3 theo interp_fall

THE THEOLOGICAL INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURELECTURE THREE: THE FALL AND SIN

Review:

Biblical Theology as a “Bridge Discipline”

- A Diagram from D.A. Carson

EXEGESIS BIBLICAL THEOLOG

Y

HISTORICALTHEOLOGY

SYSTEMATIC

THEOLOGY

Carson’s Diagram on Biblical Theology as a

“Bridge Discipline”

Tends to focus

on analysis

of passage

s & themes

Tends to focus

on synthes

is of passage

s & themes

Putting all this together: What should

we believe

?

What did

Luther, Calvin,

or Augustine say?

Review:

Biblical Theology as a “Bridge Discipline”

- A Diagram from D.A. Carson

Is BT more “biblical” than Systematic Theology

- Geerhardus Vos:

‣No.—Both should equally be rooted in the Bible.

‣ST draws “circles” of topical discussion:

๏ e.g.: God; man; sin; salvation

‣BT draws a “line” of historical progression (narrative)

Review:

The Metanarrative:

Review

The Metanarrative:

Creation Fall Israel Jesus Church New Creation

Today’s SessionGenesis 3 —11The human “plight”

The Fall:

What’s the problem? (Every worldview has answer)

- Nothing (e.g., Buddhism)

- Ignorance (hence: Education is the answer)

- Politics (e.g., Marxism)

- Other races (e.g., Nazism)

- Physical maladies (e.g., modern medicine)

- Psychological maladies (e.g., Freudian Psychology)

The Fall:

What are some Christian answers?

- Sin

- Death

- The Devil

“The unholy Trinity”~Martin Luther

Our treatment of the Fall must now add to and unpack this…

The Fall:

What are some Christian answers?

- Sin

- Death

- The Devil

- “Fallenness” (affecting all created things).

“The unholy Trinity”~Martin Luther

Our treatment of the Fall must now add to and unpack this…

Genesis 31Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 31Now the serpent…

Do we ever learn definitively

that this serpent is the devil?Yes.

Rev. 12.9: “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called

the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world

astray…”

Genesis 3

your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

“Sin is trying to be ‘like God’ in a way other than

he has commanded” (Colin Gunton).

It is idolatry and cosmic treason

(amongst other things…)

Genesis 36 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

The Fall:

The Trees

- There are two: (1) Life; (2) Knowledge of Good/Evil

- Why here?

‣Trees often served as place of judgement/sentence in the ancient world.

๏Deborah (Judges 4.5)

Deborah, Judges 4

4 Now Deborah, a prophet, the wife of Lappidoth, was leading Israel at that time.

5 She held court under the Palm of Deborah…and the Israelites went up to her to have their disputes decided.

The Fall:

The Trees


- Why here?

‣Trees often served as place of judgement/sentence in the ancient world.

๏Deborah (Judges 4.5)

๏Deut. 21 (“cursed is anyone”)

๏Absalom (seen as accursed in death)

The Fall:

The Trees


- Why here?

‣Trees often served as place of judgement/sentence.

‣Key: This is a chance for humans to live out their vocation/calling:

๏Rule over animals; Protect the Garden; Act as God’s vassal kings.

The Fall:

The Serpent:

- Does the serpent tell the truth?

‣You will not surely die

๏ Gen.2.17: “in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

‣Eyes will be opened, like God, know good & evil

๏ Gen. 3.22: And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

The Fall:

The Serpent:

- Does the serpent tell the truth?

‣Conclusion: Deception is a form of lying; Half-truths can be sinful and deadly.

The Fall:

Effects of the Fall (vss. 6-24).



Some roots of sin in Gen. 3:(1) Pride (“be like God”)(2) Sloth (Adam’s as lazy/silent) - Cox quote

HARVEY COX:“I believe a careful examination of the biblical sources will indicate that man’s most debilitating proclivity is not his pride. It is not his attempt to be more than man. Rather it is his sloth, his unwillingness to be everything man was intended to be.”

On Not Leaving it to the Snake, ix.

An Example: Moses, “I am not eloquent” (Exod. 4.10).

HARVEY COX:“I believe a careful examination of the biblical sources will indicate that man’s most debilitating proclivity is not his pride. It is not his attempt to be more than man. Rather it is his sloth, his unwillingness to be everything man was intended to be.”

