What is the point of the Genesis 1 verses 1-11?

Answer 1

Genesis 1:1-11 are part of the creation story (2 and part of the third day out of seven). The point is that many people who believe in God want to know the truth of how the world was created. In today's world there are many, many theories on how our world came about. The creation story is one that makes a lot of sense as compared to many that don't.

Answer 2

The planet's coming into existence is recounted in The Bible with the simple statement: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Ge 1:1) As to time, the Scriptures are more definite about the six creative days of the Genesis account. These days have to do, not with the creation of earth's matter or material, but with the arranging and preparing of it for man's habitation.

Answer 3

Genesis chapter 1 (actually Genesis 1:1-2:4a) is the Priestly version of the Creation story. It tells how God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. It differs from the very different second creation account, in Genesis 2:4bff, in content, mood and orientation.
The influential Jewish scholar, Rashi, said that Genesis 1:1 says (correctly translated from the Hebrew) "In the beginning of God's creation ". However, it is more commonly translated into English as "In the beginning God created heaven and earth."

For more information, please visit: http://christianity.answers.com/theology/the-story-of-creation

Answer 4

A Jewish summary of the Creation-narrative is that, day by day, God created the universe and everything in it (Genesis ch.1).God created the universe out of nothing (Exodus 20:11, Isaiah 40:28; Rashi commentary to Genesis 1:14; Maimonides' "Guide," 2:30). Nachmanides on Gen. 1:1 states emphatically that this is a fundamental Jewish tradition.Note that the Torah, in describing the Creation, deliberately employs brevity and ellipsis, just as it does in many other topics. See the Talmud, Hagigah 11b.

On day 1: God created the universe in general, light, and this Earth. The light was not the same as that of the sun.

On day 2: God created the separation between the Earth and the upper atmosphere.

On day 3: God separated the continents from the oceans, and created plants.

On day 4: God created the sun, moon, and stars.

On day 5: God created birds and fish.

On day 6: God created animals and people.

On day 7: God ceased creating, thereby creating the concept of rest.

See also:

Is there evidence against Evolution?

Can you show that God exists?

Seeing God's wisdom

Note that according to tradition, there is only one Genesis creation-narrative, with ch.2 serving as an expansion of the brevity of ch.1, not a separate set of events (Rashi commentary, Gen. 2:8).

While Judaism has always seen the Torah as an intricate tapestry that nonetheless had one Divine source, some modern authors such as Wellhausen (the father of modern Biblical-criticism, 1844-1918) have suggested artificially chopping up the narrative and attributing it to various authors, despite the Torah's explicit statement as to its provenance (Exodus 24:12, Deuteronomy 31:24).

No fragments have ever been found that would support his Documentary Hypothesis, which remains nothing more than an arbitrary claim:Debunking the JEPD Documentary Hypothesis

The creation-narrative in Genesis (a Christian author)

Answer 5

It answers the question of where the world came from and who made it.