May the mumbling commence!
It’s a time of beginning. Today we will cover as much of the sixth day of
creation as we can from the account in Genesis chapter one. Read from Peterson’s The Message:
God spoke: “Earth, generate life! Every sort and kind:
cattle
and reptiles and wild animals – all kinds.”
God created the huge whales,
all the swarm
of life in the waters,
And every kind and species of flying birds.
God saw
that it was good.
God spoke: “Let us
make human
beings in our image,
make
them reflecting
our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish of the sea,
the
birds of the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
and
every animal that moves on the face of the Earth.”
God created human beings;
he created them
godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
He
created them male and female.
God blessed them:
“Prosper! Reproduce!
Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in
the sea and birds in the air,
for
every living thing that moves on the face of the Earth.” (Genesis 1:24-28)
Now read from the NIV translation:
And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their
kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each
according to its kind." And it was so.
God
made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to
their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to
their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,
and let them rule
over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the
livestock, over
all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the
ground." So God created man in his own image, in
the image of God he created him; male and female he created
them. God
blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill
the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the
birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
(Genesis 1:24-28)
It’s interesting to note that
Peterson changes his tune when it comes to the making of humanity. Peterson leaves the “Let us” stand. Why didn’t he use that tone throughout? I believe it would be more consistent with
the Hebrew.
Though it may set apart the special
nature of the creation of humanity, that special nature is already evident in
the pure space given to them in the sixth day.
It’s the reason why I cannot cover the entire sixth day. There’s just not enough space!
I’m not sure about the phrase that
Peterson uses “reflecting our/God’s nature” in reference to humanity. Is that equivalent to “in our likeness” and “in
the image of God”. I especially take
pause when I read Peterson’s “created them godlike”. These phrases can easily be abused.
But I must admit: I like the tone
of the care for God’s creation that is given to humanity. Be responsible versus ruling over. Even taking charge has different connotations
that subduing nature. Sometimes Peterson’s
paraphrase helps us to see the Spirit behind the Word. I see these changes and say, “Amen”. Those words of ruling over and subduing have
far too often been used to abuse God’s creation.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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