13:19 beginning of the creation. In Matthew’s parallel account, he translated the Aramaic of Jesus’ discourse simply by “the beginning of the world” (Matthew 24:21), whereas Mark rendered it by “the beginning of the creation which God created.” Evidently the two phrases are synonymous, both expressing accurately the intent of Jesus’ words. Since “world” is kosmos in the Greek, the beginning of the creation refers not just to the human creation but to the earth as a whole, including its atmospheric heavens (compare II Peter 3:3-6). Thus when Mark used the same phrase, “beginning of the creation,” in reporting Christ’s words about the making of Adam and Eve (Mark 10:6), it is obvious that the human creation took place at essentially the same time as the earth’s creation, not more than four billion years later, as evolutionists claim. This claim is on the authority of Jesus Christ Himself—the Creator (Colossians 1:16).