Was Jesus an Evolutionist?

(3 Minute Read)

Some of the simplest and yet deepest mysteries of life are questions about origins. Some questions are obvious enough to occur to a child and yet profound enough to absorb the greatest thinkers. How did the earth and the stars come into being? Where did mankind come from?

Modern science answers, “Evolution.” Some people attempt to harmonize the Bible with this answer through variations of evolution such as theistic evolution, the gap theory, and the day-age theory. Could any of these be valid? To clinch the issue, look at what Jesus thought.

Was Jesus an Evolutionist?

Did Jesus view Genesis as authentic history or as figurative fables? Did He interpret Genesis literally, or did He view it symbolically? Did Jesus believe in any variation of evolution? Looking at Jesus’ own words and deeds will clearly answer the question, “Was Jesus an Evolutionist?”

Jesus referred to Genesis at least 25 times, and He based vital teaching on Genesis. During a dispute with the Jews over His equality with God the Father (John 5:18), Jesus concluded His case by equating believing His own words with believing Moses’ written record, a record which includes Genesis:
Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:45-47).

Jesus anchored His claims to deity on the validity of Moses’ record. Indisputably, Jesus regarded Genesis as true history, and He expected His hearers to do so as well.

Jesus Christ upheld Genesis as absolutely true,
historically accurate, and divinely authoritative.
Time after time He based His teaching on
the foundation of Genesis.

For another example of Jesus’ view of Genesis, notice what He said when questioned about marriage and divorce. Jesus grounded His answer for this heavy issue directly on historical data from Genesis:
“Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4-5)

Jesus’ subsequent teaching on marriage presupposed the historical validity of this Genesis reference. If the Genesis foundation were invalid, then the teaching He built on it would be worthless. Jesus quoted the Creator’s original instructions to Adam as the reason for His own teaching on the permanence of marriage:
“Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” (Matthew 19:6)

The Lord’s use of the words “consequently” and “therefore” signal that He was deriving His conclusion straight from His Genesis quotation of the Creator. His conclusion is only as good as His premise from Genesis.

Jesus’ teaching on marriage also makes it clear that He was NOT an evolutionist. According to Jesus, God created mankind fully formed as man and woman ready for marriage at the Beginning, NOT after billions of years of evolution following the Beginning.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. (Mark 10:6)

Evolution contradicts the Genesis record of how God created life and established its orderly continuation through reproduction. Ten times Genesis 1 emphasizes “after their kind.”

Jesus Himself recognized reproduction only within kinds when He said, “Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?” (Matthew 7:16) The logical argument Jesus was making (on identifying false teachers by their fruit) disintegrates unless reproduction of life is only according to kind; otherwise grapes might come from thorn bushes! Jesus obviously did NOT believe in the evolution of one kind of life into another.

Jesus’ view of Genesis can also be seen in the writings of His disciples. At His instruction they passed along His teaching in the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. These men recognized the historical veracity and foundational nature of Genesis, for they referred to Genesis over 200 times. They identified Jesus as the Creator, not the Evolver (John 1:3; Col 1:16; Heb 1:2).

Luke traced Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam using the Genesis genealogies (Luke 3:23-38). Clearly each ancestor all the way back to Adam had to be historical, for otherwise their descendants, including Jesus, would not exist. Paul also identified Adam as the first man (1 Corinthians 15:45). Peter referred to Creation and Noah’s Flood as historical events (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5; 3:4-6). The New Testament authors were simply reflecting the teaching of Jesus.

In full view of countless friends and enemies, Jesus vividly demonstrated His identity as Creator through many miracles of instantaneous creation. He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). He created enormous quantities of bread and fish to feed multitudes twice (Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-38). He raised the dead (Luke 7:22; John 11:1-45). Most healings involved instantaneous creation of new flesh or bone.

Jesus Christ upheld Genesis as absolutely true, historically accurate, and divinely authoritative. Time after time He based His teaching on the foundation of Genesis.

Those who claim Jesus as Lord must accept His view as their view. Think like Jesus! As Jesus said to Nicodemus (John 3:12), if one cannot accept Jesus’ witness to a literally true Genesis, how can one accept anything else He taught? Was Jesus an Evolutionist? NO! Jesus was a Creationist!

Questions to Ponder

1. Some Christians claim the Creator God made use of evolution. Is this because Jesus’ teaching on Genesis creation is unclear?
2. If Jesus is your Lord, is your thinking submitted to His authority? Is your thinking aligned with His thinking? What area will you re-commit to Him today?

Share your thoughts on these questions in the comments below. It could encourage or help another reader.

Soli Deo Gloria.

Read the sequel:
What Does Jesus Think of Science?

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©William T. Pelletier, Ph.D.
“contending earnestly for the faith”
“destroying speculations against the knowledge of God”
“for the defense of the gospel”
(Jude 1:3; 2 Cor 10:5; Phil 1:16)
Wednesday April 18, 2018 A.D.

“Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” – Jesus (John 5:45-47)