RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 1_THE BIBLE AND SALVATION HISTORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

Module 2: Creation
Introduction
From the beginning, people have wondered where the earth and people came
from. Everyone, eventually, asks about the origin of the world. Some early Filipinos
formulated their answer through the Hiligaynon myth describing the beginning of time,
and the origin of man and woman through a reed.
In the Old Testament, the Genesis account of creation does not attempt to provide
scientific information about the origin of the present world, but aims rather at stressing
the truth that there is only one God, who is the source of everything.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the module, the students are expected to:
1. know and understand the meaning of the two stories of creation
2. know and understand why the world was created
3. appreciate his/her being a creature of God
4. express gratitude to God for the gift of creation
Learning Content
Lesson 1 The First Story of Creation
A. Background of the Book of Genesis
I. GENESIS, is the first book of the Bible, and the first of the five Books of the
Pentateuch.
⮚ In Greek, Genesis means “Origin” or “Beginning.”
II. ORIGIN OF WHAT

III.Who wrote the Genesis?

⮚ For quite a time – Moses
⮚ It contains three main sources or traditions
1. Yahwist
2. Elohist and
3. Priestly
IV. Purpose of Genesis
⮚ To provide an introduction to the early history of the people Israel, the people
especially dear to God
⮚ After the brief outline of the cosmic events of the creation of the world and the
progressive estrangement of all men from God (Gen 1:1-11), Genesis
concentrates on the figures of ABRAHAM, ISAAC, JACOB and his 12 sons,
especially JOSEPH.
B. First Story of Creation (Gen 1:1-2:4a)
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1 In the beginning, when God began to create the heavens and the earth, the
earth had no form and was void; darkness was over the deep and the Spirit of God
 hovered over the waters.
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God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was
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good and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light „Day‟ and
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the darkness „Night‟. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.
God said, “Let there be a firm ceiling between the waters and let it separate waters
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from waters.” So God made the ceiling and separated the waters below it from
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the waters above it. And so it was. God called the firm ceiling „Sky‟. There was
evening and there was morning: the second day.
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God said, “Let the waters below the sky be gathered together in one place and let
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dry land appear.” And so it was. God called the dry land „Earth‟, and the waters
gathered together he called „Seas‟. God saw that it was good.
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God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants, fruittrees
bearing fruit with seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And so it was.
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The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kind and
trees producing fruit which has seed, according to their kind. God saw that it was
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good. There was evening and there was morning: the third day. God said,
“Let there be lights in the ceiling of the sky to separate day from night and to serve
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as signs for the seasons, days and years; and let these lights in the sky shine
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above the earth.” And so it was. God therefore made two great lights, the greater
light to govern the day and the smaller light to govern the night; and God made the
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stars as well. God placed them in the ceiling of the sky to give light on the earth
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and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good. There
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was evening and there was morning: the fourth day. God said, “Let the water
teem with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth under
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the ceiling of the sky.” God created the great monsters of the sea and all living
animals, those that teem in the waters, according to their kind, and every winged
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bird, according to its kind. God saw that it was good. God blessed them saying,
“Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds
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increase on the earth.” There was evening and there was morning: the fifth day.
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God said, “Let the earth produce living animals according to their kind: cattle,
creatures that move along the ground, wild animals according to their kind.” So it
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was. God created the wild animals according to their kind, and everything that
 creeps along the ground according to its kind. God saw that it was good.
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God said, “Let us make man in our image, to our likeness. Let them rule over
the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals,
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and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man
in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created
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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 sky,
over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
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God said, “I have given you every seed-bearing plant which is on the face of all
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the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To
every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the
ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.”
So it was.

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God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. There was evening and
there was morning: the sixth day.
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2 That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By
the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and he rested on the
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seventh day from all the work he had done. And God blessed the seventh day and
made it holy, because on that day he rested from all the work he had done in his
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creation. These are the successive steps in the creation of the heavens and the
earth.

