I. Date and Authorship
Holy Tradition of the Orthodox Church, affirmed by the Fathers and the liturgical usage of the Church from the earliest centuries, attributes the Book of Genesis (along with the entire Pentateuch) to the “God-Seer and Prophet Moses.” Moses, inspired by the Holy Spirit, may have composed the book during the wilderness period following the Exodus from Egypt, approximately 1440–1400 BC (or, according to some chronologies aligned with the Septuagint, slightly earlier). Genesis thus stands as the foundational book of the Law, written to instruct the newly liberated people of Israel about their origins, their covenant relationship with the one true God, and the divine promises that would culminate in the coming of the Messiah.
While modern scholarship proposes composite authorship or later editorial layers (the so-called Documentary Hypothesis), the Orthodox Church receives the text as a unified, divinely inspired work of Moses. The book was not composed in a vacuum; Moses drew upon earlier patriarchal traditions and oral histories preserved among the Hebrew people, but the final form and theological shaping belong to him under divine inspiration.
II. Manuscripts and Textual Transmission
The textual history of Genesis reflects the dual streams that characterize the entire Old Testament: the Hebrew Masoretic Text (MT) and the Greek Septuagint (LXX). The MT, standardized by Jewish scribes between the 7th and 10th centuries AD, represents the later Hebrew textual tradition. The LXX, translated in Alexandria by Jewish scholars in the 3rd–2nd centuries BC, is considerably older and was the version most widely used by the Apostles, the New Testament writers, and the early Church Fathers.
The EOB Old Testament follows the Septuagint tradition (notable Codex Alexandrinus), as this is the authoritative text received and preserved by the Orthodox Church. Significant differences exist between the MT and LXX in Genesis, especially in the chronologies of the patriarchs (the LXX adds approximately 1,200–1,300 years to the primeval timeline), certain names, and occasional wording that carries deeper theological nuance.
Other witnesses—such as the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Samaritan Pentateuch, and early Church citations—confirm the antiquity and stability of the LXX tradition. The EOB footnotes major variants so that the reader may appreciate the richness of the textual transmission while remaining grounded in the Orthodox liturgical text.
III. Canonicity and Scriptural Status (Orthodox Perspective)
Within the Orthodox Church, Genesis has always held undisputed canonical status as the first book of the Pentateuch and of the entire Bible. It is not merely “historical” or “cultural” literature; it is Holy Scripture, θεόπνευστος (God-breathed), and an integral part of the undivided canon of the Old Testament as received from the Apostles and confirmed by the Ecumenical Councils. The Orthodox canon, which includes the Deuterocanonical books, places Genesis at the very foundation of divine revelation.
From an Orthodox viewpoint, the canonicity of Genesis is established above all by its authoritative use in the New Testament. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself treated the words of the Pentateuch as the very words of God. In His debate with the Sadducees concerning the resurrection, He said: “Have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?” (Matthew 22:31-32). By this, Christ not only affirms the historical reality of the patriarchs but also the divine inspiration and ongoing authority of the Scriptures that record God’s dealings with them. This is further confirmed by its veneration in the Fathers and its central place in the worship of the Church.
Genesis reveals the Triune God—Creator, Provider, and Redeemer—and lays the groundwork for every major doctrine: creation ex nihilo, the image of God in man, the Fall, the promise of salvation (Protoevangelium), covenant theology, and the typology of the coming Christ.
IV. Main Themes and Outline
The central themes of Genesis are the sovereign goodness of God in creation, the tragedy of human sin, and the persistent divine initiative to restore communion with humanity through covenant and promise.
- Creation and Fall (chs. 1–11): God creates the cosmos ex nihilo by His Word, declares it “very good,” and crowns it with man made in His image and likeness. The Fall introduces sin, death, and alienation, yet immediately God pronounces the Protoevangelium (Gen 3:15)—the first promise of ultimate victory over the serpent. The primeval history (Flood, Tower of Babel) demonstrates both divine judgment on sin and the ongoing mercy that preserves a remnant.
- Covenant and Patriarchs (chs. 12–50): The call of Abraham inaugurates the covenant of election. Through Isaac, Jacob (Israel), and Joseph, God forms a chosen people who will be the vehicle of blessing for all nations. Themes of faith, obedience, testing, forgiveness, and divine providence dominate the patriarchal narratives.
A simple outline:
- Primeval History (1:1–11:26) – Creation, Fall, Flood, Nations
- Abraham Cycle (11:27–25:18)
- Isaac and Jacob Cycle (25:19–36:43)
- Joseph and the Descent into Egypt (37:1–50:26)
V. Use in the Rest of the Old Testament and New Testament
Genesis is the foundation upon which the entire Old Testament is built. The Exodus narrative, the giving of the Law, the Psalms (especially Ps 8, 104, 136), the Prophets, and the Wisdom literature all presuppose and frequently allude to Genesis. The covenant with Abraham is invoked repeatedly as the basis for Israel’s identity and hope.
In the New Testament, Genesis is quoted or alluded to more than any other Old Testament book except the Psalms. The Prologue of John (Jn 1:1–3) echoes Genesis 1; St. Paul builds his theology of justification by faith on Abraham (Rom 4; Gal 3); the typology of Adam and Christ is central to Romans 5; the Epistle to the Hebrews uses the patriarchal narratives to illustrate faith and hope; and Revelation returns to Edenic imagery in its vision of the New Creation.
VI. Patristic Use and References
The Fathers of the Church wrote extensively on Genesis. St. Basil the Great’s Hexaemeron remains the classic Orthodox commentary on the six days of creation. St. John Chrysostom’s Homilies on Genesis (67 in number) emphasize moral and ascetical lessons while defending the literal-historical sense. Other major patristic works include Origen’s Homilies on Genesis, St. Ephrem the Syrian’s Commentary on Genesis, St. Ambrose’s Hexaemeron, St. Cyril of Alexandria’s Glaphyra on Genesis, and St. John of Damascus’ use of Genesis in On the Orthodox Faith. The Fathers consistently read Genesis both as history and typologically/spiritually (as pointing to Christ, the Church, and the spiritual life). They saw in the patriarchal stories living icons of Christian virtue and the mystery of salvation.
VII. Orthodox Liturgical Use
Genesis occupies a prominent place in the liturgical life of the Orthodox Church. During Great Lent, the book is read daily at Vespers (weekdays) alongside Proverbs, beginning with the creation account on the first days of Lent and continuing through the patriarchal narratives. This reading calls the faithful to repentance and renewed communion with the Creator. The creation story is also proclaimed at the Great Blessing of Water (Theophany) and forms part of the Paschal Vigil readings in some traditions. The story of Joseph is woven into Holy Week services, prefiguring Christ’s betrayal and exaltation. Hymns, prokeimena, and troparia throughout the year draw directly from Genesis, especially the themes of creation, the Fall, and the promise to Abraham. In this way, Genesis is not an ancient text but a living word that the Church hears and proclaims every year as part of her ongoing journey from creation to new creation in Christ.
