"Created" in Genesis 1:1

Here are some notes on the Hebrew word for "created" (bara) in Genesis 1:1. I originally compiled these notes in March of 2008, in connection with a class on the life and theology of Augustine at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, taught by Dr. Chad Owen Brand.

Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, 51: "This verb is of profound theological significance, since it only has God as its subject... All other verbs for 'creating' allow a much broader range of meaning; they have both divine and human subjects, and are used in contexts where bringing something or someone into existence is not the issue... Objects of this verb include the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1; Isa. 40:26; 42:5; 45:18; 65:17); man (Gen. 1:27; 5:2; 6:7; Deut. 4:32; Ps. 89:47; Isa. 43:7; 45:12); Israel (Isa. 43:1; Mal. 2:10); a new thing (Jer. 31:22); cloud and smoke (Isa. 4:5); north and south (Ps. 89:12); salvation and righteousness (Isa. 45:8); speech (Isa. 57:19); darkness (Isa. 45:7); wind (Amos 4:13); and a new heart (Ps. 51:10)."

John Calvin's comment on Genesis 1:1, "He [Moses] moreover teaches by the word 'created,' that what before did not exist was now made; for he has not used the term yatsar, which signifies to frame or form, but bara, which signifies to create."

Reformation Study Bible, 7: "other Scriptures clearly teach that the universe was created ex nihilo (i.e., 'out of nothing', John 1:3, Heb. 11:3...) and that only God is eternal and transcendent (e.g., Ps. 102:25-27; Prov. 8:22-31). Not even the darkness exists apart from God's creative word (Isa. 45:7)."