Thank Geneva
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 Romans 5:12 NIV
Because – As Dwight Pryor points out, in 1599 the Geneva Bible translated the Latin text rather than the Greek text for this crucial word. The result was a mistranslation that produced “in whom” instead of “on account of” or “because.” Pryor notes that this mistake gave unwarranted support to Augustine’s idea of sinful nature. It continues to plague us today. The actual translation of the Greek text (eph ho) is of considerable debate. Leon Morris provides a useful summary in footnote 48 on page 230 of his commentary. Morris notes that even some modern scholars follow Augustine and Calvin and the 1599 Bible but this presents other Greek problems in this section. He cites Danker who argues that the construction means that all experience death on the basis of the legal terms governing the covenant obligation to God. Stauffer claims that the word means “in view of the fact that.” Moffatt suggests “inasmuch as.” Scullion translates “that is the reason.” Morris notes that the view of Calvin and Augustine read something into the text, but the connection to Adam isn’t entirely dismissed. In at least one sense, we all do what Adam did, that is, we follow in his example. But for Morris, this isn’t strong enough. He points out that the real focus of Paul’s argument is not the connection to the corporate or individual responsibility for sin. Paul’s real concern is for the consequences of the actions of these two opposing men. “He is concerned with what Adam did and its results. He is saying that Adam’s sin involved us all in a situation of sin and death from which there is no escape other than in Christ.”[1] Morris points to the similarity in 2 Corinthians 5:14 concerning the one death of Christ. It isn’t just that I participate in Adam’s folly. It is rather that what Adam did introduced into the world something that has had disastrous consequences for all of us. And now, in the same way, Yeshua has introduced into the world something that has glorious consequences for us.
I find Morris’ treatment balanced and reasonable. It avoids the unwarranted claim that I am held guilty and defiled due to Adam’s failure while it makes my connection to Adam real and consequential. It also avoids the opposite claim; i.e., that the only reason Adam has anything to do with me is because Adam is a representative example of my own actions. There is some deeper connection to Adam, perhaps something akin to Jung’s archetypes. I am guilty for my own sins, but Adam unwittingly introduced a virulent disease into the world that attacks me at every opportunity. In fact, Paul often characterizes sin as if it were some sort of animate being. Perhaps it is this realization of sin’s real capacity that Paul attempts to capture remembering YHWH’s words to Cain about the door.
Here’s what I conclude. I do not sin because I am a sinner. Augustine and Calvin are too Platonic. They remove my culpability, place it on my ancestors and still make me guilty. I sin and as a result the penalty is truly mine. But why I sin when I have every reason not to and I know better is still shrouded in mystery. Perhaps Berkouwer’s insight is the right one. Sin is insanity and as such defies rational explanation. What I know is that it is mine and without God’s intervention I will certainly die from this disorder.
Topical Index: sin, Adam, sinful nature, Leon Morris, Romans 5:12
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/1017/features/the-evil-inclination/ Skip, here is an article on a study which says that the majority of rabbis viewed the yetzer hara as an actual evil entity which invades the person. Would like to know what you think of it.
Adam’s sin has put mankind under the dominion of Satan – the Nahash who Yeshua describes as the prince of this world. It is an unbalanced and impossible situation from which only Mashiach can deliver.
or at least the possibility of dominion by satan…….other than that, I vehemently agree with you!! 🙂
BTW, glad to see you back, I’ve always enjoyed your insights and your courage to think beyond the suggested parameters.
YHWH bless you and keep you……
The nephesh haya is singular; however it appears or is described. The Sages illustrate it this way (as presented by Rabbi Gorelik). Before Creation the “soul” of mankind (Adam) was whole and complete, and with God. On the afternoon of the sixth day it was divided (by the Creator) between the male and the female. Thus male and female are counterparts to the same whole. Our mission, course, or journey is unity; and since the Garden that mission is a return (tshuvah) to that singleness.
Sin, in general, is anything that prevents the return or interferes with the reunification of the nephesh haya; for in that unity lies the image and likeness of the Creator. The idea of the yetzer h’ra and the yetzer h’tov is less about actually having two distinct hearts, and more a Hebraic description of how one’s life journey appears. It does appear – as it did to Paul – that I have two hearts: one heart that pursues God and another that seeks my own interests. In many ways this helps explain what often feels like “internal conflict” while trying to walk in the ways of the LORD.
