Basic HTML Version
169
the book of Genesis, point to the fact that we have something quite different here. The
expression invariably points, not to the origin or beginning of those named, but to their family
history. The first narrative contains the account of the creation of all things in the order in
which it occurred, while the second groups things in their relation to man, without implying
anything respecting the chronological order of man’s appearance in the creative work of God,
and clearly indicates that everything preceding it served to prepare a fit habitation for man as
the king of creation. It shows us how man was situated in God’s creation, surrounded by the
vegetable and animal world, and how he began his history. There are certain particulars in
which the creation of man stands out in distinction from that of other living beings:
1. MAN’S CREATION WAS PRECEDED BY A SOLEMN DIVINE COUNSEL.
Before the inspired
writer records the creation of man, he leads us back, as it were, into the council of God,
acquainting us with the divine decree in the words, “Let us make man in our image, after our
likeness,” Gen. 1:26. The Church has generally interpreted the plural “us” on the basis of the
trinitarian existence of God. Some scholars, however, regard it as a plural of majesty; others, as
a plural of communication, in which God includes the angels with Himself; and still others, as a
plural of self-exhortation. Of these three suggestions the first is very unlikely, since the plural of
majesty originated at a much later date; the second is impossible, because it would imply that
the angels were co-creators with God, and that man is also created in the image of the angels,
which is an un-Scriptural idea; and the third is an entirely gratuitous assumption, for which no
reason can be assigned. Why should such a self-exhortation be in the plural, except for the
reason that there is a plurality in God.
2. THE CREATION OF MAN WAS IN THE STRICTEST SENSE OF THE WORD AN IMMEDIATE ACT
OF GOD.
Some of the expressions used in the narrative preceding that of the creation of man
indicate mediate creation in some sense of the word. Notice the following expressions: “And
God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs, yielding seed, and fruit-trees bearing fruit after
their kind” — “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures” . . . and, “Let the earth
bring forth living creatures after their kind”; and compare these with the simple statement,
“And God created man.” Whatever indication of mediacy in the work of creation is contained in
the former expressions, is entirely wanting in the latter. Evidently the work of God in the
creation of man was not mediated in any sense of the word. He did make use of pre-existent
material in forming the body of man, but even this was excluded in the creation of the soul.
3. IN DISTINCTION FROM THE LOWER CREATURES MAN WAS CREATED AFTER A DIVINE TYPE.
With respect to fishes, birds, and beasts we read that God created them after their kind, that is,
on a typical form of their own. Man, however, was not so created and much less after the type
of an inferior creature. With respect to him God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our