Jan 14 Response

In Genesis 1:1-2:4, the creation account of the world is detailed. Over the course of a week, God creates the universe as we know it from scratch. Over seven days, God created the universe from the Sun and Moon to humans. This account strongly conveys the power and strength of God, as He was able to form the whole universe by Himself over the course of only a week. The format of the passage and the repetition of phrases like “and God said let there be…” lends to the notion that God is the supreme being, for through His will things are created. The repetition also gives the effect that God has order and balance. Specifically, repeating the word “good” also lends to God’s perfection and transcendence above all else. As God was present before all else, and in a sense created the world from Himself, this crafts a mystery of who He is and how He was created. The fact that humans were created on the last day before God rested helps the reader infer that humans are the peak of God’s creation, almost like the save the best for last mentality. Humans were also created with “dominion over” all of God’s previous creation, which creates a hierarchy with God at the top, then humans below, and animals and nature last. Though God is infinitely powerful, He still rests on the last day. This is not meant to be taken literally, it is a symbolic as God made creation perfectly so it seems He took a moment to rest after forming a new, flawless universe. In the Catholic tradition, the last day of the week (Sunday) is observed as the Sabbath. Humans are supposed to rest and go to Church, so God’s resting on the last day sets a precedent for humans, and laws down the laws that are to come with civilized religion.