John Calvin Commentary Genesis 1:11

"And God said, Let the earth put forth grass, herbs yielding seed, [and] fruit-trees bearing fruit after their kind, wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth: and it was so." — Genesis 1:11 (ASV)

Let the earth bring forth grass. Until now the earth was naked and barren; now the Lord makes it fruitful by His word. For though it was already destined to bring forth fruit, yet until new power proceeded from the mouth of God, it had to remain dry and empty. For it was neither naturally fit to produce anything, nor did it have a germinating principle from any other source, until the mouth of the Lord was opened. For what David declares concerning the heavens should also be extended to the earth: that it was made by the word of the Lord, and was adorned and furnished by the breath of His mouth (Psalms 33:6).

Moreover, it did not happen by chance that herbs and trees were created before the sun and moon. We now see, indeed, that the earth is enlivened by the sun to cause it to bring forth its fruits; nor was God ignorant of this law of nature, which He has since ordained. But so that we might learn to refer all things to Him, He did not then make use of the sun or moon.

God permits us to perceive the power which He infuses into them, so far as He uses their instrumentality. But because we usually regard as part of their nature properties which they derive elsewhere, it was necessary that the vigor they now seem to impart to the earth should be evident before they were created.

We acknowledge, it is true, in words, that the First Cause is self-sufficient, and that intermediate and secondary causes have only what they borrow from this First Cause. But, in reality, we picture God to ourselves as poor or imperfect, unless He is assisted by secondary causes. How few, indeed, are there who ascend higher than the sun when they discuss the fertility of the earth?

Therefore, what we declare God to have done intentionally was indispensably necessary, so that we may learn from the order of creation itself that God acts through His creatures, not as if He needed external help, but because it was His pleasure. When He says, Let the earth bring forth the herb which may produce seed, the tree whose seed is in itself, He signifies not only that herbs and trees were then created, but that, at the same time, both were endowed with the power of propagation, so that their various species might be perpetuated.

Since, therefore, we daily see the earth pouring forth such riches to us from its lap, since we see herbs producing seed, and this seed received and cherished in the bosom of the earth until it springs forth, and since we see trees shooting from other trees, all this flows from the same Word.

If, therefore, we inquire how it happens that the earth is fruitful, that the germ is produced from the seed, that fruits come to maturity, and their various kinds are annually reproduced, no other cause will be found than that God has once spoken—that is, has issued His eternal decree—and that the earth, and all things proceeding from it, yield obedience to the command of God, which they always hear.