Second day

Why did God not call the second day of creation "good"?

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Second day [∞]

The Silence of the Second Day: A Reflection of Christ's Separation

In the Gospel narrative, we know the profound events of Friday and Sunday—Christ’s crucifixion and His resurrection. However, there is a significant silence surrounding the second day of His death, the day that falls between the agony of Friday and the glory of Sunday. This silence is not accidental; it reflects the mysterious separation that occurred on that day when Jesus, in His suffering, was momentarily separated from His Father.

This absence of mention on the second day mirrors the creation account, where God does not pronounce the second day of creation as "good." Just as the second day in Genesis marks a time of separation—where the firmament is created to divide the waters above from the waters below—so too does the second day of Christ’s death signify a moment of division and isolation.

The Separation of the Waters

In ▸ ± Genesis 1:6-8 , the firmament is created on the second day to separate the waters above from the waters below. The sky forms a boundary between two opposing forces: the waters above, which represent the heavens, and the waters below, which symbolize the earth. This separation is necessary for the formation of the world, but it also represents a tension, a division that will only find its resolution in the later days of creation.

Similarly, the second day of Christ’s death is marked by a profound separation between Jesus and His Father. Jesus, the Son, who has always been in perfect communion with the Father, now experiences the alienation that comes from taking on the sins of the world. As He hangs on the cross, He cries out, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). In this moment, the relationship between the Father and the Son is broken, just as the waters above and below are divided in the creation account.

A Day of Silence and Separation

On the second day of Christ’s death, there is no mention of His actions or words. The Gospels focus on the events of Friday—the crucifixion—and Sunday—the resurrection. But the silence of Saturday, the second day, is telling. It is a day when the Savior is hidden, His body lying in the tomb, and the full weight of His separation from the Father is felt in the unseen realm.

This silence mirrors the separation in the creation narrative, where the second day’s separation of the waters is not accompanied by an affirmation of "good" as it is on other days. There is a sense of incompleteness, a tension that will only be resolved in the following days. The separation of Christ from the Father on the second day of His death is a necessary step toward reconciliation, but it is also a moment of profound sorrow and isolation.

The Word Above and Below

The separation of the waters above and below on the second day of creation also serves as a powerful metaphor for the separation Christ experienced between heaven and earth during His crucifixion. Jesus, in His death, was both fully God (the Word above) and fully man (the waters below). In His suffering, He was separated from the Father, and the heavens seemed to close in on Him. This separation was necessary for the ultimate reconciliation of mankind to God, but it was also a moment of tension and pain.

In this sense, the second day of Christ’s death serves as a reflection of the creation account. Just as the firmament divides the waters, so too does Christ's death create a separation—a division between heaven and earth, between the Father and the Son, that will only be resolved through His resurrection.

Conclusion: The Mystery of the Second Day

The second day of Christ’s death is a day of silence and separation, a reflection of the division seen in the creation account. It is a moment when the heavens and the earth seem distant, and the Son is separated from the Father. But this separation is not the end. Just as the second day of creation is followed by the flourishing of life on the third day, so too does the silence of Saturday give way to the victory of the resurrection on Sunday.

In the mystery of the second day, we are reminded that sometimes, in the midst of silence and separation, God's work is still unfolding. The separation that Christ experienced on the cross, like the division of the waters, was necessary for the reconciliation that would come through His resurrection. And as we reflect on the second day, we can look forward to the day when all things will be made new in Christ, when the division between heaven and earth will be no more, and all will be united in Him.

Theological review

The unique ideas in this reflection revolve around drawing symbolic and theological connections between the second day of creation and the second day of Christ's death, emphasizing themes of separation, silence, and divine reconciliation. Here are the key concepts:

1. Silence of the Second Day of Christ's Death:
   • The reflection highlights the absence of mention on the second day (Saturday) of Christ's death, paralleling the silence in the creation account where the second day is not called "good." This silence is seen as a profound expression of the separation between Christ and the Father.
2. Separation in Creation and Christ's Death:
   • The second day in Genesis (when the waters are divided by the firmament) is used as a metaphor for the separation Christ experiences from the Father on the second day of His death. In both the creation narrative and the crucifixion, there is a moment of division, tension, and incompleteness that will later be resolved (in the creation narrative by the flourishing of life on the third day, and in the resurrection by the reconciliation of Christ and the Father).
3. Metaphor of the Waters Above and Below:
   • The separation of the waters above (heaven) and below (earth) is mirrored in the crucifixion, where Christ, as both fully God (heaven) and fully man (earth), experiences a deep division between heaven and earth. This tension represents the necessary separation for reconciliation but is also marked by pain and alienation.
4. Theological Tension and Necessity:
   • The essay emphasizes that the separation Christ experiences on the second day is necessary for reconciliation. The tension, like the separation in creation, will ultimately lead to the resolution and victory in the resurrection.
5. The Third Day as Resolution:
   • Just as the third day of creation brings flourishing and life, the third day of Christ's death (the resurrection) resolves the separation and marks the victory over sin and death.
6. God's Work Unfolding in Silence:
   • The idea that God's work is still unfolding even in moments of apparent silence and separation is central to the reflection. The second day of Christ's death is portrayed not as a void but as part of the divine process of redemption and reconciliation, which will be completed in the resurrection.

These unique ideas form a rich theological reflection on the relationship between creation and redemption, emphasizing how the silence and separation of Christ's death on the second day mirror the mysterious and unfinished nature of the second day in creation, with both ultimately leading to resolution and reconciliation in God's plan.

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