Nicholas of Lyra on the Beginning of Genesis
Biblia Sacra cum Glossa Ordinaria (Venice, 1603), col 1.
This is a continuation of part 1.
Nam elementa sunt propter mixta, et mixta inanimata, propter mixta animata, imperfecta propter perfecta, ut plantae propter animalia, animalia vero propter hominem, quantum ad eius nutritionem et iuuamentum. Corpora etiam caelestia facta sunt proptem hominem, secundum quod dicitur. Deut.4.c. Ne forte oculis eleuatis ad caelum, videas solem et lunam, et omnia astra caeli, et errore deceptus adores ea, et colas, quae creavit dominus Deus tuus in ministerium cunctis gentibus. Et ideo primo describit corporalis creaturae productionem generaliter. Secundo hominis formationem specialiter ibi. Ait, Faciamus hominem, etc. Circa primum tria facit scriptura: Quia primo exponit opus creationis. Secundo opus distinctionis seu formationis, ibi. Dixit Deus, Fiat lux. Tertio opus ornatus seu dispositionis, ibi. Dixit autem Deus Fiant luminaria. Opus creationis describitur ante omnem diem. Opus distinctionis, primis trib. dieb. Opus autem ornatus aliis trib. dieb. seqq. Et Septimo die quievit Deus a novis creaturis condendis. Secundum vero sententiam Hieron. in epistola ad Paulinum presbyterum de omnib. sacrae scripturae libris. Principium Genesis est tantis obscuritatib. involutum, ut ante triginta annos apud Hebraeos non legatur, et huiusmodi obscuritates satis apparent ex variis et multiplicib. expositionib. tam doctorum Hebraeorum quam catholicorum. Et quia confusio est tam intelligentiae quam memoriae inimica, intendo vitare talem multitudinem expositionum illarum maxime quae a sensu literali remotae videntur, cui sensui intendo insistere secundum gratiam a Domino mihi datam. Igitur circa principium Gen. sunt tres expositiones solennes, ad quas aliae videnture reduci. Prima est ipsius Aug. qui illos sex dies exponit, non prout: important successionem temporis, sed prout dicunt cognitionem angelicam relatam ad sex genera rerum conditarum.
Hence the elements were made for the mixed things, and the mixed inanimate things for mixed animate things, the imperfect for the perfect, as plants for animals, but animals for mankind, insofar as they are used for their nutrition and aid. Even the celestial bodies were made for mankind, according to what is said in Deut. 4: “Lest by chance you, with your eyes looking towards heaven, see the sun and moon and all the stars of the sky and, being deceived by error, you adore them and you worship that which your Lord God created in order to serve all the nations.” And thus, Genesis first describes the production of corporeal creation in general. Secondly, it then describes the formation of mankind particularly. It says, “let us make mankind, etc.” Concening the first part [the production of corporeal creation] Scripture makes three pronouncements. So, it first explains the work of creation. Secondly, it explains the work of shaping or forming. Hence: “God said let there be light.” Thirdly, it explains the work of adorning or ordering. So: “And God said let there be the luminaries.” The work of creation is described before each day. The work of distinguishing in the first three days. The work of ornating in the following three days. And on the seventh day God rested from the founding of his new creation. But according to the belief of Jerome in his epistle to Paulinus the elder about all the books of Sacred Scripture, the beginning of Genesis is filled with such obscurity that it was not read by the Hebrews before the age of 30, and likewise the obscurities are so obvious from the various and multiple expositions that there is as much variety in the Hebrew doctors as the Catholic ones. And because confusion is as inimical to intelligence as it is to memory, I intend to avoid such a great number of them, especially those which seem far removed from the literal sense, which sense I intend to pursue according to the grace given to me by the Lord. Therefore, concerning the beginning of Genesis, there are three standard expositions to which the others seem to be able to be reduced. The first is Augustine’s who explains the six days not as a succession of time, but, as they say, an angelic knowledge related to the six kinds of things founded.