The anguish of David is heard as he cries out, “give me an undivided heart that I might fear Your Name.” This singularity is the understanding behind the idiom “pure heart”. Purity is less about sexual issues or personal integrity, and more about the unity of the nephesh haya. The idea of marriage and discipleship is described as a yoke, carrying the same idea. The purpose is not sameness; but same direction (Moen). Individuality is not to be celebrated for the purpose of personal validation. The uniqueness of every person is inherently valuable. Why? Because it serves as a specific match – the counterpart – to another; to the community. Sin is the actions and conditions that work against authentic unity; often times masquerading by suggesting a means of coming together outside of the Creator’s design. Unity is not achieved by agreement or tolerance. Unity emanates from the breath of God – His inspired Word – evident in the lives of His people; His treasured possession.
This is most interesting, Roderick, but from where did the ‘Sages’ acquire such information. I have often wondered about this.
John
The “Sages” studied from the written Torah, the oral Torah, the Talmud, The Mishnah and the Zohar. In my imagination I see a man studying day and night hardly doing anything else. The “Sages” so love G-d and his Torah that they study lovingly, devotedly, joyfully, enthusiastically. They know the scriptures backwards and forwards. They compare every word, every letter. Words that share roots have significance. And the “Sages” study Gematria. Each letter of the aleph-bet has a corresponding number. The number total of a word has a meaning of it’s own and shares meaning with like words and words that share the same total number. The “Sages” sources seem to go on and on. From the little I’ve read about sages, I’m amazed at their capacity to study and find meaning in the scriptures.
Thank you!
Thank you Roderick I love this.
It appears that creation is filled with mirror images earth images heaven, The fall feasts image the spring feasts, man images Elohim, etc……….
Sin mucks up the images on earth. Sin is the transgression of the law that created and sustains all of creation. 1Jo 3:4 Whosoever commits sin transgresses also the law, for sin is the transgression of the law.
Every drop of sin makes mud and ripples in the waters of the earth and distorts the images of the Kingdom of Heaven.
So how important is it to keep His Law? It’s not a trifle thing and it’s not too hard. We either make the spring muddy or we make it clearer. Life and death were set before us. It’s up to us to chose life!
Such a wonderful thing to study. We have found that the interpretation you hold concerning this text has a direct result in your attitude toward the people you connect with when sharing the gospel.
If I believe Calvin then I believe that I have no impact what so ever regarding the results of the words I speak. The person must be converted first for the Spirit to be able to work on the heart.
If I believe Arminius I end up dislocating my shoulder while patting myself on the back for converting someone to Christ.
Both are doctrines of demons IMO.
After 31 years of trying to figure this out this is what I’ve come up with and lean toward today.
Adam had the option to sin or not. Havah was his cup bearer so to speak. He watched the entire scene and the resulting deception unfold between Havah and the shining one. Then he apparently deliberately failed to correct and protect her by forbidding her to eat.
He didn’t need to see what would happen he needed to Believe and Obey G-d, lay claim to his dominion, and rule over the beast she was talking to. Instead he let her eat to see if the fruit would cause her death. When there seemed to be no consequence he took and ate. Only after “Adam” ate were their eyes opened.
I’m thinking these days that because all were in Adam at the time of his sin, all were accounted with THAT PARTICULAR sin. This is the mystery of the seed that is in the loins of the father at the time of his action, being accounted with the sin or righteousness of the father.
Heb.7:9-10 And, as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes through Abraham,
for he was yet in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met Abraham.
I believe this is the reason the virgin birth was necessary. Yeshua could not be born under the sin of Adam and still be free to become the Messiah. I believe that was the only difference between Him and us. He still had to live with all the temptations and remain pure in order to “BECOME” the perfect Torah teacher having proved Torah by walking it out.
Lu 2:52 And Jesus “INCREASED” in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Heb 5:8 though He were a Son, yet He LEARNED obedience by the things which He suffered.
Having been brought into the house at the last passover He was examined for four days by the leaders of Israel and they stopped questioning Him having found no flaw in His teaching. At that point He became qualified to be the spotless Passover Lamb that removes the sins of all who will seek refuge under His blood and cover themselves in Him in the great day of wrath that is still to come.
