The Book of Genesis, more than just a simple narration of the world’s origin, constitutes the foundation of all of God’s redemptive work. Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Doctor of the Church and master of biblical exegesis, in his work “Explanatio in Genesim” delves deeply into this idea, showing how the first chapters of Genesis not only recount the creation, but announce God’s divine plan for the salvation of humanity. This article explores how Saint Lawrence weaves his commentary around creation, the fall, and redemption, revealing that Genesis is the theological roadmap of God’s plan to bring humanity back into full communion with Him.
INTRODUCTION: GENESIS AS A FORESHADOWING OF THE PLAN OF SALVATION
For Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Genesis is not merely a historical narrative. For him, the story of creation, the fall, and the promise of redemption contained in this book is nothing less than the first announcement of God’s plan for humanity. In Genesis, God reveals how, from the creation of the world, He has set forth a divine plan that culminates in salvation through Christ.
Saint Lawrence tells us: “From the very beginning, everything that exists was created with a purpose: the union of man with God. Genesis shows us not only the origin of man but also his ultimate destiny, participation in divine life” (Explanatio in Genesim). This thought echoes Saint Irenaeus of Lyon, who, when speaking of creation in his work Adversus Haereses, notes: “God did not create man to exist in a void, but to share in His life. All of creation’s history is the beginning of a story of redemption” (Book IV, 20, 2).
Thus, Genesis is more than a mere account of the world’s early days; it is the foundation of the entire economy of salvation. From the creation of light to the creation of man, everything is oriented toward one singular purpose: the restoration of humanity to its original place in communion with God.
THE DAYS OF CREATION: A MANIFESTATION OF DIVINE ORDER AND WISDOM
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi sees in the days of creation a testimony to the order and wisdom of God. Each day is carefully structured, culminating in the creation of man, made in God’s image and likeness. This sequence, far from being accidental, is a perfect expression of God’s divine plan.
Saint Lawrence comments: “In His infinite wisdom, God created everything progressively, making each thing in its time to show that His work is perfect, orderly, and complete” (Explanatio in Genesim). This point is also developed by Saint Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologiae, where he writes: “The order of the universe reflects the arrangement of divine wisdom, which distributes everything that exists in relation to its ultimate end, God Himself” (STh I, q. 47, a. 1).
Saint Basil the Great, in his Homilies on the Hexaemeron, reinforces this idea, saying: “At each stage of creation, God manifests His power and goodness, and all created things are a reflection of His eternal wisdom” (Homily I, 2). Thus, the days of creation in Genesis are not merely a sequence of events but a gradual revelation of the divine plan, designed to lead all creation to its perfection, centered on man.
THE CREATION OF MAN: IMAGE OF GOD AND THE DESTINY OF HUMANITY
The creation of man in the image of God is, for Saint Lawrence, the pinnacle of Genesis. It is not just an isolated fact but prefigures humanity’s final destiny: full union with God through Christ. The Imago Dei not only signifies that man is a rational being but also that he is called to live in communion with his Creator.
Saint Lawrence writes: “Man is more than just another creature. Being created in God’s image, he carries within himself the capacity to know, love, and participate in the divine life” (Explanatio in Genesim). This teaching is deeply aligned with Saint Irenaeus of Lyon, who says: “Man, made in the image of God, was created to achieve the vision and communion with God, his Creator, and only in that communion does he find his true being” (Adversus Haereses, Book IV, 20, 5).
Similarly, Saint Augustine, in his Confessions, declares: “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” (Confessions, I, 1). This restlessness of the human heart reflects God’s plan: man was created with the destiny to return to God, and Genesis not only shows his origin but also his eternal destiny.
ORIGINAL SIN: THE BREAKING OF THE DIVINE PLAN
The fall of man into original sin, according to Saint Lawrence, is the moment when humanity deviates from the divine plan. Adam and Eve, by disobeying, not only lose grace but also break communion with God, affecting all creation.
Saint Lawrence clearly describes this event: “Adam’s sin did not only bring death to the body but also darkened the light of the soul, which had been created to participate in the life of God” (Explanatio in Genesim). Saint Augustine, in his work The City of God, comments on this rupture: “With Adam’s sin, humanity fell into spiritual death, and only divine grace can restore what has been lost” (Book XIII, 14).
Saint Leo the Great also delves into this idea, saying: “Man, created for immortality, lost this gift by his disobedience, but in Christ, the New Adam, life has been restored” (Homily 3 on the Passion). Original sin, then, is not just a moral fault but a break in the divine plan that God, in His mercy, seeks to restore through Christ.
CHRIST, THE NEW ADAM: TYPOLOGY AND RESTORATION OF THE PLAN
Saint Lawrence delves into biblical typology, showing that Christ is the New Adam, who comes to restore God’s plan of salvation. If Adam introduced sin into the world, Christ introduces grace, reestablishing the lost communion with God.
Saint Lawrence writes: “Christ, the New Adam, comes to correct what Adam damaged. Through His obedience, He repairs the disobedience of the first, bringing life where there was once death” (Explanatio in Genesim). Saint Paul expresses this similarly in his Letter to the Romans: “Just as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous” (Rom. 5, 19).
Saint Cyril of Alexandria, in his commentary on the Gospel of John, affirms: “Christ is the new beginning of humanity, for with Him a new creation is inaugurated, free from the chains of sin” (Commentary on John, Book I). Christ, therefore, is the key to the divine plan that unfolds from Genesis: His mission is to restore what sin had corrupted.
LIFE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN: A MODEL FOR THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
For Saint Lawrence, the Garden of Eden is more than a place in history; it is a spiritual state that represents the perfect communion between man and God. Life in Eden serves as a model for the Christian life, which seeks to restore that communion through grace.
Saint Lawrence explains: “Eden is not merely a physical place but a state of grace where man lived in peace with God and with himself” (Explanatio in Genesim). Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, in his work On Loving God, invites us to seek this state: “Man, created to love God, will only find true peace when he returns to that union with his Creator” (Cap. VII).
Saint Lawrence’s message is clear: the Christian life is a pilgrimage back to Eden, a spiritual journey seeking to restore the communion with God, broken by sin but restored in Christ. The fullness of this communion will be achieved only in eternal life when humanity returns to its origin, in perfect communion with God.
CONCLUSION: GENESIS AS THE FOUNDATION OF GOD’S PLAN
Saint Lawrence of Brindisi’s commentary on the Book of Genesis is not just a reflection on the origins of the world; it is a proclamation of God’s plan for the redemption of humanity. Each chapter of Genesis reveals a part of God’s plan, culminating in Christ’s victory over sin and death.
Saint Lawrence invites us to see in Genesis not only the beginning of human history but the foundation of the divine plan that guides all creation toward its final destination: full communion with God. This is the great teaching of Genesis: that from the beginning, God had a plan, and that plan is the salvation of His people.
Saint Thomas Aquinas sums it up perfectly: “Everything that God has done since creation has one end: to bring man into perfect communion with Him, which is eternal beatitude” (STh I-II, q. 1, a. 8).
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. Saint Lawrence of Brindisi, Explanatio in Genesim.
2. Saint Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae.
3. Saint Augustine, Confessions and The City of God.
4. Saint Irenaeus of Lyon, Adversus Haereses.
5. Saint Basil the Great, Homilies on the Hexaemeron.
6. Saint Leo the Great, Homilies on the Passion.
7. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God.
8. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John.
9. Saint Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho.