The Language of Creation: Cosmic Symbolism in Genesis: A Commentary

I'll definitely need to reread this one! If you like the videos from the Johnathan or Matthieu Pageau, then you'll love this book. It lays out the Pageau brothers approach to understanding symbolism in the bible.

I'm not exaggerating when I say this book has completely changed my conception of the world. I feel like I can now see the fundamental patterns of existence as they emerge and express in nested relationships, at and across every level of experience. I love the way he structures it and that the chapters are so bite-sized and digestible, which is good because the concepts take a little time to settle. Some other reviewers have bemoaned the fact that there are no references to sources, i.e. how does he know this stuff?? But that's what makes this a singular work is that it doesn't rely on "outside sources". That's because the whole premise of the book is to understand and interpret Biblical cosmology on its own terms. Pageau is only pointing out what can be reasonably deduced and extrapolated from the patterns setup in the Genesis story itself. Who pointed it out to him? Maybe he was just meant to see it. And that's what makes him a genius. My only disappointment has nothing to do with the text, but simply the fact that even though Amazon allows me to purchase the Kindle version, when I go to open it on my Kindle, I get the error that it is not compatible with the device (see pic). Although, I must confess, there was something very nice about having this particular book in hardcopy, despite the fact that Kindle is my preferred reading mode now. I even like the cover and color scheme of the hardcopy. There is a strange light that emanates from this text. I can't explain it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I recently began feeling a major pull to break away from the influence of Enlightenment rationalism and into the ancient mindset when approaching the Bible, but did not know where to begin. Authors and speakers like Dr. Michael Heiser and Jonathan Pageau played a part in solidifying that, but I still didn't know where to begin to better think on those terms for myself. I watched Jonathan and Matthieu's discussion about symbolism and thought this book sounded like what I was looking for. Most of the time when people tell you about the symbolic meaning of the Bible, they are implying that the descriptions are merely figurative, mythologized renderings of a (possibly) historical event. Well, every year new discoveries force many of them to "eat their words" ;). While laying the groundwork for a kind universal hermeneutics of symbolism, the author is careful to remind readers that "symbolic" does not mean fictional, but rather it refers to the unity of meaning and fact across multiple scales of reality. An atheist reader might continue believing that the Bible is mythology having read this book, but I suspect that they will recognize that it certainly is not merely that. As a Christian, I've found that the ideas presented in this book have added layers of depth to the theology and narratives of the Bible, and even given me new lenses to examine the world itself. There is no explicit mention of the Gospel or Christ, but there are clues along the way as to how to understand Christ in relation to this symbolic view. The first 1/3 of the book to me made it worth buying. The space/time dichotomy is certainly interesting, but it didn't resonate as much with me until it started to all come together near the end. - This is not what I would normally call a commentary in the sense that it doesn't go along with the text of Genesis. The references span the Tanakh (OT). Because of this, I feel like some Biblical literacy is highly beneficial if not necessary to get the most out of this book. - The lack of citations can be off-putting, but would probably only serve to clutter the text. The author instead appeals to observable reality and the use of biblical examples to validate his claims. - Many times, I found myself questioning something, only to have it explained paragraphs later as if this was done intentionally. If you read this with an open mind and work under the assumption that the author's interpretations are valid, it goes a lot smoother. Still, certain things are just said as if they are self evident when they aren't, or proven when they haven't been demonstrated.

My main question is where did he get these insights? Pageau offers a simple framework to understand the Bible, and it illuminates the text like I've never heard before. I always thought there was more to the Adam and Eve story than I could easily grasp, and I was looking for a commentary to reveal that... Well, I finally found it right here! It was a great read that kept my interest until the end, kept me turning pages... And I think it well even help me understand ancient Hindu cosmology. I've always thought that the weakness of Christianity is attempting to explain reality and God with stories rather than philosophy... And that's it's borrowed from the Greeks to compensate for this void. But this commentary deepened my understanding of the stories as cosmically significant and implicitly philosophical, rather than merely strange and dogmatic. Thank you to the author for this great contribution. I also ordered a hard copy after reading it in Kindle I liked it so much.

I read this in 2022 and found myself laughing out loud throughout the read. I laughed because it connected so many facts across multiple disciplines that I had encountered in school and personal study. The Pageau brothers are a blessing for those searching for a greater understanding.

