- Meaning of the Cain and Abel story - see # 2 below
- Why Enoch and Elijah became messianic figures
- the later Christians (NT authors) interpreted the brief mention of Enoch as equivalence with Elijah. Enoch and Noah were the only ones credited with "walking with God". Elijah was translated to heavens, no mention was made of his death. They were messianic figures because they prefigured (foreshadowed) the reign of Christ on earth, where God sent the Messiah. Elijah is the expected Christ.
- God's grace in relationship to human righteousness
- Noah found favor of God, pleasure of God toward humans. Apparently contradictory approaches to grace: humans are looked upon favorably by God just because, or because the status of grace is earned. But in the end grace is never earned, but given freely without any merit, and no deserving.
- Gk philosophy - a passionless God vs Christian/Hebrew philosophy
- Hebrews believed that the heart was the center of thought, mind, action, emotion. If heart is evil, all is evil.
- Gk philosophers propose the impassivity/lack of passions of God, God is transcendent to the extreme for the Greeks -- simply he is God all by himself. Hebrews believe God is both immanent and capable of emotion. God is both intimately involved with his creation and transcendent, because the experience of the covenant is for the Hebrew God's Lordship. Jesus' crucifixion is the ultimate passion/suffering of God. This contradiction runs unresolved thru the Bible.
Hebrew poetry:
- verse = 2 statements where statement1 parallels statement2
may repeat same thought/or similar parallel thought
1) Cain and Abel story in Hebrew verse
Cain and Abel two equal brothers were they, born of Adam and EveIn honor and sacrifice to YHWH they brought their offerings, each to please the Creator
Though they were firstborn sons of the first man and woman, equal in the sight of God
For not loving his brother and heeding his word, the LORD cursed the Cain's land.
- 2) Genesis 4:8-16
New International Version (NIV)
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?""I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.
11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.
12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear.
14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.
16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
King James Version (KJV)
8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
10And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
American Standard Version (ASV)
8 And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: am I my brother's keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now cursed art thou from the ground, which hath opened its mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand;
12 when thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee its strength; a fugitive and a wanderer shalt thou be in the earth.
13 And Cain said unto Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the ground; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth; and it will come to pass, that whosoever findeth me will slay me.
15 And Jehovah said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And Jehovah appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
New Living Translation (NLT)
8Later Cain suggested to his brother, Abel, "Let's go out into the fields." And while they were there, Cain attacked and killed his brother.Matthew Henry's commentary
9Afterward the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother? Where is Abel?"
"I don't know!" Cain retorted. "Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?"
10But the LORD said, "What have you done? Listen--your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground! 11You are hereby banished from the ground you have defiled with your brother's blood. 12No longer will it yield abundant crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless fugitive on the earth, constantly wandering from place to place."
13Cain replied to the LORD, "My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14You have banished me from my land and from your presence; you have made me a wandering fugitive. All who see me will try to kill me!"
15The LORD replied, "They will not kill you, for I will give seven times your punishment to anyone who does." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16So Cain left the LORD's presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain murders Abel, The curse of Cain.
Malice in the heart ends in murder by the hands. Cain slew Abel, his own brother, his own mother's son, whom he ought to have loved; his younger brother, whom he ought to have protected; a good brother, who had never done him any wrong. What fatal effects were these of our first parents' sin, and how must their hearts have been filled with anguish!Observe the pride, unbelief, and impenitence of Cain. He denies the crime, as if he could conceal it from God. He tries to cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie. Murder is a crying sin. Blood calls for blood, the blood of the murdered for the blood of the murderer. Who knows the extent and weight of a Divine curse, how far it reaches, how deep it pierces?
Only in Christ are believers saved from it, and inherit the blessing. Cain was cursed from the earth. He found his punishment there where he chose his portion, and set his heart.
Every creature is to us what God makes it, a comfort or a cross, a blessing or a curse. The wickedness of the wicked brings a curse upon all they do, and all they have. Cain complains not of his sin, but of his punishment. It shows great hardness of heart to be more concerned about our sufferings than our sins. God has wise and holy ends in prolonging the lives even of very wicked men. It is in vain to inquire what was the mark set upon Cain. It was doubtless known, both as a brand of infamy on Cain, and a token from God that they should not kill him.
Abel, being dead, yet speaketh. He tells the heinous guilt of murder, and warns us to stifle the first risings of wrath, and teaches us that persecution must be expected by the righteous. Also, that there is a future state, and an eternal recompence to be enjoyed, through faith in Christ and his atoning sacrifice. And he tells us the excellency of faith in the atoning sacrifice and blood of the Lamb of God. Cain slew his brother, because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous
1Jo 3:12 In consequence of the enmity put between the Seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, the war broke out, which has been waged ever since. In this war we are all concerned, none are neuter; our Captain has declared, He that is not with me is against me. Let us decidedly, yet in meekness, support the cause of truth and righteousness against Satan. (Ge 4:16-18)B. Anderson
-- characteristic conflict of agricultural society : village farmer vs shepherd
To the author of this passage, it is an instructional passage. Author wants to show how sin spreads, and how God's word and caution is again disobeyed. God is here both trancendant (because favor was shown to one brother) so it was just fate/destiny, but God is also immanent (because 1 - he counseled Cain, 2 - he mitigated his punishment for Cain and showed him mercy) so he is full of grace and compassion.
In the context of the Book of Genesis, the story of Cain illustrates the progressive spread and worsening of sin and its impact. We no longer can worship God face-to-face but must mediate via ceremony, then after Cain, men are cut off from their people.
Where do we have cultural parallels to the Cain and Abel story? Brothers against brothers? Islam vs Judiasm, Tutsi vs Hutus, Nazis vs Jews
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