On Not Leaving it to the Snake, ix.

Another Example: The overly inert and submissive spouse.

MARK BIDDLEExplores this theme in a Biblical Theology of Sin.

Possible Term Paper Project



Some roots of sin in Gen. 3:(1) Pride (“be like God”)(2) Sloth (Adam’s as lazy/silent)(3) Mistrust (“Did God really say…?”)(4) Impatience (?)

Genesis 39 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 314 So the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,

“Cursed are you above all livestock

and all wild animals!

You will crawl on your belly

and you will eat dust

all the days of your life.

Genesis 315 And I will put enmity

between you and the woman,

and between your seed and hers;

he will crush your head,

and you will strike his heel.”





and you will strike his heel.”Who/what is the serpent’s “seed”?

(1) Literal snakes (often hated/feared).(2) Humans who act like the serpent/devil

- See Jesus’ words regarding sons of “snakes / devil.”

Matthew 23.3333 “You snakes! You brood [or, “sons”] of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?

John 842 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me… 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.





and you will strike his heel.”Who/what is the serpent’s “seed”?

(1) Literal snakes (often hated/feared).(2) Humans who act like the serpent/devil

- See Jesus’ words regarding sons of “snakes” and sons of “the devil.”

Genesis 316 To the woman he said,

“I will make your pains in childbearing very severe;

with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Your desire will be for your husband,

and he will rule over you.”

17 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,

Genesis 3“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your fooduntil you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Genesis 3“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.19 By the sweat of your brow you will eat your fooduntil you return to the ground, since from it you were taken;for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

Neither Adam nor Eve are explicitly “cursed”Who or What is?

The SerpentThe Ground

Genesis 320 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Genesis 320 Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.

21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. 22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.” 23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. 24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

The Symbolism?(1) Sacrificial

Unlikely, esp. because the skin was not used in sacrifices.

(2) InheritanceRobing/Clothing often tied to heirs/inheritors (e.g. Joseph)

The Fall:

Effects of the Fall:

- Immediate:

‣Shame & Blame

- For Man/Woman

- Man—Ground / work

- Woman—Childbirth / husband relation (“rule”).

- Banished from Garden.

- Barred from tree of life (death results).

The Fall:


- Immediate:

‣Shame & Blame

- The Curse:

- Man—work/ground

- Woman—childbirth/husband relation (rule).

- Banished.

- Barred.

Exile becomes the archetypal punishment for sin.

Eastward becomes a metaphor for increased degradation.

The Fall:


- Immediate:

‣Shame & Blame

- The Curse:

- Man—work/ground


- Banished.

- Barred.


EdenAdam

Eve

Cain(after

murder)

Flood

NoahBecomes a

second Adam.

The Fall:

Effects of the Fall (How does Adam impact us?)

- N.T. Wright

‣Beyond Genesis, no Jewish writer traced the human plight to Adam, until Paul.

‣“In the Torah, evil might be traced back to Adam and Eve in the garden, though interestingly there is no sign of this being offered as an ultimate analysis prior to the late first century AD” (Paul and the Faithfulness of God, 740).

‣OT relates sin to the covenant; not Adam.

The Fall:


- N.T. Wright

‣Beyond Genesis, no Jewish writer explicitly traced the human plight to Adam, until Paul.

๏A possible (but unlikely) exception in Hosea 6.7:

• “As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there” (NIV).

•Yet many (e.g. NIV) see this as a place name, and not a personal one.

The Fall:


- So then, who got the blame (before Paul)?

‣Bad angels (e.g., Gen. 6).

‣Bad Jews.

‣Bad Gentiles.

‣Bad Empires.

- With Paul, this changes…

The Fall:

Paul’s Treatment of the Fall

- Key Texts:

‣Romans 5 (Probably the most important)

‣1 Cor. 15

Romans 512 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—

…

15 But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! 16 Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

Romans 517 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!

18 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 1521 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

44…If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

The Fall:


- Key Texts:

‣Romans 5

‣1 Cor. 15

- Why does Paul trace our plight to Adam?

‣Wright’s theory: The severity of the solution (i.e. God’s son dying on a cross), caused Paul to reexamine the severity of the problem.

