The evolution of Adam - Two trees and choice
Last week, we looked at what the account hints at regarding the physical, mental and spiritual state of the unique couple in Eden.
It was noted that we could identify with their state, since it was the same childlike state that we have all experienced to some degree or another as children.
The childlike state, although paradisaical is not ideal...
We all need to grow up at some time or another and take on the responsibilities of life.
So to with Adam and his wife in paradisaical Eden; and a way was prepared for this change of state to be brought about, involving two trees and their fruit.
The tree of Life
Eating of the tree of life would not disturb the status quo at that time.
The tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil
Eating of this tree was detrimental since it had the consequence of bringing about physical changes that would result in the alteration of metabolic and other processes of the body. One of the final outcomes of these changes would eventually be death.
This should not be difficult for us to accept.
With our knowledge of pharmaceuticals it is very apparent that the ingestion of certain substances can bring about predictable and lasting physical or other effects.
When we ingest something it is broken down, distributed throughout the body, utilized and sometimes even incorporated into the makeup of our cells. Some things we eat truly become part of us.
After all, "We are what we Eat" as the saying goes. Our diet over time can radically affect our health and well being.
The Red Pill or the Blue Pill
In "The Matrix" trilogy we see a similar metaphor employed. Neo is given the choice of taking the red pill or the blue pill. On will result in him continuing down the path of the status quo and the other will radically alter everything. In this case its not a fruit that is eaten but an actual pharmaceutical pill.
To complete the complexity of the situation there would be mental and spiritual outcomes to add to the physical changes that would ensue.
Eating of the Tree of Life was approved and partaking of the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden.
To eat of one, would be an act of obedience and conforming to the Parent's will. To eat of the other, would be an act of defiance and to exercise ones own will contrary to the will the Parent.
Herein lay the knowledge of Good an Evil. To be blindly obedient requires little real free thought and poorly enhances knowledge or experience. A robot and computer can be programmed to act in this manner and these are far from self aware or conscious.
This is a stagnant condition with little growth or prospect of self improvement.
To exercise ones will independently of others is totally different.
Herein lies the key to knowledge, growth and improvement. Only when our choices are our own can we truly be accountable for them and only then can the ensuing consequences be considered just.
The options were placed before the couple and the opportunity was presented, for it is only when we have multiple choices to choose from that real choice occurs.
The couple were placed in a perfect catch 22 situation.
They had previously been commanded to multiply and replenish the earth, but in their current childlike state, this was impossible. Only after the fall is "the woman" then called Eve because she is the mother of all living.
They could remain innocent in paradise, without offspring and with no prospects for growth and progression, or they could transgress and partake of the forbidden fruit, thereby enabling their future ability to keep the first commandment they had been given.
The situation in Eden was perfectly planned, they could not keep both of the commandments they had been given, they had to choose either one or the other. Adam and Eve needed to learn to think for themselves and the choices before them provided just such an opportunity.
Therefore we refer to the situation as "Adam's Transgression".
He broke one law in order to obey another. This act of transgression brought about the "opening of the eyes", the transition from "childlike" to "being as the gods, knowing good and evil"
From instinct driven animal, to being made in Gods image, capable of independent thought and action with full knowledge of the consequences.
From childlike innocence to mature adult responsibility and accountability.
Only now was Mans creation complete.
Next time we will look at the purpose of death.
Previous parts of this Series.
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Delving a little deeper
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Into the detail
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - Some more conclusions
Were the seven days of creation in Genesis seven twenty four hour periods? - The implications.
