“Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7 (NIV2011)
Another
thing I’ve wondered about ever since becoming a believer is whether or not
Adam and Eve were real people. Some
Christians say that in interpreting the Bible we must begin with a plain reading
of the text. To some that would mean
that Genesis chapters 2 and 3 plainly refer to the first humans as two real
people, the first two human beings from whom all other human beings are
descended.
But
what if another person’s plain reading of the text would lead them to conclude
that Adam and Eve were simply characters in an ancient legend that isn’t
literal history? How do you
know whose plain reading of the text is correct?
When I first embraced Christianity my plain reading was that these were
ancient, albeit inspired, stories but were not literal history. I was then taught by a conservative segment of Christianity that they are
literal history. I then discovered
that other great Christians see these chapters as inspired legends. So what’s story? And does
it matter?
The
most recent science tells us that humans cannot be traced back to an original
pair of humans, rather they must be traced back to a larger initial group of
humans. They
cite the
genetic evidence that indicates humans became a separate species as a
substantial population, rather than descending uniquely from an ancestral pair.
So what do we do with that? I’m
not anti-science. I think most
scientists are seeking to discover what’s true regardless of personal
ideology. Furthermore the
Hebrew word “adam” is most likely not a proper name, rather it simply means
“human” and is directly related to the Hebrew word for earth which is “adamah”,
an obvious play on words. What’s
up with that?
Other
questions exist. Many people note
that if all human beings were to trace their origins back to one original pair
that would mean that we are all products of incest.
A big question has always been, “where did Cain get his wife?”
So,
if you’ve ever had these kinds of questions you are not alone!
Questions are good. And
frankly I have concluded that no one will ever get their understanding of God
perfectly right in this life. If
we could, that wouldn’t be the big God who is our God.
Yet
I am totally intrigued and inspired by how brilliant the stories of the first
three chapters of Genesis are and I am also intrigued to find out how the newest
science jives with the biblical account.
So what have I concluded so far?
It
looks to me like God created an initial group of humans (either by progressive
or evolutionary creation see yesterday’s
blog and Genesis 1:26-27) upon whom God conferred his image.
Furthermore, even though I do see Adam as an archetype (an original that
the rest of us mirror) for humanity (see Romans 5:12-20), I
see no reason why a first man and a first woman could not have been singled out
by God as a specific pair who were
given the specific responsibility for the plot of land (Eden) given to them to
cultivate.
Therefore
it looks to me that Adam and Eve, were far, far more than “just’ the first
human beings, or just two among the first human beings.
They were far more than that. They
were the archetype, the picture of who we were created to be, a portrait of the
image of God in which we were created, a portrait of the kind of personal
relationship we were intended to have with God, a revelation to us of the
responsibility given to each of us for being cultivators of a flourishing world
in partnership with God, and as we shall see, a tragic picture of what has
happened and keeps happening with each and every one of us.
Whether Adam was a read historical person (and I have concluded that he
is) or not, we have before us a story which is foundational for everyone who
wants to know who they are and what it means to flourish in God’s good world.
“Lord,
thank you for showing me myself in Adam, for showing me that I was created by
you and for you. Amen”
For
more:
follow on Twitter @jefflampl
The bible says in Genesis 5: 4 that Adam lived after Seth eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters. Brothers and sisters would have to have married. There were plenty of people on the earth if for 800 yrs people were having children. The theory that all did not come from Adam breaks down when in Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned(KJV). Romans 5:17 For if by one mans offence death reigned by one....and the gift of rightousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.
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