The Christians and Jews on The Story of Genesis

Despite the differences in their religion, both Jewish and Christian believe that the Bible cannot be mistaken, because God Himself guided its authors. Therefore, both religions believe that the documentation on Genesis about the creation of the Universe is completely true.

The Jewish and the Christian communities agree that God made the world, as well as every living thing in it. God did not only create the Earth, He also created the universe extending outside the world.

Together, the Jews and the Christians stand behind the story Genesis against the claims of agnostics, atheists, unbelieving scientists and other people who contradict the Genesis story.

While other people argue that the creation story in Genesis is inspired only by a Babylonian creation myth, the Jews and the Christians stick to what is written in the book of Genesis.

As the story of Genesis is written in both religions, it is undeniably clear that both religions honor a very powerful God, who has created the universe in six days. The nature of God, for both the Jews and the Christians, is unsurpassable power. However, they call the same God in different names.

In the Christian version, Genesis says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep. God’s Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters. God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

In the Jewish version, Bereshit (The Jews’ Genesis) says, “In the beginning Elohim created the heaven and the earth. Now the earth was unformed and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the spirit of Elohim hovered over the face of the waters. And Elohim said: ‘Let there be light.’ And there was light.”

Indeed, the nature of God for both religions is immensely powerful. He created light from darkness, created man from dirt, created woman from man. In all these things, the Jews and the Christians agree.

God’s relationship to man in the Genesis story is creator and the Lord who’s supposed to be obeyed. God was mad when Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, ate the forbidden fruit.

The Jews Bereshit says, “And YHWH Elohim said: ‘Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.’ Therefore YHWH Elohim sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the earth from whence he was taken.”

The Christian Bible says, Yahweh God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he put forth his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever…” Therefore Yahweh God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.

Both the Jews and the Christians that God is the Powerful Creator and Ruler. Both religions aim to obey God’s ways.

Therefore, the level of resistance against evil is the same for the Jews and the Christians. Evil is the enemy of God, for both religions. And evil is what they aim to overcome.

However, despite the similarities, the Jews and Christians’ differences zero in on one thing: the Jews do not believe that Jesus Christ came to save man. In fact, the Jews believe they are the chosen people and do not need to be saved. The Christians, however accept that Jesus Christ saved man from the original sin, and that Jesus, God and The Holy Spirit are one.

The Christians and Jews may agree about how the world began, but their beliefs on how life will end is certainly far from similar, due to their differences when it comes to believing that Jesus Christ is the Savior.