AUTHORSHIP: It is quite possible that the author has used informative sources, oral and written, as his reports go back to the most primitive history of the human race. Until the 17th century, the Jewish and Christian communities attributed the authorship of the Pentateuch to Moses. In 1671, Baruch Spinoza questioned the Mosaic authorship, implying the possibility that Esdras was its author, resulting in several opposing currents on the subject. However, other Old Testament books cite Genesis as the work of Moses [ Joshua 1:7-8 ], [ Joshua 23:6 ], [ 1 Kings 2:3 ], [ 2 Kings 14:6 ], [ Ed 3:2 ], [Ed 6:18], [Ne 8:1] and [Dan 9:11-13]. The New Testament writers are in full agreement with those of the Old Testament, treating the five books generally as "the law of Moses" [Acts 13:39], [15:5], [Heb 10:28]. For them, "reading Moses" is equivalent to reading the Pentateuch [2Co 3:15]. Even the words of Jesus bear witness to Mosaic authorship [Jn 5:46-47].

ORIGIN OF NAME: This book is well defined by its title "Bereshit", which in Hebrew means "beginning". From Latin, "Gen" or "Gnê", means "to generate, to engender, to give birth", or simply "beginning".

THEME: In this book God acts, He creates the world, takes care of people and shows interest in his people. God judges and punishes the wicked and blesses those who obey him. It also tells how God, in the beginning, appeared to people and showed how they should be obedient to him. The first chapters of the book have continually come under modern criticism, but the facts they present, when correctly interpreted and understood, have never been denied. From chapters 1 to 11, the author tells how God created everything that exists, including the human race, sin and suffering, redemption, family life, the corruption of society, nations and different languages. Here are the stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and the flood and the tower of Babel. From chapter 12 to 50, the history of the Hebrew race is told: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their twelve sons, who were the beginning of the twelve tribes of Israel. The book ends with the story of Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob, who was sold as a slave to the pharaoh of Egypt, became governor, and took his brothers and father to live in Egypt. The book covers a period of 2315 years, from about 4004 to 1689 BC.”

SPIRITUAL HIGHLIGHTS:

Enoch, the man who "walked with God"

Noah, the builder of the ark

Abraham, the father of faith

Jacob, the man who transformed his life through prayer

Joseph, the son of Jacob, who from a slave became governor of Egypt

COMPILATION: Approximately 1445 / 1440 BC, it is the first book of the Pentateuch and consists of 50 chapters and 1533 verses.