Genesis

Genesis
RELATED TOPICS	People in Genesis Index - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph Stories in Genesis Index - Creation, The Fall of Man, The Flood, Tower of Babel Historical understandings of Genesis
SERMONS, ESSAYS AND OPINIONS	* Easton's Bible Dictionary entry on Genesis Book of Genesis (Catholic Encyclopedia)
CONTENTS

Chapters

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

Commentary

Genesis is the first book of the Bible. It is a book of beginnings - the beginning of the universe and how people spoiled it, and the beginning of God's plan to restore it through the beginning of a nation. It tells us about God, who was before time, and is the creator of everything there is. Genesis tells us that God created Adam and Eve in his image, but that they spoiled this creation, by wilful disobedience, bringing death to mankind. The book tells the stories of early humans including Noah and the Flood and Abraham and his descendants.

Historical understandings of Genesis

There is some disagreement among Christians regarding the historical nature of the book. Questions naturally arise such as: "Was there a garden?", "Was their a fall with the serpent?", "Was there a world-wide flood, or a local flood?", "Was there really a tower of Babel?". Disagreement arise partly because of the way in which the book is read, in particular, which genre the reader feels most appropriately fits the book. Some Christians, especially in the Developing World and the United States, read the book as literal history, and thus understand the world to be around 8,000 years old. They see all of the Creation story to be factually accurate. At the other end of the spectrum, other Christians see the genre, at least of the first few chapters of Genesis, in a more parabolic or metaphorical way. These Christians do not necessarily believe in a literal Adam or Eve, but see the creation story as making a number of points, including God as creator, with humans rebelling against their creator.

Authorship

It has traditionally been accepted that Moses was the author of Genesis. Some scholars suggest however that multiple authors were involved in the writing and compilation of Genesis.

Outline

The Biblical Account of Creation

Of the Universe

Genesis 1:1-25

Of the Human Race

Genesis 1:26-31 and Genesis 2:18-24

Temptation and the Fall, The First Messianic Promise

Genesis 3:1-24

Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-26

Genealogy and Death of the Patriarchs

Genesis 5:1-32

Translations of Genesis

• World English Version

• Wiki Community Translation In Progress: Bible:USV2005:Genesis

Links

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