Interpreting the First Story of Creation

∙ According to biblical writers, in the beginning the earth was a formless wasteland
plunged in darkness and water. There was chaos in the world.
∙ The First Genesis account of creation describes the six days of creation in the most
orderly manner possible. On the seventh day, God rested. The story of creation is
presented in a pattern and poem-like structure that is essentially an aid to memory.
This was important since the story was passed on orally from generation to
generation.
∙ The first three days of creation were days of separation, and the last three days were
of filling the earth with living creatures:
First day - light from darkness
Second day - waters above from waters below
Third day - dry land from water
Fourth day - heavenly bodies
Fifth day - birds to fly through the air and the sea creatures to inhabit the water
Sixth day – land animals and human to inhabit the dry land of the earth
 ⦁ The author of the first story of creation provided the
earth to be flat. Underneath the dry land were waters
pushing their way through the earth‟s surface. Above
the earth was the firmament shaped like an inverted
bowl. Above the firmament were more waters. The
firmament had floodgates where the rain could pass to
fall on the earth. It also served as resting place for the
moon, sun and stars that moved about its surface as
they shed light on the earth.
⦁ The Genesis account of creation does not intend to explain how the world came to
be. It neither affirms nor denies any of the many scientific explanations of how
the world came to be as it is today (CFC 323-324).
⦁ It is not an attempt to provide scientific information about how the world came
to be.
⦁ The creation story makes clear why there is a world. The one true God is the
reason why everything exists. He is the source of life and Creator of
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everything. He creates the world not because he needs it but out of his love and
goodness. God‟s creative activity brings order out of chaos by his words and
everything that he creates is good.
⦁ There is no contradiction between Science and Religion. Science attempts to
explain how the world evolved while religion proclaims why there is a world. ⦁
Creation is the beginning and foundation of God‟s saving plan that culminates in
Jesus Christ (CFC 314). God the Father creates through his Son Jesus Christ, in the
Holy Spirit.
In conclusion, the Genesis account of creation does not attempt to provide
scientific information about the origin of the present world, but aims rather at stressing
the truth that there is only one God who is the source of everything. He created
everything and everything he created is good. The greatest of all his creation is the
human being whom he made in his own image and likeness.
Lesson 2 The Second Story of Creation
*SECOND STORY OF CREATION (Gen 2:4b-25
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On the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens, there was not
yet on the earth any shrub of the fields, nor had any plant yet sprung up, for
Yahweh God had not made it rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the
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earth, but a mist went up from the earth and watered the surface of the earth.
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Then Yahweh God formed Man, dust drawn from the clay, and breathed into his
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nostrils a breath of life and Man became alive with breath. God planted a garden
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in Eden in the east and there he placed Man whom he had created. Yahweh God
caused to grow from the ground every kind of tree that is pleasing to see and good
to eat, also the tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil.
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A river flowed from Eden to water the garden and from there it divided to form
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four main streams. The name of the first river is Pishon. It is the one that flows
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around all the country of Havilah where there is gold, and the gold of that
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country is good; bidellium and onyx stone are there. The name of the second
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river is Gihon. It is the one that flows around all the land of Cush. The name of
the third river is Tigris. It is the one that flows to the east of Assyria. The fourth
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river is the Euphrates. Yahweh God took Man and placed him in the garden of
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Eden to till it and take care of it. Then Yahweh God gave an order to Man
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saying, “You may eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of the
Knowledge of Good and Evil, you will not eat, for on the day you eat of it, you will
die.”
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Yahweh God said, “It is not good for Man to be alone; I will give him a helper
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who will be like him.” Then Yahweh God formed from the earth all the beasts
of the field and all the birds
of the air and brought them to Man to see what he would call them; and whatever
Man called every living creature, that was its name.
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So Man gave names to all the cattle, the birds of the air and to every beast of the
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field. But he did not find among them a helper like himself. Then Yahweh God
caused a deep sleep to come over Man and he fell asleep. He took one of his ribs
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and filled its place with flesh. The rib which Yahweh God had taken from Man
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he formed into a woman and brought her to the man. The man then said, “Now
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this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because
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she was taken from man.” That is why man leaves his father and mother and is
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attached to his wife, and with her becomes one flesh. Both the man and his wife
were naked and were not ashamed.

