- If this is a history of Jews (and/or Judaism and/or Israel) why begin with “universal history” – that is, the creation of the world (or the universe)?
- What was there before “God began to create” or “in the beginning God created”?
- And if there was “no place”, where was that which existed prior to the creation of place?
- Does the text indicate that there was no “material substance” prior to the “creation” – or does it say that there was substance which was “all confused” or does it specify that there was “creatio ex nihilo”, that is, “something from nothing”?
- What is the appellation of Divinity in the opening passages?
- If God is omnipotent, why the gradualism in creation (6 days or 6½ days) and, further, if the Divine is all knowing, why is it necessary first to “create and then observe”; would that not have been known before – along with everything else that was knowable?
- Or, are we dealing with an author, and an approach, which is considerably different from the idea of the Divine as omnipotent, omniscious, and thoroughly “monotheistic” in view?
- Is there any significance in the sequence of “creation”; is the preparatory unfolding setting the stage for a climax or does it reflect some other principle or approach?
- Why would God “want” to create anything – is a reason given?
- If there is no “beginning” and time is infinite – where does one start seeking to understand the unfolding of history – and can one so seek?
- And as to the specifics –
- Does the author equate light with the sun?
- If there is water above and water beneath, was the earth already there, only to be uncovered?
- In the sixth day’s narration, does “male and female” mean 2 creatures or hermaphroditic – and is Adam “man” or “humanity”?
- And does creation end on day six or day seven?
- How does God “rest”?
- Most important: do any of these questions (and hundreds more that could be and have been asked) really matter, and/or in any way impact on the basic thrust of the author’s message: whatever God “may be understood to be” there is no way to understand ultimate origins, universal sovereignty and purposeful nature without God?
