Here's the verse:
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."
Two things: Who is God referring two when he says "us"? Are there other Gods running around, like they used to do on Mt. Olympus? This context doesn't make sense for "angels".
Also, why was God afraid that man would become as powerful as him? Smart AND immortal? Is it that easy, I can eat an apple and rival God?
Honestly, this entire verse is very, very similar to the Greek mythology it is probably related to.
2007-01-23 07:25:52 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ah - a non-polemic question. Bless you. Yes - you have spotted several issues w/ the verse.
"Us" - most ancient religions of this time believed in a heavenly court. See for instance the cherub of Eden's gate and even satan aka "Accuser". The difficulty in the OT is that one of the names for God is Elohim - which is a plural word i n the Hebrew. It reads like the "royal plural." Remember Queen E's "We are not amused." So = royal court or royal plural?
The other key word is yd' which is often/usually translated "know" but which carries a subtler meaning in the Hebrew i.e. "to experience, to come to know." Process and result. A similar use of the word is in 2 Sam. 19:36 where it refers to an awareness/ appreciation of the good or bad not limited to the moral sense, but a physical sense. Thus in the garden A & E were comfortable w/ sex and their bodies, but after the apple came to an awareness of nakedness - which God solved by clothing them.
At this point, it is not a matter of God fearing, but an acknowledgement of humanity's awareness of the mystery of sex and of mortality.
In the Bible, Gen. 1 - 11 are a Prequel and Gen. 12 starts the faith story of Abram. The opening is a reworking of ancient Mesopotamian works, especially Gilgamesh Epic, Adapa = for this story, and other Ugaritic works. These were the religious mythologies of the people of Ur (where Abraham grew up) and the Hurrians surrounding them. You are quite correct in their similarity to other ancient peoples, but in this case vocabulary, syntax, story elements, and transmission point to S. Mesopotamia = where by the way, scientists are fairly certain Eden can be located.
Good question.
2007-01-23 07:47:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
We still read Greek mythology to show us how different we were from them and yet we still have a few similarities. It also gives you an idea of how people thought way back when. It was also a way that explained what nature was for them. Like, where did we get fire? They answered it with human knowledge as a Titan gave it to us but was persacuted. So that is why we get burned because the Titan tryed to help us so we 2 are punished.(Prometheus) . We read it because it makes a good read and that it shows us that at least we aren't the crazy ones.(just joking about not being crazy)
2016-05-24 01:32:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is certainly confusing, but that's because most people don't understand the original context. At the time these scriptures were written, people in the Middle East, including the Jews, were polytheistic. That is, they believed in multiple gods. Yahweh was just one of the pantheon. Inanna, Baal, Dumuzi, etc. were others popular at the time. It wasn't until centuries later that certain kings in Israel promoted worship of a single god. And by then some of the text had been changed, but not enough to be consistent throughout. Too bad they don't teach this sort of thing in catechism. People would have a much broader understanding of the Judeo-Christian tradition if they taught the history of these religions in Sunday school or in Catholic schools.
2007-01-23 07:35:35 · answer #3 · answered by zucchero81 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The whole Bible is like reading Greek Mythology. Think about it, a God coming down to Earth to impregnate a woman is straight from the stories of Hercules and Achilles, both of whom in Greek Mythology have a God as one parent. Yet so many people blow these off as Myths, but believe the story of Jesus without pause...
Silly Christians...
2007-01-23 07:40:03 · answer #4 · answered by Maverick 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Us is the trinity, which man is made in the likeness of. Spirit, soul, and body.
Man had fallen, his flesh was capable of regeneration forever with the fruit of the tree of life in the garden. God could not allow imperfect humanity to corrupt His universe. The plan was to redeem man on the cross.
Similarities are common with myths that are generated from truth, they strike a chord within our spirit that inspires one to be enlightened.
Peace.
2007-01-23 07:48:56 · answer #5 · answered by Jay Z 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
No, considering which came first, Greek mythology reads like Genesis 3:22. (Do you look like your father or does your father look like you?)
In Genesis 3, "us" refers to "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" who, together created men in their own image and likeness. Compare this with John 1 where it states that "everything that was made" was made by the "Word of God" (Jesus). However, in creating Adam, the Trinity gathered together to create him. Truly God's "own, special creation".
God was not afraid of Adam eating for His sake. He knew Adam and Eve could not handle eternal life (the second fruit) anymore than they could handle knowledge of good and evil by themselves (the first fruit). Actually, when you read in Revelation, the fruit of the tree of life is reserved as a reward for those who trust in Christ for salvation. It was merely a matter of timing.
May God bless you with the revelation of Himself.
2007-01-23 07:48:00 · answer #6 · answered by God Still Speaks Through His Word! 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most religions have their basis in older religions. All of the ancient religions had a myriad of gods.
For other peoples explanations: research Zacharia Stitchen, for a more amusing explanation read Robert Heinlein's book 'JOB'.
2007-01-23 07:34:53 · answer #7 · answered by ___ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The trinity.
2007-01-23 07:29:18 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
God is a TRINITY (father, son, holy spirit) the hebrew world for God, "elohim" meaning "mighty ones" is plural.
god isn't "afraid" of the creation, God knew how much destruction humans would cause on themselves, by knowing good and evil, humans were truly happy before sin when they were "innocent" of such things.
2007-01-23 07:29:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
God Jesus and the Holy Spirit, Do you really believe that God is worried about man being his equal?
2007-01-23 07:29:34 · answer #10 · answered by pepsiolic 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