I admit, I never was a Bible reader, or a religious believer of any kind ... until I started hearing Jordan Peterson lectures about the Old Testament and then learned about this book. As a newbie reading through the entire Bible for the first time, I've found it very helpful in furthering my understanding of the language and the stories. Where i used to see superstition and nonsense, now I'm seeing truth at multiple levels. I admit that much of this book is over my head - i don't think the author's drawings help me with any of the concepts - but I'm gaining insight I never had before that's making the Bible come alive. I realize it's only one scholar's commentary, but it's an amazing read and very thought provoking.

Great Book!!! I would consider it a must read for anyone who is looking to understand the Bible deeper and ancient thinking more. Living in the time we do—post Enlightenment, we all tend to have a mechanical view of the Universe. We, as moderns, think in scientific terms often and it very often colors the way we look at Scripture. Matthieu Pageau in this, his first book; shows how layered meaning in the Biblical narrative is recurring and how much of the Bible is focused on the meaning and purpose of things. This again is in contrast to our modern sensibilities of how things work vs. The more ancient- why they are. He does much to talk about space and time, microcosm and mirrors of heaven and earth, he even touches on dream interpretation and much more. Have you ever wondered what the Cheribum or Seraphim meant? If so, you should read this book. Matthieu touches on many patterns in this book, and the book itself is such a stretch (or rather a different way of thinking) that I would recommend everyone to read it twice. This book is one of the most influential works I have read as a Commentary of ancient thought, and I pretty much live in Scripture and religious studies. So I'd say that is saying something. If I could rate it 10 Stars I would. It deserves it in my opinion. Keep up the good work Matthieu, I eagerly look forward to anything you write. God bless!

Incredible book with incredible insight. A must read for anyone inclined towards learning symbolism and how it unlocks story & the world around us.

Excellent

Very insightful read! The basic concepts of heaven, earth, time, and space will help you interpret scripture like never before.

Pageau beschreibt in "Language of Creation" den traditionellen, spirituellen Blick auf die Welt und die Bibel im Gegensatz zur modernen, materiellen Sichtweise. Er zeigt ein Muster auf, das der spirituellen Sichtweise einen Rahmen gibt, sowohl in der Bibel als auch in der Realität. Wesentlicher Bestandteil des Musters ist die Verbindung zwischen Himmel und Erde. Himmel steht hierbei für Ideen, Ideale, Werte, Sinn etc., Erde für physisches Material. Eine gelungene Verbindung von Himmel und Erde nennt er Raum, z.B. symbolisiert durch den Baum, ein Verlust dieser Verbindung nennt er Zeit, z.B. symbolisiert durch die Flut. Wobei Raum nicht durchgängig positiv und Zeit nicht durchgängig negativ ist, z.B. ist auch der Sabbath ein leicht nachvollziehbarer Vertreter der Zeit. Pageau beschreibt ausführlich und anhand vieler Beispiele aus der Bibel das Zusammenspiel von Himmel, Erde, Zeit und Raum. Das Buch wird wohl nicht auf Deutsch erscheinen, die englische Sprache ist hier meiner Ansicht nach aber kein Hemmnis. Wer sich für die Bibel, das Christentum, Muster und Symbolik interessiert und einen frischen Blick sucht, dem sei dieses Buch wärmstens empfohlen. Für mich persönlich ein Favorit, ich hoffe auf mehr Veröffentlichungen von Matthieu Pageau.

This book has been an invaluable resource for my Bible study group's exploration of Genesis. The author's use of simple yet effective graphics has transformed complex biblical concepts into easily understandable visual representations. I found myself gaining a deeper appreciation for the biblical narrative, thanks to the author's insightful commentary and engaging illustrations. The book has inspired a new perspective on the Genesis account, making it more relevant and meaningful to my faith. I highly recommend this book to anyone seeking a fresh and engaging approach to studying the Bible. It's a must-have for Bible study groups and individuals alike.

This book lays out perfectly the language and concepts as understood by the original Hebrew authors of the books of the bible, with Genesis as it's focal point. From our modern perspective, it's like learning a new language, and so it does require some cognitive effort. Nevertheless, the book is so simple and to the point, with plenty of examples and recapitulations, that in another world, one bathed in an innate understanding of symbolic language and a spiritual perspective, I could imagine this book being used as teaching material for mid to high schoolers: it's that good. A definite recommendation for everyone, there is a lot to learn from that book.