Genesis 1:30Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He asserts, "to you this shall be for food; but to all the beasts of the earth, and to all the fowls of the air, and to every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is the living soul, I have given all the green herbs for food." The Lord’s providence for the man He created is indeed great. He endowed humanity with dominion over all living creatures, reassuring him that, despite the overwhelming number of voiceless beings, he need not worry about providing nourishment for them. Even before man had the chance to fret over this, the compassionate Lord sought to comfort him, indicating that both he and all the voiceless creatures would find complete satisfaction, for the earth, in accordance with the Lord's decree, would be their source of sustenance, as He states: "And to all the beasts of the earth, and to all the fowls of the air, and to every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth, in which is the living soul, I have given all the green herbs for food." And so it came to pass.

If we were to apply the phrase "And it came to be so" retrospectively to everything previously mentioned, we would have to acknowledge that humanity was fruitful and multiplied, filling the earth, right on the sixth day itself. However, scriptural testimony indicates that this occurred over many years. Thus, the phrase "And it came to pass" refers specifically to the moment when the capacity to consume food was granted to humankind, who learned this from the Creator's word. If humanity had immediately begun to eat—that is, to partake of what was provided for nourishment—the Scriptures would have maintained their customary phrasing and would have included the action explicitly, stating "and they took and ate." Therefore, it might have been expressed without invoking the name of God. Similarly, after the command to gather the waters into one place and let the dry land appear, it is stated "And it came to be so," yet it does not follow with "And God created..." Instead, it merely reaffirms, "And the waters were gathered into their distinct places," and so forth.

Consequently, from that point forward, lions began to feast on flesh, and vultures sought out carrion. In the era of their creation, the vultures had yet to scour the earth, for nothing that had received its purpose and essence from God had died, leaving them without any food source. There was harmony in nature, flourishing in all its majesty; hunters had not begun to hunt, as that practice was not yet among humankind. The beasts posed no threat to others, for they were not carnivorous. Vultures are known for scavenging, yet at that time, there were no carcasses or foul odors for them to feed upon, leading to a different diet. All creatures thrived like swans, grazing peacefully in meadows. Occasionally, we observe dogs consuming grass as a remedy, not because it is their primary food, but rather because unintelligent beings, guided by instinct, seek what is beneficial to them. From this, we can infer that even during those early times, carnivorous animals acted similarly; they viewed grass as nourishment and did not prey upon one another.

The cow shall graze with the bear, and their young shall peacefully lie down together, and the lion shall eat straw like an ox. A child will play by the hole of the asp, and one will put their hand on the den of snakes” (Is. 11:6-8, cf. Is. 65:25). These illustrations serve as representations: through the relationships depicted amongst the wild animals, livestock, and humans, the prophet conveys harmonious interactions within humanity, free from those embodying savage traits—everyone will embody gentleness, peace, and kindness. The metaphorical elements highlighting the moral condition of the forthcoming Christian community draw from that idyllic period when sin did not exist on earth, along with its damaging repercussions on humanity and nature, a time when not only did humans coexist peacefully with animals, but there was also serenity amongst the animals themselves. This notion gains further credence when considering later instances where animals that typically opposed humans displayed gentleness toward individuals in whom the power of sin was diminished by grace. The righteous examples include Noah, who resided securely in the ark alongside various animal species; Daniel, who “shut the mouths of the lions” (Dan. 6:22); the apostle Paul, who was unscathed by the snake that clung to his hand (Acts 28:5); and the martyrs thrown to wild beasts yet remained unharmed, as well as holy figures who received the company of wild creatures (such as Gerasimos at the Jordan).