Excelente análisis, mi estimado @gavvet. Sin embargo, me gustaría plantear algo: @Joeyarnoldvn dice: "Convenido. Antes éramos inmortales." Pero, si eran inmortales y no podían morir... ¿Para que tenían que comer de lo que se producía en el huerto? Si una persona no se alimenta, de hecho, morirá en pocos días. Si la primera pareja en el huerto necesitaba comer, entonces parece que no eran inmortales y ahí cito sus propias palabras cuando dijo "Somos lo que comemos". ¿Será posible que ellos tuvieran un tiempo de vida muy, muy largo? ¿Tal vez unos 1000 años? Y parece que fue necesario que antes que se les terminara su tiempo de vida en esta tierra, fue necesario introducir (a través de ellos) el pecado en el mundo para darle paso a todo el plan que ha estaba preparado desde antes de la fundación del mundo. Algo curioso hallé en las palabras del apóstol Pablo cuando dijo en la carta a los Romanos capítulo 7: 9 "Y yo sin la ley vivía en un tiempo; pero venido el mandamiento, el pecado revivió y yo morí." Parece ser que esa escritura hace referencia a Adán, puesto que Pablo, nunca vivió sin ley. Entonces, el "pecado" con la puesta en marcha de esa ley NO COMERAS revivió dentro de él algo que estaba dormido, creando entonces la potestad de elegir entre ser como dioses o mantenerse unido espiritualmente con su Creador. Mi Upvote para este post.
Cubriremos la inmortalidad y la muerte la próxima semana
Fantastic comment!
@gavvet, estaré muy pendiente para seguir leyendo sus posts y compartir de tan grandioso tema
The first time when I see a comment making over $50 and I don't understand it!
An oops with my trigger finger... but it turns out this comment asks some deep questions.
I'll take an oops lol just JK
Will use google translate on my laptop in few hours man! Wish you a great time... and btw...if universe is infinite...that means there is an infinity of earths. I think this make sense
i am guessing this is a very beautiful illustration or analogy. can someone please translate it? i will realy love to know what @oneray has said and learn from it too. thanks
"Excellent analysis, my dear @gavvet. However, I would like to raise something: @Joeyarnoldvn says: "Agreed. We were immortal." But, if they were immortal and could not die ... Why did they have to eat what was produced in the garden? If a person does not feed, in fact, he will die in a few days. If the first couple in the garden needed to eat, then it seems that they were not immortal and I quote their own words when he said "We are what we eat". Could it be possible for them to had a very, very long lifetime? Maybe 1000 years? And it seems that it was necessary that before their time of life on this earth was ended, it was necessary to introduce (through them) the sin in the world to give way to the whole plan that was prepared before the foundation of the world. Something curious I found in the words of the apostle Paul when he said in the letter to the Romans chapter 7: 9 "And without the law I lived at one time: but the commandment came, and sin revived, and I died." It seems that this writing refers to Adam, since Paul, never lived without law. Then, the "sin" with the implementation of that law "YOU WON'T EAT" revived within him something that was asleep, creating then the power to choose between being as gods or staying spiritually united with his Creator. My Upvote for this post."
I hope this help you, @outhori5ed.
Thanks alot @oneray. I greatly appreciate you interpreting this. The law is what revealed sin and the knowledge of a 'law' is an evidence that your WILL can either keep it or break it. Adam and Eve had their will to whatever choice they wanted.
If the instruction was not given, they wouldn't have broken it. Agreed? Let me briefly show you how the law influence your WILL. Obey the command below.
"Don't think of a red car"
What happened?
Jajaja. It is a very good example. Sorry for my English. I'm from Venezuela. I think that they had one choice, but it was necesary to insert the sin in the world through Adam and Eve. Thanks for your upvote and your comment. I apreciate it a lot.
thank you sir. your comment was really an eyeopener. i am very greatful you shared this
1 Sam 15:22 says "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."
It seems as if OBEDIENCE is what God desires even though the freedom of will is an option. Although there is a sacrifice in being obedient because you essentially sacrifice your free will, it seems that these "catch 22" situations are a test of whether we bow to the Lord's will or whether we exercise free will, but ultimately in the situation of Adam and Eve, they chose free will ultimately resulting in consequences of that choice. Just as in the world, my free will tells me not to pay taxes, but the will of the govt is that I do like an obedient citizen otherwise I will have to deal with the consequence of my disobedience. You would think that free will and the exercise of choice should be rewarded, but I guess that there's some merit to being humble and obedient.
