creation is different.  Quite, and likely irreconcilably, different!  In Genesis one, humanity is made last.  In Genesis 2, Adam is made first.  The order of plants coming before animals remains the same as well as the giving of plants for food to humanity.  Yet, the place of humanity in creation is markedly different and sets these two accounts in opposition to each other regarding the ordering of creation.

Thirdly and quite importantly, there are theological/pedagogical purposes in both creation accounts.  The first account centers on the importance of Sabbath.  The second account centers on the importance of marriage.  The emphasis in the Genesis one account is on keeping the Sabbath.  This is how the account ends, with God blessing the seventh days and making it holy.  The reason creation is presented in a seven day period provides an example for how the Israelites ought to live their lives.  They were to work six days and rest on the seventh day following the example which God had set in his work of creation.

In the Genesis 2 account, the theological emphasis is one the very nature of marriage.  This is evident in the fact that Adam names all the creatures that God brings before him and yet none of these creatures was found to be a suitable helper for Adam.  Then, God creates a helper from Adam, a woman.  She is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.  And we are told in Genesis 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”  This statement just like the statement about resting on the Sabbath is a rather strange interlocution, unless the point of these creation accounts was more than simply providing a “scientifically accurate” account of the origin of all that exists.  This of course is the point that I wish to make: the creation accounts are presented in their forms for the purpose of instructing the readers that 1 God is the creator of all things, and 2 either A) Keep the Sabbath because God set the example for rest after creation, or B) treat your spouse as your own body and join yourself to your spouse above all other family members because that is God’s design for marriage.

The overarching theological points that the Genesis creation accounts make are very rarely viewed as the central issues regarding the first two chapters of Genesis.  I view this as an example of societal pressures discerning the meaning and significance of the text instead of allowing the text to present its focus on marriage and Sabbath.  Likewise, attempting to read the first two chapters of Genesis as a scientific explanation of life will run into the same problem.  These chapters outlining the creation narratives of this world were focused on presenting narrative of creation that served very practical purposes which were not focused on a scientific (especially as we would understand this word in a post enlightenment context) explanation of the world.