I’m still pondering when He entered the Heavenly Holy of Holies with His own blood to provide a covering for the sins of the nation. The thing that is a puzzle is if the single shedding of blood on the cross was the only sacrifice He made or if He brought the sacrifice of Yom Kippur to the heavenly alter before the foundations of the World to cover the nation He was to make from the seed of Abraham.
If the second is true our understanding of how we are saved needs serious revision. The Passover sacrifice covers any individual person who will take refuge in Him and do what He tells us to do in order to be saved.
Any first born Israelite who would not pass through the door covered in the blood of the lamb that was shed by the leader of that household and take refuge in the house until Death passed over, was not saved. Same with Noah’s family. They had to stand up and walk into the ark. Lot had to leave the city……………… In this sense obedience = salvation.
But then there is Yom HaKippurim when the sacrifice covers the sins of the entire nation as an echad (one). All those who have taken refuge in Israel and joined themselves to Her are reckoned as righteous. All sin, even presumptuous sin, is covered here on earth and ultimately washed away by the Yom Kippur sacrifice of Yeshua our great high Priest in the heavenly Holiest place. I’m leaning toward that sacrifice having been accomplished before the foundations of the world which was created to be a copy or mirror image of the heavens.
The earthly Yom HaKippurim sacrifice covered the sins of the nation for the “YEAR TO COME” so that the nation could continue to grow generation after generation.
In light of all this I’ve been able to understand the remedy for sin and forgiveness prepared for us before sin became a reality on earth which covered all the sons of Adam from “Adam’s sin” and allowed all mankind as one echad to procreate and grow because wrath was held back when G-d became the first to shed the blood of an animal and covered Adam and Havah with the skins before sending them out (to Azazel?) into the wilderness. THE Divine blood את־האדם is shed for the divine blood את־האדם. Blood For blood
The blood Shed at the first Passover saved the seed of all the firstborn who would go inside and shut the door. So it is that the blood shed on the cross for me “a first born” before I was brought forth out of my (first born) father’s loins covers me in the event that we are all waiting for with great anticipation. The return of King Yeshua.
At that point all the Yom HaKippurin coverings will be folded up?swallowed up? or eaten up?by the Heavenly Yom Kippur sacrifice of THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WORLD. The covering(s) made of skins will be folded up and brought into the permanent house not made with hands that bares the name YHVH.
Or something like that!
Or maybe not!
I don’t read very well yet. I still rely heavily on the pictures.
And this grey stuff keeps leaking out of my head. 😛
Pam,
Great thoughts and ideas. What do you think this idea – about G-d covering Adam and Eve with garments of skin. Does scripture say He killed an animal to make clothing for them or is it an assumption because he covered them with skin and we think having a skin covering means an animal’s skin? In the last few years I’ve come to believe that the skin he covered them with is the skin we humans have covering our bodies today. In other words, I think Adam and Eve were some type of light beings, luminous or luminescent, and received skin like ours when G-d gave them garments of skin. Holding out our fingers in the glow of the candlelight on Shabbat and seeing light reflected from our fingernails is a reminder of the luminescense of the first humans, Adam and Eve. Does this resonate with you? What do you think of this explanation? I’m learning, too.
This idea of light being is rather old. It’s been around awhile. Problem is that the words for garment of skins are used again in Scripture to describe Aaron’s priestly garments – and I doubt those were human skin. See Davidson, Flame of Yahweh, on this one, referenced in my book Guardian Angel.
Hmmm. And I thought I was onto something new! 🙂
Thank you Skip for your input here.
Their truly is nothing new under the sun Darlene
I know several people who believe this. I live in an area of CA where full blown paganism and satanism is practiced complete with child sacrifice. You will find this idea in and among some of their beliefs.
I also know a few Messianics and several separatist Christians who secretly and some openly hold to this having been told this by “The spirit” during a time of seclusion. Most of these folks (not all) are Gnostic in practice.
The first time I heard this my first thought was how could Havah be bone of Adam’s bone and flesh of his flesh if she was a light being?
I think we are making this all very complicated
We sin because our desire to sin is strong
We were designed that way
We learn from sinning that our desire to do good
Produces better results
But we often need God’s help to choose wisely
iMO
Simply straightforward. Thanks.
Amen!
I’ve never fallen into sin in my entire life.
I ran headlong full tilt boogie into it with great anticipation!