thinking bible.

You asked

how does this command relate to new testament teachings about stewardship and care for creation?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Genesis 2:15

Yahweh God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep it.

This verse describes God's initial instructions to humanity after creating the first man, placing him in a specific, thriving environment. It sets the scene for humanity's role in the created world before any disobedience occurs.

What does it mean for us to both 'cultivate' and 'keep' the world around us, and how do we balance those two actions in our present circumstances?

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

  • Psalm 8:6-8

    This passage speaks of humanity's appointed dominion over creation, echoing the responsibility given in Genesis.

  • Colossians 1:16

    This verse states that all things were created through and for Christ, giving a theological foundation for creation's value.

  • Romans 8:19-22

    This passage highlights that creation itself groans and waits for redemption, connecting human actions to the fate of the natural world.

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