Genesis 1-3 Essay
Genesis 1-3: Life, Immortality and Death
Judaism, like other world religions, attempts to produce stories to explain how the world was created and how mankind came to be. For Judaism, the story of creation and mankind can be found in the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. The book of Genesis, originally written in Hebrew, was translated in Greek about two hundred and fifty years before the time of Christ. The author, believed to be Moses, is an admired leader in Judaism. He writes the creation narrative to tell the story about the formation of heaven and earth and the importance of knowing good and evil. In the first three chapters of Genesis, there are two main stories, the creation of the Cosmos and the Sabbath, as well as the creation …show more content…
Adam and Eve, who are created by God in his likeness, are immortal, in body and soul. They are to live their lives according to God’s plan and for this they will have eternal life. Unfortunately, the plan that God creates is put to the test when Adam and Eve are forced to make a moral judgement. Originally God instructs Adam to “freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam and Eve understand God’s warning but, when a shrewd serpent persuades Eve by saying, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5), she is tempted. Eve likes the look of the fruit and is convinced that it will make her more God-like. Therefore, she eats the fruit and offers some to Adam who also chooses to eat it. Immediately, both Adam and Eve cover their naked bodies with fig leaves and when they hear God coming they, “hid[e] themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Adam and Eve know that they have been misled by the evil voice of temptation. They also recognize that the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil has separated them from
Judaism, like other world religions, attempts to produce stories to explain how the world was created and how mankind came to be. For Judaism, the story of creation and mankind can be found in the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. The book of Genesis, originally written in Hebrew, was translated in Greek about two hundred and fifty years before the time of Christ. The author, believed to be Moses, is an admired leader in Judaism. He writes the creation narrative to tell the story about the formation of heaven and earth and the importance of knowing good and evil. In the first three chapters of Genesis, there are two main stories, the creation of the Cosmos and the Sabbath, as well as the creation …show more content…
Adam and Eve, who are created by God in his likeness, are immortal, in body and soul. They are to live their lives according to God’s plan and for this they will have eternal life. Unfortunately, the plan that God creates is put to the test when Adam and Eve are forced to make a moral judgement. Originally God instructs Adam to “freely eat of every tree of the garden; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die” (Genesis 2:16-17). Adam and Eve understand God’s warning but, when a shrewd serpent persuades Eve by saying, “You will not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4-5), she is tempted. Eve likes the look of the fruit and is convinced that it will make her more God-like. Therefore, she eats the fruit and offers some to Adam who also chooses to eat it. Immediately, both Adam and Eve cover their naked bodies with fig leaves and when they hear God coming they, “hid[e] themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Adam and Eve know that they have been misled by the evil voice of temptation. They also recognize that the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil has separated them from