Commentaries on Genesis: The Biblical Creation Narratives & Adam and Eve

Commentaries on Genesis: The Biblical Creation Narratives & Adam and Eve

This is a select list of early Christian and Jewish authors who have written important commentaries, which have survived at least in part, on the Genesis creation narratives. Some have written commentaries devoted to the topic (listed next to the author’s name) and some have included their Genesis comments in works devoted to other topics.

Attached to the author is a link to WorldCat.org, where editions of the works are listed, both in the original languages and in translation, along with secondary literature (books and articles). WorldCat also provides a list of libraries that hold each book or article, and it will generate a bibliography in a variety of standard formats.  

This list was compiled with the help of “The Early Church’s Doctrine of Creation” at http://www.earlychurch.org.uk/creation.php. For a more complete list, see the published dissertation by Frank Egleston Robbins, The Hexaemeral Literature: A Study of the Greek and Latin Commentaries on Genesis (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1912), pages 93-104, which is now available in paperback by BiblioLife.  


GREEK AUTHORS 

ANASTASIUS OF SINAI. Hexaemeron.

ATHANASIUS OF ALEXANDRIA.

BASIL OF CAESAREA (Basil the Great). Hexaemeron.

JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. Homilies on Genesis.  

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. 

CYRIL OF ALEXANDRIA. Commentary on Genesis.  

DIDYMUS THE BLIND. On Genesis.

GREGORY OF NYSSA. Hexaemeron. 

IRENAEUS.

JUSTIN MARTYR.

ORIGEN.
a) On First Principles;
b) Homilies on Genesis;
c) Commentary on Genesis.

PHILO OF ALEXANDRIA.
a) Questions and Answers on Genesis;
b) On the Creation of the World;
c) Allegorical Interpretation of Genesis 2 and 3. 

JOHN PHILOPONUS. On the Creation of the World. 

SEVERIAN OF GABALA. Homilies in Hexaemeron.

THEODORET OF CYRUS. On Genesis.

THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH. 


LATIN AUTHORS 

AMBROSE. Hexaemeron.

AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO.
a) A Refutation of the Manichees;
b) Unfinished Literal Commentary on Genesis;
c) The Literal Meaning of Genesis.
d) See also: Confessions.

TERTULLIAN.