‣It is also possible that Adam was simply assumed (by some Jews) to be at the root of the problem.

The Fall:


- Key themes:

‣Adam as a real historical figure.

๏A Contemporary Debate:

๏Polygenism / polyphyletism:

๏Monogenism / monophyletism:

BiologosGenetic evidence shows that humans descended from a group of several thousand individuals who lived about 150,000 years ago. This conflicts with the traditional view that all humans descended from a single pair who lived about 10,000 years ago.

While Genesis 2-3 speaks of the pair Adam and Eve, Genesis 4 refers to a larger population of humans interacting with Cain.

One option is to view Adam and Eve as a historical pair living among many 10,000 years ago, chosen to represent the rest of humanity before God.

BiologosAnother option is to view Genesis 2-4 as an allegory in which Adam and Eve symbolize the large group of ancestors who lived 150,000 years ago.

Yet another option is to view Genesis 2-4 as an “everyman” story, a parable of each person’s individual rejection of God.

BioLogos does not take a particular view and encourages scholarly work on these questions.

A possible topic for a term paper…

The Fall:


- Key themes:

‣Adam as a real historical figure.

‣Sin results in death and condemnation for all.

‣The link between Christ + Adam (typological heads)

‣Christ’s victory exceeds Adam’s failure.

๏ Seems to be a “universal atonement” (for all).

The Fall:


- “Original Sin” (a broad definition)

‣“The dimension of sin with which we begin life, or the effect the sin of Adam has upon us as a precondition of our lives” (Millard Erickson).

‣Some Different Theories…

The Fall:


1.Pelagian (Pelagius, 5th c.)

‣Adam’s failure does not effect us internally; we merely follow his example (creationist view / soul).

2.Augustinian (“Realist” view) (Augustine, 4th-5th c.)

‣We were present “within” Adam (seminally).

‣Based on Latin (& KJV!) mistranslation of Rom. 5.

Romans 5.12 12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, [in whom, in quo] all sinned—

The Greek reads “eph ho” (because).

The Fall:


1.Pelagian (Pelagius, 5th c.)

‣Adam’s failure does not effect us internally; we merely follow his example (creationist view / soul).

2.Augustinian (“Realist” view) (Augustine, 4th-5th c.)

‣We were present “within” Adam (seminally).

‣Based on Latin (& KJV!) mistranslation of Rom. 5.

‣Requires one historical Adam (father of us all)

The Fall:


3.Federalist (Adam is our Federal / Covenantal Head)

‣God ordained that Adam would represent us.

‣As our head, Adam’s sinfulness and guilt were imputed to us (“counted” as our own).

‣Wesley:

๏Agreed with Calvin! (quote)

JOHN WESLEY1703 — 1791

John WesleyIs man by nature filled with all manner of evil? Is he void of all good? Is he wholly fallen? Is his soul totally corrupted? Or, to come back to the text, is “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart evil continually?” Allow this, and you are so far a Christian. Deny it, and you are but a heathen sill (“Original Sin”).

————

Letter to John Newton (1765):

Not a “hairs-breadth” separating me from Calvin on hamartiology.

The Fall:





‣Wesley:

๏Agreed with Calvin! (But…)

๏Held that Christ’s work removed original guilt.

๏Any biblical evidence?

Jeremiah 3129 “In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,

and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

30 Instead, everyone will die for their own sin; whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

31 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord,

“when I will make a new covenant

with the people of Israel

Romans 518 Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 1521 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

The Fall:





‣Wesley:

๏Agreed with Calvin! (But…)

๏Held that Christ’s work removed original guilt.

๏Any biblical evidence? (Jer. 31; Rom.5; 1Cor.15)

The Fall:


1.Pelagian.

2.Augustinian / Realist.

3.Federalist (Calvin / Wesley).

4.Mediating Position

•E.g.: We inherit a “bent” toward sin which invariably leads to actual transgression.

•We are held guilty for what we do with our corrupt nature.

The Fall:


1.Pelagian.

2.Augustinian / Realist.

3.Federalist (Calvin / Wesley).

4.Mediating Position

Possible Topic for Term Paper…

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

- A Key Insight is how quickly sin escalates.