Leyendo este comentario, respecto de la obediencia a Dios y su recompensa, vienen a mi mente las palabras del apóstol Pablo, cuando les decía en su carta a los Romanos: ¿Hay injusticia en Dios respecto a las decisiones que Él toma? ¿Quién puede resistirse a la Voluntad de Dios? Al final, parece que Dios hará como quiere y con quien quiere. Pero... ¿El libre albedrío será real? ¿Tenemos realmente la capacidad de decidir o elegir por nosotros mismos? A Moisés el Gran Yo Soy dijo: "Tendré misericordia de aquel a quien yo tenga misericordia, y tendré compasión de quien yo tenga compasión" Por lo tanto, "no es de quien quiera, ni de quien corre, sino de Dios que da misericordia." ¿Somos realmente quienes tomamos las decisiones o simplemente Dios susurra en nuestro oído para que al final hagamos lo que siempre Él ha querido? Un ejemplo que me hizo pensar acerca de esto fue con Faraón cuando Dios le dijo: "Para este mismo propósito te he levantado, para mostrar mi poder en ti, y para que mi nombre sea declarado por toda la tierra." ¿Y qué podemos decir acerca de Jonás? A la final, tuvo que ir a predicar a Nínive, a pesar que había decidido huir de Tarsis. Cuando veo todos estos ejemplos y medito en ellos, también sale a la luz esa Escritura que me abofetea cuando dice: "Mas tú, oh hombre, ¿quién eres tú para responder contra Dios? ¿Dirá la cosa formada al que la formó: ¿Por qué me has hecho así?" Entonces me digo a mí mismo: ¡Qué profundo es todo esto! Y regreso aquí, para volver a leer el post, que tan amablemente @gavvet puso a disposición de todos nosotros.
The tree of life is the coconut tree and the tree of knowledge of good and evil is the cacao fruit tree. Theobroma Cacao, literally food of the gods.
Jaja. Then Venezuela is the Eden's Garden, because here there are a lot of them. They are ragweeds to the palate.
Adam and Eve were perfectly capable of having offspring in the Garden, otherwise the commandment to be fruitful and multiply would be completely meaningless and God does not contradict Himself.
Also, after the fall, God says to Eve: Unto the woman he said, I will greatly MULTIPLY thy sorrow and thy conception; in SORROW thou shalt bring forth children... (Gen. 3:16 KJV) - thus, conception was possible before the fall, but was a more rare event, and childbearing seems to have been much less painful.
The childlike state of Adam was not permanent, and God wanted to educate him Himself, as Adam was God's son, bearing the title as a direct personal creation of God. "Who told thee that thou wast naked?" (Gen. 3:11 KJV) - the question is who; it does not preclude the possibility of Adam's learning about it from his Creator later.
this really is an eye opener, it logically explains the account of creation.
Wow! Excellent response to the Adam and Eve allegory. This is an interesting conversation on both sides. Does beg the question of free will. Before or after the apple? Thanks for the thinking point. 🐓🐓
Hey, didn't expect to see you here @mother2chicks :)
Are you here to find out what came about first, the hen or the egg? :D
I'm still working on the next CC, btw ;)
Yes, here this morning trying to figure out life in general. Got to keep an eye on you. Think you will have this chicken/egg thing worked out before me. Lol! Good day to you my friend! 🐓🐓
Good night friend, - for me, as I'm in Asia right now.
The hen was first though, I've had this figured out for awhile now :)
Cluck-cluck!
His post carries weight though, most of it makes sense but you are 100% correct. God won't set us up to fail.
Agreed.
A lot of excellent points made here. I am inclined to agree with abcdoctor though on this one. Good case for some conversation. Thanks. 🐓🐓
cluck-cluck :)
Agreed. We were immortal before.
