Notes, Critical and Explanatory on the Book of Genesis

human death. “By one man'sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned," Romans, v. 12. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead,"-where the resurrection shows that man, and not the lower tribes, are referred to. "As in Adam all die, etc. But every man in his own order,” (1 Cor. xv. 21.)

3. May not Adam have known something of death among the lower animals before the Fall, in order to understand something of death as denounced against transgression? Besides, the anatomical structure of carnivorous animals shows that they must always have lived on flesh.

4. Some suppose that death existing before the human period was a consequence of the fall of the angels-Satan being "the prince of this world." 5. Others suppose that God gave the world its present constitution, and subjected the animal tribes to death in the certainty of man's apostasythat death must constitute a feature of the system of the world, because a free agent would certainly introduce sin. Hence, that all creatures would, of needs, be made mortal, at whatever period created. (See Hitchcock.)

The myriads of shells, and skeletons of insects and animals which compose the tripoli rock, and the coral reefs, show plainly that death must have existed for ages prior to the present, or human period. The ox could scarcely graze, nor the bird live, without destroying the life of infe=rior beings.

It is enough for us to know that death passed upon mankind as the penalty of sin-death in the higher, spiritual sense, as involving physical death. See chapter ii. 17.

Some hold, however, very plausibly, that physical death belonged to man's constitution as an animal, and that the curse denounced was the higher, spiritual death-the death of the soul, in addition to the natural death of the body. This would account for the preëxistence of physical death in the world, and for the fact that physical death was not seen to follow immediately upon the first transgression. But see Rom. v. 14.

Dr. McCaul in his essay on the Mosaic record of creation thus notices the agreement of science with the Sacred narrative :

(1.) "Moses relates how God created the heavens and the earth at an indefinite period past, before the earth was the habitation of man. Geol. ogy

has lately discovered the existence of a long prehuman period. (2.) "A comparison with other Scripture shows that the 'heavens' of Moses include the abode of angels, and the place of the fixed stars, which existed before the earth. Astronomy points out remote worlds, whose light began its journey long before the existence of man.

(3.) "Moses declares that the earth was (or became,) covered with water, and was desolate and empty. Geology has found, by investigation, that the primitive globe was covered with an uniform ocean, and that there was a long azoic period, during which neither animal nor man could live.

(4.) "Moses states that there was a time when the earth was not dependent upon the sun for light and heat, when, therefore, there could be no climatic difference. Geology has lately verified this statement by finding tropical plants and animals scattered over all parts of the earth.

(5.) "Moses affirms that the sun, as well as the moon, is only a lightholder. Astronomy declares that the sun itself is a non-luminous body, dependent for its light on a luminous atmosphere.

(6.) "Moses asserts that the earth existed before the sun was given as a luminary. Modern science proposes a theory which explains how this was possible.

(7.) "Moses asserts that there is an expanse extending from earth to distant heights, in which the heavenly bodies are placed. Recent discov eries lead to the supposition of some subtle fluid medium in which they

move.

(8.) "Moses describes the process of creation as gradual, and mentions the order in which living things appeared-plants, fishes, fowls, land-animals, man. By the study of nature Geology has arrived independently at the same general conclusion."-Aids to Faith, pp. 268-9.)

ANALYSIS.

Kalisch, in his recent commentary, divides the Book of Genesis into two parts:

I. The General Introduction, chapters i. to xi.-to Abraham.

II. The History of the Hebrew Patriarchs, chapters xii. to 1.

But it is the Covenant with Abraham which, properly, forms the turning point of the history: and we prefer, therefore, to make the first division extend to that event, and include the sealing of the covenant-chapter xvii. BOOK I. Creation to the Covenant with Abraham sealed-chapters i. to xv. Book II. Patriarchal History of the Covenant-chapters xviii. to 1. The two salient points in the history of Redemption are the Covenant with Abraham and the Advent of Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the New Covenant. It is the same Covenant of Grace under both Economies. And the Abrahamic Covenant is that household pledge, which points steadily forward to the Gospel Church-the New Testament household of be lievers and their children, in which Christ is the Elder Brother, and we have our sonship by virtue of His, as Himself the Head of the body, and the Captain of our salvation, leading many sons unto glory, (Heb. ii. 10.)

SYNOPSIS OF THE HISTORY.

BOOK I.

FROM THE CREATION TO THE COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM.

PART I. The Creation and Fall of Man to the First Promise of

the Messiah.

$1. The Original Creation, Heavens and Earth.

§ 1a. The Chaos and Transition to the Creative Week.

Ch. 1: 1.

Ch. 1: 2.

Ch. 1: 3-5.

§3. Second Day's Work-Firmament-Dry Land-Seas.

Ch. 16-10.

Ch. 1: 20-23.

Ch. 1: 24-31.

§ 6. Fifth Day's Work-Animal Life-Fishes and Birds-Creation of Great Reptiles.

§ 7. Sixth Day's Work-Beasts-Creation of Man.

Aa.

RECAPITULATION AND ENLARGEMENT OF THE NARRATIVE. Creation of Man (Adam and Eve) in its Reference to Redemption. The Sabbath-Eden-Marriage.

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§ 9. Fuller Account of the Creation-Vegetable Laws.

§ 10. Formation of Adam detailed in Reference to his

Destiny.

§ 11. Adam's Location in the Garden of Eden.

Ch. 2:1.

Ch. 2: 2-3.

Ch. 2:4-6.

Moral

Ch. 2:7.

Ch. 2: 8-17.

§ 12. (Supplementary Narrative.) Formation of Woman-Institu

tion of Marriage. .

§ 13. Temptation and Fall of Man.

Ch. 2: 18-25.

Ch. 3: 1-7.

§ 14. Consequences of the Fall-Curse upon the Serpent. Ch. 3:8-14.

PART II. From the First Promise of the Messiah to the Flood. § 15. First Promise-Curse upon the Woman and the Man. Ch. 3 : 15–19. § 16. The Fallen Pair clothed-Driven from Eden-Cherubim, &c.

Ch. 3: 20-24.

17. The Two Classes of Men-Cain and Abel-Sacrifice and Murder.

§ 18. Development in the Worldly Line of Cain-City BuildingArt-Polygamy.