| Essay #1
Understanding the Meaning
of Genesis and Identifying Examples of It
The word “genesis” is
pronounced just as it appears except the g should sound like a j (jenesis).
“Genesis” means the origin or beginning of something, and it is derived
from the Greek word gignesthai, meaning to be born. Understanding
the word “genesis” provides the reader with a good sense of what the Book
of Genesis is all about. It also allows the reader to follow along,
and gives them a clearer picture of what the author of Genesis is talking
about and describing in his/her writing. If one did not know the
meaning of “genesis,” they may not comprehend what is being described in
the opening few chapters of this first book of the Bible. And once
you do not understand the first part of a literary work, it is much more
difficult to catch on to its meaning further along in the reading. Thus,
recognizing the significance of the word “genesis” is critical in understanding
the Book of Genesis.
There are a few examples of
genesis early on in this first book of the Bible. In chapter one,
the author describes how God created the heavens and the earth in six days
and rested on the seventh day. Thus, this explains the beginning
of the heavens and the earth. Immediately following the Story of
Creation, the author of Genesis describes the account of Adam and Eve.
It was written that, “God formed the man from the dust of the ground and
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”, and from the man's rib
God created a woman (Genesis 2:7). This accounts for the origin of
man (as in mankind), and when Adam and Eve sin in the Garden of Eden, it
is describing the origin of sin (specifically original sin). The
Great Flood mentioned in chapters seven and eight is another example of
genesis because it shows how God gives Noah and his family a new beginning
by destroying all the evil in the world. Therefore, many examples
of genesis can be found in this famous literary work.
The book of Genesis focuses so much
on beginnings because it is trying to emphasize its importance to all mankind.
God gave the characters in the book of Genesis so-called new beginnings
every time they committed great sins against Him. Although Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob and many other biblical characters sinned greatly, God always
forgave them for what they did and let them start anew. God was willing
to forgive because He wanted to see all mankind succeed at their fullest
potential and one day be able to live eternally with Him in heavenly paradise.
Everyone knows what it feels like to be given a fresh start, such as beginning
a new semester in college or starting a new job. You feel as though
all the weight in the world is off your shoulders and you can start over,
forgetting all the mistakes you made in the past. Thus, God wants
to do the same for mankind as he does in the book of Genesis. |