Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Liz Fried" <lizfried AT umich.edu>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ben Crick
>
> 
>  So "flesh" is not the source of sin, but the vehicle of sin. The 
> source of
>  sin is firmly declared to be the Serpent in Genesis 3.

Perhaps we oughtn't to get into this,
but in Jewish tradition the source of sin is this union between
the fallen angels and earthly women (cf., Enoch).
I don't believe the story of Adam and Eve was viewed as a source
of sin or evil until Paul. I'm not aware of references to Adam's fall
as a source of evil in the world in the intertestimental literature.
Paul was interested in viewing Adam's sin as the source of sin
in the world so that he could describe sin entering by one man
and leaving by one man.

The word sin is not used to describe the actions of Adam and Eve.
The word sin appears for the first time to describe Cain's act of
murder. But still that is not viewed as a source of evil, only of
the source of civilization. Adam and Eve's act is the first step
toward civilization in that they start wearing and eating animals,
instead of talking to them.


Best,
Liz

>  Shalom
>  Ben
> -- 
>  Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
>  <ben.crick AT argonet.co.uk>
>  232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
>  http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
> 
>