OK, how, by your logic, does this conception occur when only after partaking of the fruit and their eyes are opened, is there a need for aprons?
...and, who was born there?
The fact that no one was born in the Garden does not mean childbirth was impossible; it was possible, there simply wasn't enough time.
I don't follow how the need for covering after the fall proves anything in this case.
The original plan was for mankind to be fruitful and multiply in their un-fallen state, - only then could they perfectly image their Creator in their subduing of the rest of the Earth - the expansion of the Garden of Eden.
Are you suggesting that God's plan was frustrated and that the adversary won because of something an omniscient God did not foresee?
That seems far less palatable to me than that the fall was foreseen and planned for all along, In fact the fall was a crucial aspect of the plan.
I absolutely agree with that one; known unto God are all His works from the beginning of creation. Yet, God glorifies Himself despite the disobedience of the vessels He chooses to use, eventually bringing them to an even better state of usefulness/spiritual fitness.
The story of the birth of the nation of Israel is a mess; Joseph was sold into slavery; David sinned with Bathsheba, etc, etc.
I believe when God gives a commandment, He provides everything needed for its carrying out, along with the commandment.
I'm reminded of Israel's rejection of Christ at this point. He came unto His Own, His Own received Him not... Yet Jesus wept over Jerusalem, and rebuked the nation for not recognizing the hour of her visitation. Any such emotions and rebukes wouldn't make sense if there was no viable offer of the Kingdom, and a real possibility of Israel's accepting the offer.
I believe this discussion comes very close to, or even becomes, a dispute on the subject of election and that is one of the most controversial topics in theology.
Blessings.
Good story @gavvet
This analysis amazes me because I learned something very similar in my philosophy class with the paralel with the matrix!! Keep up the skills mr philospher:)
Very interesting post, if I can give the award for you the most appropriate is no 1. the way you tell and the concept that is so touching to religion so that we can be there. Thank you for sharing, I love it so much that-until I read it several times and can understand clearly.
blaspemous gavet...loved it.
How so? ;)
How do you mean?
well you have biblical references bro...
Just ignore me..LOL
Interesting article i mudt admit.
thankd ;)
As an atheist, I can honestly say I appreciate this exposition (and the series as a whole). Explorations at the edges are the only way for us to glimpse true consciousness and experience the now.
I believe in adaptation more than evolution or in any moment is the same? i don't know is a complex topic. Great post
accumulated adaptions lead to eventual evolution.
And what about the intelligent design theory? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intelligent_design)
Or maybe we shouldn't get that discussion started here! Could be a very long and heated discussion :o
Think about this... mutations that bring about adaptation and evolution are seemingly random and uncontrollable.
The "natural selection" of subsequent adaptations is determined by the environment.
Manipulate the environment and then you are able to manipulate what is "naturally selected".
Control the environment sufficiently for long enough and you are able to control what evolves.
Artificial selection through selective breeding demonstrates exactly this principle and that is how Darwin figured out natural selection.
If artificial selection had been going on for millions of years we would have more than just fancy breeds of cats, dogs and other domestic animals.
Read over this response a few times to fully absorb it. Makes sense.
@gavvet - This is one of the most rational treatments I have seen of the religious beliefs and stories that go with it. A very logical explanation of the childlike state of Adam and Eve that actually prevented them from obeying their first mandate, desire to know the difference between good and evil - knowledge which lead ultimately to their breaking a law to obey the first mandate (Adam's transgression). In my opinion, we should be thankful for Adam's transgression. Such rational looks at laws and sometimes transgression of some for the greater good should perhaps be inculcated in our thinking styles rather than blindly following the letter of the law as we usually do. Thanks for this interesting blog. Upvoted.
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Indeed, if It were not for Adam's transgression we would not be here, still waiting for our turn on earth to learn by our own experience.
Amazing analysis @gavvet, i love the way you quoted that he broke one law in order to obey another!
Lovely read!
Cheers
@progressivechef