Table of Contents
Is Genesis a Myth?
The New Testament has many proofs that Genesis is not a myth for it contains at least 60 references to Genesis 1–11. Jesus and the writers of the New Testament presented Genesis as literal history. Here are some of these references:
Jesus
He referred to the marriage institution, quoting Genesis 1:27 and 2:24 as historical proof and that divorce is unacceptable to God (Matthew 19:4-5; Mark 10:6-8).
He talked about Abel whose blood was shed (Matthew 23:35).
He declared Satan to be a “murderer from the beginning” and the father of lies—referring to the Fall (John 8:44; Genesis 3:4; Romans 5:12; 1 John 3:8).
He referenced Moses’ writings (including Genesis) as genuine history (John 5:46-47).
He talked about the “days of Noah” and the Flood as an actual historical event (Matthew 24:37-39).
He compared Capernaum to Sodom (Matthew 11:23-24).
The genealogical lists of Jesus’ physical lineage identify actual historical persons in the first century (Matthew 1:1-2), as well as Adam, Seth, Enoch, and Noah (Luke 3:36-37).
Paul
He treated persons, places, and incidents in Genesis as if historically real. Here is a sampling of some of his allusions:
He quoted Genesis 1:3 to note how God caused light to shine out of darkness (2 Corinthians 4:6).
And quoting Genesis 2:7, he said Adam was the first human being on Earth (1 Corinthians 15:45).
He said that Adam was made from dust (1 Corinthians 15:47)—as Genesis records.
He stated that a woman is “from” (ek—out of) man (1 Corinthians 11:8,12), referring to the fact that Eve was literally taken out of Adam’s body.
He quoted Genesis 2:24 to verify how a man and woman “become one flesh” (1 Corinthians 6:16), comparing marriage to the church (Ephesians 5:31).
He showed that Adam was as historically real as Christ and Moses, having introduced sin into the world, causing death to reign during the historical interval “from Adam to Moses” (Romans 5:14-15).
He identified Adam and Eve by name, noting that Adam was created before the woman was created, and also noting the deception to which Eve succumbed (1 Timothy 2:13-14), which occurred via the “serpent” (2 Corinthians 11:3).
He claimed that God’s deity and attributes have been evident “since the creation of the world” (Romans 1:20).
He said that Jesus fulfilled the promises that had been made to “the fathers,” i.e., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Romans 15:8).
He quoted the promise God made to Abraham concerning Sarah giving birth to Isaac (Romans 9:9), and also mentioned Jacob, Esau, and Rebecca by name (verses 9-10).
Peter
He mentioned the watery mass at Creation (2 Peter 3:5).
He regarded the Flood as an actual historical event, mentioning Noah by name and specifying the number of survivors as eight, and the Flood’s extent being global (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:6).
He mentioned Lot and the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:6-9).
He noted the relationship between Sarah and Abraham (1 Peter 3:6).
James
He referred to Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac (2:21).
Jude
He mentioned Cain, Enoch, and Sodom and Gomorrah (verses 7,11,14).
John
He noted that Cain murdered his brother because of his own sinful actions (1 John 3:12).
Even the book of Revelation, though highly figurative, nevertheless contains numerous allusions to Genesis that indicate an historical understanding of the book (e.g., chs. 10:6; 20:2; 22:2).
To claim that the book of Genesis is merely a compilation of fables and stories, rather than actual history, is to suggest that the beliefs of Christianity are dependent on fairy tales. If the stories of Genesis did not historically take place, the New Testament writers—and Jesus Himself—were untruthful because they referred to the events of Genesis as being true.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
