Coincidental reading today that this Dürer piece has been recently restored and my having had a awkward experience in Bible study yesterday. I'm in a "singles" ministry where the majority of the members are women. I'm the sole man participating in a particular discussion group.
There was an argument as to whether Adam and Eve, explicitly told to eat not of the Tree of Knowledge, were at liberty to partake of the Tree of Life prior to their expulsion from the garden. A close reading indicates that they were but evidently never had the opportunity. Banished, they were prohibited from that as well and destined for travail.
There was an argument as to whether Adam and Eve, explicitly told to eat not of the Tree of Knowledge, were at liberty to partake of the Tree of Life prior to their expulsion from the garden. A close reading indicates that they were but evidently never had the opportunity. Banished, they were prohibited from that as well and destined for travail.
The controversy arose over this citation:Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might stretch out his hand, and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.
Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, in the middle of its street. On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. There will no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His bond-servants will serve Him; they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.
Upon redemption, our freedom to eat of the Tree of Life is restored.
The curse removed, by grace we proceed in blessed assurance. Amen.I've no idea how they got to argue about this... it's all poesy to me. As they went back and forth and called upon an elderly authority to resolve the matter, I was caught up in the metaphorical as opposed to the literal and turned to the woman next to me.
"Words are the source of misunderstanding."
"I know." she said as I'd an inkling she'd know the source of that.
I find these conflicts stressful. No Bible scholar, I do know that Adam and Eve are archaic Hebrew words for man and woman. Many cultures have indigenous genesis stories - this one served the Hebrews quite well, obedience being a precursor to an ordered society. It still "works" on account of the nature of human relationships; with each other and with property. "Do as you're told." and "Don't take what doesn't belong to you." perennially functional. Sexual dynamics seem part of the drama, but certainly aren't the only thing involved.
With regard to enmity between men and women, well, that ought to be alleviated by our Christian experience pursuant to this. And "No Trespassing" means exactly that - thanks; we'll see whether the educational purpose flies.
I find these conflicts stressful. No Bible scholar, I do know that Adam and Eve are archaic Hebrew words for man and woman. Many cultures have indigenous genesis stories - this one served the Hebrews quite well, obedience being a precursor to an ordered society. It still "works" on account of the nature of human relationships; with each other and with property. "Do as you're told." and "Don't take what doesn't belong to you." perennially functional. Sexual dynamics seem part of the drama, but certainly aren't the only thing involved.
With regard to enmity between men and women, well, that ought to be alleviated by our Christian experience pursuant to this. And "No Trespassing" means exactly that - thanks; we'll see whether the educational purpose flies.
No comments:
Post a Comment