cmk@phs.UUCP (06/15/83)
The last time I started a discussion on this net, a lot of people dumped all over me like a ton of bricks. Being a slow learner, let's try it again. Doing some reading on the creation/evolution thing started me thinking on Genesis in general, and Adam and Eve in the garden in particular. My question is this: Adam and Eve were instructed not to eat of the fruit of the tree lest, as memory serves, they die. The subsequently did eat, and, as we all know, did not die. Therefore, 1. Was God lying when he said they would die? 2. If he was not lying, was he speaking symbolically? If so, why is symbolism here OK, but not when we speak of the creation story and the "days of creation"? 3. If the Garden of Eden was supposed to be a perfect place, how does one explain the existence there of something I would call an imperfection, namely the fear of death? Comments welcomed. Chuck
dje@5941ux.UUCP (06/15/83)
The question was asked whether God was lying when He said Adam and Eve would die if they ate the fruit from the tree of life. (Obviously, they did eat it and did not die). I have heard the interpretation that the phrase "ye shall surely die" can be understood as a statement of LIABILITY to the death penalty rather than a mandate for execution. The Sanhedrin (Jewish religious court) in Judea was called bloody if it imposed a death penalty with greater frequency than once in seventy years. This was the case even though they were bound with enforcement of all the laws in the Five Books of Moses that specify "ye shall surely be stoned to death" for transgression. Does that shed any light? Dave Ellis / Bell Labs, Piscataway NJ ...!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!5941ux!dje ...!{ariel,lime}!houti!hogpc!houxm!5941ux!dje
kwmc@hou5d.UUCP (06/16/83)
Adam and Eve DID die, They had been created for eternal life, but their disobedience allowed corruption of themselves and their environment which eventually led to their deaths. ( Genesis 3:17-19 ) ....... "... Then to Adam He said "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you saying 'You shall not eat from it': Cursed is the ground because of you: In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you, and you shall eat the plants of the field; By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread. Till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return. " (NASB)
kwmc@hou5d.UUCP (06/16/83)
Just to clarify Adam and Eve DID NOT EAT from the tree of life, they ate from the tree of "the knowledge of good and evil". Having disobeyed Him, God ensured that they would NOT eat of the tree of life by casting them out of Eden ( Genesis 3:22-24 ). Might I suggest that people simply read the account in Genesis. Ken Cochran hou5d!kwmc