Did Adam and Eve really exist?

[Dave Slayer]

Did Adam and Eve really exist? Some have said they were not actual people but allegorical. But if Jesus descended from Adam, then what purpose would the allegorical Adam and Eve serve? Did sin enter the world through an allegory?

 

[Heidi]

Did Adam and Eve really exist? Some have said they were not actual people but metaphorical. But if Jesus descended from Adam, then what purpose would the metaphoric Adam serve?

Of course they existed. It doesn't matter what people say because people aren't omniscient. All that matters is what God says. But there are many people who claim to believe God but they really don't.

We did not come from animals. that is not only an unbelievably absurd story, it's an embarrassment to the mind of man. It proves more than any other story how deluded man is without God. And it's supposedly the "best" and the "brightest" minds of society who have bought into that absurdity. And that is part of what is called "higher" education. :rolling Yes indeed, "the wisdom of the world is foolishness in God's sight."

 

[wavy]

In all probability? No.


Finis,
Eric

 

[Dave Slayer]

In all probability? No.


Finis,
Eric

Do you have any evidence to disprove their existence? If Jesus was real and descended from Adam, how is that possible if Adam never existed? Why is it so difficult to believe Adam was a real human being?

 

[wavy]

In all probability? No.


Finis,
Eric

Do you have any evidence to disprove their existence? If Jesus was real and descended from Adam, how is that possible if Adam never existed? Why is it so difficult to believe Adam wasa real human being?

Similar myths from the ANE and what we know from science disprove their existence. The natural consequence of this is that although he was a real human being, his geneaology is fiction.

Finis,
Eric

 

[Dave Slayer]

In all probability? No.


Finis,
Eric

Do you have any evidence to disprove their existence? If Jesus was real and descended from Adam, how is that possible if Adam never existed? Why is it so difficult to believe Adam wasa real human being?

Similar myths from the ANE and what we know from science disprove their existence. The natural consequence of this is that although he was a real human being, his geneaology is fiction.

Finis,
Eric

Then you might as well throw out the entire genology of Adam to Jesus. If science can't prove something, that doesn't mean it's not true. I believe the Bible to be true and I believe Jesus's words to be true. I guess it all boils down to faith. I believe Adam was a real person and the geneologies recorded in the scriptures are true. You do not believe this and that is fine. But at least one of us is wrong and you probably will say that I am. I can live with that. But my end of this discussion with you about it is over. Believe what you will and I will believe what I will. I will respectably agree to disagree with you on this.

God Bless

Dave

 

[kenmaynard]

Well how about thinking about it this way. Adam and Eve had no knowledge of sin. They were perfectly innocent like a baby. Eve ate a fruit (an apple as i understand it) Really? How could someone with no understanding of right from wrong understand sin?

 

[Dave Slayer]

Well how about thinking about it this way. Adam and Eve had no knowledge of sin. They were perfectly innocent like a baby. Eve ate a fruit (an apple as i understand it) Really? How could someone with no understanding of right from wrong understand sin?

My friend had this response:

Firstly,

The premise that a child is innocent is false, for the scriptures teach that we are concieved sinful, Ps 51:5, indeed when adam sinned, we all sinned, As Paul makes very clear in Romans 5. Children know right from wrong, they do not need to be taught the difference.

Secondly it was not about understanding right from wrong, it was about following the command that God had given to Adam, not to eat of the tree. As our nature is fallen, we cannot equate our understanding of current human nature to the state of innocence that existed in the garden. Adam and eve had a choice, they also had the capacity to choose, there is little more we can say.

 

[Orion]

No, they did not exist. If they DID, . . . it wasn't the way Genesis portrays. That is as far as I see it.

As for "Eve eating the fruit and sinning", . . . if someone doesn't know "good and evil", what it means to actually DO something evil, then Eve would not have known that what she was doing WAS wrong. She wouldn't know HOW to "be disobedient". If she already was capable of making the decision "to sin" by "being disobedeint", then there was no NEED for a "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". It is a "chicken and the egg" paradox. It is simple logic.

Oh, and a baby is innocent!!!!! Most children are innocent UNTIL they actually KNOW that they are being wrong.

 

[Dave Slayer]

No, they did not exist. If they DID, . . . it wasn't the way Genesis portrays. That is as far as I see it.

As for "Eve eating the fruit and sinning", . . . if someone doesn't know "good and evil", what it means to actually DO something evil, then Eve would not have known that what she was doing WAS wrong. She wouldn't know HOW to "be disobedient". If she already was capable of making the decision "to sin" by "being disobedeint", then there was no NEED for a "tree of the knowledge of good and evil". It is a "chicken and the egg" paradox. It is simple logic.

Oh, and a baby is innocent!!!!! Most children are innocent UNTIL they actually KNOW that they are being wrong.

Everything you have posted here is human reasoning. Nothing Biblical whatsoever in your post. You have absolutely no way of disproving Adam and Eve's existence. The inspired word of God trumps human logic anyday. If someone has trouble believing what the Bible says, then discussing these matters is a waste of time.

 

[Orion]

You must take the stance that what was written WAS "the word of God". As far as THAT reasoning trumping human reasoning, you have not made any argument against what I said. The story is a paradox, full of inconsistancies to make it anywhere near being literal. Walking away from a discussion only weakens your side.

 

[whirlwind]

You must take the stance that what was written WAS "the word of God". As far as THAT reasoning trumping human reasoning, you have not made any argument against what I said. The story is a paradox, full of inconsistancies to make it anywhere near being literal. Walking away from a discussion only weakens your side.