‣Cain: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

๏ “to keep” - the same charge Adam failed to obey

๏ Yet failure is more obviously malicious

‣Lamech: “If Cain is avenged 7 times, Lamech 77…

‣Sons of God [or gods]; daughters of men.

๏ [A brief snapshot]

Genesis 61When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with [or, “in”] humans forever, for they are mortal [or, “corrupt”]; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

Genesis 65 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Sons of God; daughters of men (3 Theories)

1.Inter-tribal marriage (Seth’s sons/Cain’s daughters)

๏ PRO: Previous passage contrasts two lines

๏ CONs: (1) What’s the sin? (2) Doesn’t explain Nephilim

- Although… it’s not clear what role the Nephilim play in any of this.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.


2.Inter-species marriage (Fallen Angels / women)

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.



๏ PROs: (1) “Sons of God” sometimes=angels (Job 1.6). (2) Might explain Nephilim as offspring(?)

๏ CONs: (1) No evidence this would produce children, let alone “giants” (Mk. 12.25). (2) The problem is marriage, (3)God punishes the wrong people.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.


3.Inter-faith marriage (Pagan kings / Sethite women)

๏ PROs: (1) ANE kings sometimes called “sons of gods.” (2) Fits context because Cainites are again multiplying wives. (3) Explains why marriage (not sex) is the problem.

๏ CONs: (1) Why the Nephilim?; (2) God seems to punish wrong people.

- Caveat on sin and “expansive” punishment.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.


1.Inter-tribal marriage (Seth’s sons/Cain’s daughters)


3.Inter-faith marriage (Pagan kings / Sethite women)

The answer is far from clear… What is clear:(1)This sin against marriage is linked to the

flood (6.7).(2)The sin of violence is also related to the

flood (6.11).

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Noah (brief review…)

The Fall:


- Immediate:

‣Shame & Blame

- The Curse:

- Man—work/ground


- Banished.

- Barred.


EdenAdam

Eve

Cain(after

murder)

Flood

NoahBecomes a

second Adam.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Noah (How does the Noah story recapitulate Adam/Creation?)

• Noah “walks with God” (6.9) like Adam did.

• Waters return land to “pre-creation” state.

• Spirit/Wind brings forth land from chaos (Gen. 8.1)

• Noah seen as father of all

• “Be fruitful & multiply” command given again (9.1)

• Rule over animal alluded to again (9.2)

• Noah’s sin mirrors Adam’s

Genesis 920 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.

22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside.

23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.




Most agree there is more going on here…:Incest?

(Canaan as offspring?)Attempted disinheritance?

Genesis 924 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

The lowest of slaves

will he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27 May God extend Japheth’s territory;

may [he]* live in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

Genesis 924 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25 he said,

“Cursed be Canaan!

The lowest of slaves

will he be to his brothers.”

26 He also said,

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!

May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

27 May God extend Japheth’s territory;

may [he]* live in the tents of Shem,

and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”

Walter Kaiser has argued that “he” is a reference to God, not Japheth.

Thus this may be a Messianic Prophecy.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.


• How Noah’s sin mirrors Adam’s

- Involves the unlawful taking of fruit (grapes/wine)

- Shameful nakedness

- Covering of such nakedness

- a curse resultsThe sense is that even after the flood, the problem remains.Even the righteous are infected / bent by sin.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.


• And yet there is grace (covenant).

• The meaning of the rain “bow”

The sense is that even after the flood, the problem remains.Even the righteous are infected / bent by sin.

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Babel

Genesis 111Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.

3 They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building.

Some key markers…

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Babel

• Here again the eastward exile theme continues…

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Babel

• Here again the eastward exile theme continues…

EdenAdam

EveCain

Flood

NoahA second failed(!) Adam.

Babel

The Fall:

Genesis 3—11.

‣Conclusion:

• Gerhard Von Rad: “The narrator’s whole interest is…concentrated in showing a chain of actual events, a road which mankind took and the consequences of which could no more be undone by him” (Old Testament Theology, 1:154).

• Hence: A rescue from outside is necessary.

The Metanarrative

Where we’ve been:


“Primeval History”Dates typically not assigned.The story of Israel is often begun in Gen. 12 with Abraham.

Genesis 1—11

The Metanarrative

Where we’re going — Israel


3 theo interp_fall

Education

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