Interpreting the Second Story of Creation

⦁ The second story of creation depicts God as a potter who took clay from the ground
and shaped it into the form of a man and breathed life into his nostrils (Gen. 2:7). ⦁
The breath of life signified that the Spirit of God is the source of authentic life and
that human beings depend on him not only for continued existence but also for
meaningful life. Apart from God, the human being is nothing.
 ⦁ God saw that man needed a partner and companion. Through relationships with
others, a person can develop one‟s gifts. God made a garden for man but it was not
enough. The Lord made the animals, and man gave a name for each animal but none
proved to be suitable partner for man.
⦁ Man was casted into a deep sleep and from his side woman was created. When he
woke up, he realized that here was the perfect partner with whom he could share his
life. “This one, at last, is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh. This one shall be
called woman for out of her man this one has been taken” (Gen 2:23)
⦁ By portraying woman as coming from the substance of man, the author of Genesis
tells us that man and woman are equal in nature and dignity.
⦁ Gordom Higham describes this relationship between man and woman. Woman was
not taken from man‟s head to be ruled by him, nor from his feet to be trampled upon,
but from his side to walk beside him, from under his arm to be protected by him and
from near his heart to be loved by him.
⦁ The second story of creation sheds light on the divine plan of unity of marriage. God
willed that man and woman are to live in a community of love in marriage in which
the husband and wife become one.
⦁ Husbands are called to love their wives as Christ loved his Church. He gave himself
up for her. Wives are called to present themselves to their husbands as the Church
offers herself to Christ (Eph 5:25-33).
⦁ This story puts stress on the human being‟s nature as a person in relationship with
others. The innermost nature of the person is a social being and unless the person
relates with others one can neither live a full life nor develop one‟s potential (see GS
12).
⦁ At the end of the second creation story the man and the woman enjoyed an intimate
relationship with God. They had the privilege of walking and talking with the
Lord.
⦁ God‟s presence was a source of joy and peace to both of them.
Catechesis on Creation
The story of creation answers the basic question:
▪ Where do we come from? /What is our origin? Where are we going? /What is our
end?
▪ They are decisive questions for the meaning and orientation of our life and action.
Lesson 3 The Nature of Man and Woman
Nature of Man and Woman
1) Man and woman are made in the image and likeness of God
⦁ The pinnacle of God‟s creation is man and woman (CFC 334). God created man
and woman in His image; in the divine image he created him, male and female he
created them (Gen 1:26-27).
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION 1_THE BIBLE AND SALVATION HISTORY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT
2) Unity of body and soul
⦁ The human being is an embodied spirit, a union of body and soul. God gives man
and woman the spiritual powers of thinking and willing.
⦁ With the soul the person has the power of learning, loving and growing. The person
can mature to become authentically human in the knowledge and love of God and
of other people.
3) Stewards of the earth
⦁ Man and woman as images of God are appointed to exercise stewardship over all
 earthly creatures (CFC 341). God blessed them saying: “Be fertile and multiply;
fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the
air, and all the living things that move on the earth.” (Gen. 1:28-29).
⦁ By reflecting on the true image of creation, man and woman are called to subdue
creation and use them for the good of others. (Man and woman are not the owners
but caretakers or stewards of God‟s creation).
Importance of the Sabbath Day
⦁ God created the world and brought order out of chaos. After the completion of His
task, the Lord rested from all labor on the Sabbath day: “Since on the seventh day
God was finished with the work he had been doing, he rested on the seventh day
from all the work he had undertaken. So God blessed the seventh day and made it
holy, because on it he rested from all the work he had done in creation” (Gen. 2:2-
31)
⦁ All must set aside a day to rest and to praise and worship the Lord who creates and
sustains everything in existence. For Catholic Christian, this means attending mass
on Sundays and Holidays of obligations.
Ongoing Creation
⦁ Creation continues in the present. God‟s Spirit continues to support everything in
existence, loving everything he created.
⦁ The more a person works, the more God‟s creative activity is involved.
New Creation
⦁ Creation shows the wonderful beauty and order of God‟s created realities. ⦁
Christian perspective sees creation to be ordered to and perfected, in the New
Creation brought by about by the Passion-Death-Resurrection of Jesus Christ. ⦁
This means, “whoever is in Christ is a new creation. The old things have passed
away. Behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has
reconciled us to himself through Christ” (2 Cor 5:17-18; CFC 338).
Integration
Doctrine
⦁ The doctrine of creation asserts the Christian truth that God created everything, not
because he needed the world but simply out of his desire to share his infinite love. ⦁
Everything that God created was good, and he gave man and woman dominion over
all creation so that empowered by the Spirit they may share in the creative work of
God in Jesus Christ.
Morals
⦁ Each one has been endowed by God with talents and gifts, and called to develop
these gifts to the fullest, and use them not only for one‟s personal good but even
more, for the good of others.
⦁ We must respect and promote the dignity of every human being by recognizing the
abiding presence of God in each person.

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Worship
⦁ Man and woman as superior among all God‟s creature can render glory and praise
to his Creator. In personal prayer and community worship, they praise and glorify
their Creator.
Activity 2_Concluding Prayer
Psalm 8
Glory of God and dignity of humans. The universe reveals the glory and the
beauty of God. In becoming one of us, the Son of God has put human above all
material creation and emphasized the fundamental equality of all humans.
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O Lord, our Lord,
how great is your name throughout the earth!
And your glory in the heavens above.
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Even the mouths of children and infants
exalt your glory in front of your foes
and put to shame enemies and rebels.
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When I observe the heavens,
the work of your hands,
the moon and the stars you set in their place –
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what is the mortal that you be mindful of him,
the son of man, that you should care for him?
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Yet you made him a little lower than the angels;
you have crowned him with glory and honor.
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You made him rule over the works of your hands;
you have put all things under his feet –
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sheep and oxen without number
and even the beasts of the field,
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the birds of the air, the fish of the sea,
and all that swim the paths of the ocean.
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O Lord, our Lord,
how great is your name all over the earth!

Learning Resources

Catechism of the Catholic Church. Makati, Metro, Manila: ECCCE and Word and Life
Publications, 1994.

Christian Community Bible. Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines: Claretian

Publications, 1986.

Iglesias, Yolanda and Salvatore Putzu. The Promise. An introduction to the Old
Testament. Makati City, Philippines: Word and Life Publications, 1996.

Natividad, Maria Lucia C. Salvation History. The Old Testament. Ateneo de Manila
Press: Quezon City, Metro Manila, 1989.

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