The Word is the Divine Word of God...literally! However what you term "inconsistancies" are not with the Word but with our understanding of the Word.

 

[Aero_Hudson]

A couple of thoughts on this one.

- Dave, you did not state that only biblical references could disprove Adam and Eve. The thread title is pretty open ended so I think any evidence, secular or not, can be used in this thread to make a point. Folks might disagree, but that is alright. You cannot pose the question and then say "Well, since what the bible says is the inspired word of God you are wrong". Why did you ask the question in the first place if this is how you were going to respond?

- I have my doubts that they were indeed the first man and woman and yes, I am a Christian albeit a new one. The story of Adam and Eve just do not fit into the world as we know it.

- Many questions need to be answered if the answer to the OPs question is yes. Where is the Garden of Eden today? How do you explain dinosaurs and the existence of Adam and Eve? How does Evolution square with this issue? The list goes on and on. Let's also be careful of the circular logic. Of course the bible says they exist because that is the genesis (no pun intended ;) ) of the question.

- What are the consequences of the story being allegorical? Does it really matter if they did not exist? Does it refute who Jesus was and what he did for us?

Just my humble thoughts.

 

[sforces]

I am a christian who is investigating and learning.
I would like to point out that there is no bloodline between king david and jesus. the bloodline does lead to marys husband but not to mary herself. so since mary is a virgin the bloodline doesnt lead to jesus.

 

[whirlwind]

A couple of thoughts on this one.

- Dave, you did not state that only biblical references could disprove Adam and Eve. The thread title is pretty open ended so I think any evidence, secular or not, can be used in this thread to make a point. Folks might disagree, but that is alright. You cannot pose the question and then say "Well, since what the bible says is the inspired word of God you are wrong". Why did you ask the question in the first place if this is how you were going to respond?

- I have my doubts that they were indeed the first man and woman and yes, I am a Christian albeit a new one. The story of Adam and Eve just do not fit into the world as we know it.

- Many questions need to be answered if the answer to the OPs question is yes. Where is the Garden of Eden today? How do you explain dinosaurs and the existence of Adam and Eve? How does Evolution square with this issue? The list goes on and on. Let's also be careful of the circular logic. Of course the bible says they exist because that is the genesis (no pun intended ;) ) of the question.

- What are the consequences of the story being allegorical? Does it really matter if they did not exist? Does it refute who Jesus was and what he did for us?

Just my humble thoughts.

They were not the first man and first woman on earth but they were the first in the line to Christ...they did exist. The question of the thread is if they really existed.

 

[jasoncran]

whirlwind explain to me then who was the first man or woman on the earth, I believe them to be literal. I will dug up the response( from pastor adrain rogers) to are babies innocent of sin and arent held accountable, but do have the potential to sin, at a later time.

ie when a child grows do you have to teach them to lie, no steal no, be selfish ,no. But you do have to teach them no to do wrong.

jason

 

[westtexas]

I am a christian who is investigating and learning.
I would like to point out that there is no bloodline between king david and jesus. the bloodline does lead to marys husband but not to mary herself. so since mary is a virgin the bloodline doesnt lead to jesus.

This doesn't have anything to do with Adam and Eve (which I believe to be 2 literal people) but King David's lineage does lead to Mary. Luke chapter 3 traces this lineage from King David through his son Nathan down to Mary. Matthew chapter 1 traces this lineage from King David through his son Solomon down to Joseph.

Westtexas

 

[whirlwind]

whirlwind explain to me then who was the first man or woman on the earth, I believe them to be literal. I will dug up the response( from pastor adrain rogers) to are babies innocent of sin and arent held accountable, but do have the potential to sin, at a later time.

ie when a child grows do you have to teach them to lie, no steal no, be selfish ,no. But you do have to teach them no to do wrong.

jason

Adam and Eve are literal. They are who our Savior came from. But, there were humans created before them.

On the sixth day God "created He him; male and female created He them." Mankind, all races were created, "and, behold, it was very good." God rested on the seventh day and then...."there was not a man to till the ground." So....

• Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (And the LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.

He created man and woman on the sixth day. He formed Adam and not with a woman, after the seventh day. Adam was formed for a specific purpose for through him would come the chosen of Israel and our Savior.

• Isaiah 44:21 Remember these, O Jacob and Israel; for thou art My servant: I have formed thee; thou art My servant: O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of Me.

This chosen family is to "till the ground." Take His seeds of truth into the field, the world, and produce fruit.

 

[Orion]

I have no idea if Adam and Eve actually existed. What I am saying is that, if they DID, . . . the story in the first part of Genesis had nothing to do with them, but was a MAN'S way of trying to understand the world he lived in, and how it could have come about, and placed these two into the story (perhaps because they are the oldest names that came up). HIS lack of understanding, even if it made it into a religious canon, doesn't make it a literal chain of events. The evidence found does not congrue with the story. There is FAR more age to the earth and universe than the 6,000 years suggested therein.

I also agree that there were people before these two people (again, if they existed).

 

[whirlwind]

I have no idea if Adam and Eve actually existed. What I am saying is that, if they DID, . . . the story in the first part of Genesis had nothing to do with them, but was a MAN'S way of trying to understand the world he lived in, and how it could have come about, and placed these two into the story (perhaps because they are the oldest names that came up). HIS lack of understanding, even if it made it into a religious canon, doesn't make it a literal chain of events. The evidence found does not congrue with the story. There is FAR more age to the earth and universe than the 6,000 years suggested therein.

I also agree that there were people before these two people (again, if they existed).

There was an age before our present age. It is written...it is not taught.