How long ago did humanity appear?

Those called "creationists" see a time span of only thousands of years ago due to a literal reading of the family trees plus the assumption that listings were all-inclusive.

But Mathews is convinced the name lists didn't include each generation, partly because of the special language used, partly because the New Testament genealogies for Jesus were selective. A footnote says that, even so, the Bible's time span wasn't nearly long enough to accommodate conventional theories of evolution.

Did Noah's flood cover the entire Earth?

Words including "everything" and "all people" suggest this, but biblical language elsewhere shows such terms could be hyperbole or describe the scene from Noah's limited viewpoint, he explains. The biblical meaning isn't disrupted either way, Mathews thinks, but the text does favor a literal, universal flood.

Is the Abraham story actual history?

Arguing yes, Mathews answers various liberal claims that these materials originated long after the time of Abraham, Moses or even David. Example: Liberals say Genesis was very late because it reports the biblical patriarchs used camels. Mathews says some surviving ancient literature outside the Bible indicates camels were indeed domesticated very early.

Note: Other notable conservative Protestant commentaries on Genesis are by Victor Hamilton (Eerdmans) and Gordon Wenham (Nelson), both in two volumes, and the one-volume paperback by Derek Kidner (InterVarsity) — ideal for those desiring a less technical analysis.