In the Introduction to his book, A Guide for the Perplexed, Jewish Rabbi Moses Maimonides wrote a cover letter to his pupil Rabbi Joseph Ibn Aknin. This is an excerpt from that letter concerning the difficulty in explaining creation found in Genesis. The Almighty began the Holy Scriptures with the description of the Creation, that is, with Physical Science. The purpose being, on the one hand, being deeply and profound because of its importance. On the other hand, knowing that our means of fully comprehending those great truths were limited. He described those profound truths, which His Divine Wisdom found it necessary to communicate to us, in allegories, figures of speech, and metaphorical language.

 Even our wisest advisors have said, it is impossible to give a full account of Creation that a human can understand. Therefore, Scripture simply tells us: In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. That’s why they confess that this subject is indeed a deep mystery, and in the words of Solomon, “Far off and exceedingly deep, who can really figure it out?” (Eccles. 7:24). It has been explained using metaphors in order that the uneducated may comprehend it according to the measure of their understanding and their tendency to become confused. In other words, without God’s wisdom to help and faith in His Word to help us leap where human logic fears to tread, it is impossible to understand how the universe and the earth began. Everything that has yet been suggested is all theory, not a proven fact.

So, the next time someone asks you to explain creation, just quote them this paragraph and watch their eyes light up and then fog over. They may never ask you about it again – Dr. Robert R Seyda