poem in verses and chorus helps its memorization and recitation in the liturgicalcelebrations.
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The image of the world in Gen 1 corresponds to the idea that the author and thereaders had of the world at that time. They believed the earth was a big flat disk, placed on several columns that rested in the deep great ocean. Above themountains, the firmament separated the waters above and those below, and thesun, moon and stars were hanging on it. Below the earth there was the Sheol, thedark mansion of the dead. Above the firmament there were the skies, symbols of the house of God. This idea of the world is shared by all the peoples of the past, but we cannot be forced to believe in this image just because it is written in theBible. These questions lack of theological importance for Christians.
1.2. The creation of mankind
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The best is always served last:
“Let us make man in our image, according to our likeness”
(Gen 1, 26). Man is going to be the cornerstone of creation, themediator between God and the world. “Adam” (in Hebrew means “human”; usedin the female form means “earth”), is not the name of the first man, but representsthe entire humankind, humanity as a whole. That is why the verb is used in plural
“let them have dominion”
. Mankind was created by God in his own image, but isnot equal to God in dignity and power; to believe that they were like God, notliving creatures, was the cause of their sin.
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What does it mean to be “image of God”?
Man is God’s representative in lookingafter the visible creation. The use of this power and dominion requires intelligenceand good-will, spiritual values that make God’s image to be seen everywhere.Because every man and woman is an image of God, they all enjoy an untouchabledignity (v. 27). That is why God blessed the first union between man and woman.Both genres, through procreation, contribute to spread life all over the world andthrough their intelligent work, develop the world created by God and make it acomfortable place for the entire human family.
1.3. The peace of paradise
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Animals and people lived in peace, without eating one another: they enjoyed avegetarian diet (vv. 29-30). This is not completely true. It is just a symbol tounderline the peace and harmony at the beginning of creation. The prophets willuse the same symbol to describe the messianic peace; it will be like returning tothe lost paradise (Is 11, 6-9).
“Then God saw everything that he had made, and indeed it was very good”
(v. 31). This phrase emphasizes that every creature made by God is good in essence.
How can we explain evil in the world then?
The physical evil exists because this world has a relative perfection; the absolute perfection will be achieved in the future life. The moral evil exists because themankind used his freedom badly.3
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