Bible Study Part 1: Creation (Genesis 1, 2)

As I mentioned in my opening post on Monday, part of my transition to a vegetarian diet will involve exploring the Bible thoroughly to make sure that my philosophies about animals and food line up with Scripture. I couldn't think of a better way to this than to start with Genesis 1 and just plow through to the end of Revelation, keeping detailed notes on what I read as I go.

Please keep in mind that I'm not a theologian. I don't know Hebrew, Greek or Arabic, though I do have access to common Bible study tools such as a concordance and Bible dictionary. My thoughts and observations in these Bible study posts are just those: my thoughts and observations. I encourage you to read these passages for yourself and join in the discussion. If you disagree with me or think I am in error, or have a thought you would like to add, please leave a comment below. I want to foster discussion on vegetarianism (or even "animal rights") amongst Christians, not just get on a soap box and spout, as I much as I enjoy that.

I began my study with Genesis 1, as I said, and food gets a mention by verse 29. Gen. 1:29, 30 states (all quotes are in the English Standard Version, unless otherwise specified), "And God said, 'Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.' And it was so."And the discussion on food ends there. God explicitly gives plants to man and beast for food in these two verses. He does not in any way give animals or their products to man for food here.

If we back up just a bit to verse 28 God says, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." By putting all three of these verses together I think we can reasonably infer that eating animals does not follow from what God means by "dominion." If it did, it would be unnecessary to then point out that plants are for food while animals are for dominion, or to rule over (which is what the Hebrew radah means).

As we move on to Genesis 2, events step back chronologically to give a bit more detail about the creation of man. Genesis 2:8 states, "And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food." Again we have an explicit link between plants and food. There is no mention of animals (for food or otherwise) in the verses immediately before or after this passage.

In fact, animals don't get a mention until verse 19, the first time animals come into the discussion since their initial creation account in Genesis 1, but only as possible companions for Adam, and certainly not for food. Gen. 2:19-20, "Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.' So out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was it's name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him." The passage goes on to describe the creation of woman.

I personally find this passage very interesting, and I believe describes the reason man and animals have such a strong link. We've all heard stories about children finding animals to take in temporarily ("just until we can find a home for it" or "just until it gets better") and the mother or father allowing it, but discouraging the naming of said animals. Why? Because once you name something you become attached to it. God gave Adam the task of naming the animals; He did not name the animals himself. Why? I believe it is because God wants us to be attached to the animals over which we have dominion, to love them and care for them. The Hebrew word does carry with it the idea of subjugation, but it is more the idea of the rule or dominion being total rather than hard or severe.

Of course, this is isn't the end of the discussion on animals or even eating animals. Things will change as events in the Bible unfold, but I think this is a good stopping point for now.