DOCSLIB.ORG

THE ADAMIC BACKDROP of ROMANS 7 a Dissertation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
THE ADAMIC BACKDROP of ROMANS 7 a Dissertation THE ADAMIC BACKDROP OF ROMANS 7 A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation Committee: Dr. Ben Witherington III Dr. Joseph R. Dongell Dr. Ruth Anne Reese By Robert Brian Kidwell September 2012 UMI Number: 3537129 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. ttswwioft FtoMsh«i UMI 3537129 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Copyright 2012 Robert Brian Kidwell All rights reserved ABSTRACT The Adamic Backdrop of Romans 7 This dissertation is a study of the Adamic backdrop of Rom 7. While much has been written throughout church history regarding the identity of the “I” in 7:7-25, this dissertation contends that Paul is using the Greek rhetorical device of impersonation to speak of himself as Adam. That this is the case is evidenced by the vocabulary and imagery of Rom 7. This conjecture is further supported by the significant role the Adam story plays in both Judaism and early Christianity and especially in Paul. Moreover, the dissertation demonstrates that Adam imagery is distinctly evident in several passages in Romans and that the structure of the book clearly links 7:7-25 back to 5:12-21 where Adam is plainly contrasted with Christ. This contrast is maintained throughout Rom 5-8 and thus the two epochs of Adam and Christ are what drive the content of these chapters, further supporting the view that Rom 7 is Paul’s impersonation of Adam. The approach is intended to be comprehensive and selectively unites together various components of this argument: history of interpretation; Jewish and NT background; employment of the Adam narrative in the Pauline epistles, especially the Corinthian letters and Romans; the structure of Romans; and the exegesis of Rom 7. The goal is to provide an understanding of the “I” which recognizes that Adam alone harmonizes with many of Paul’s statements in Rom 7 and, thus, in order to be consistent, one must follow this association throughout the entire passage. At the same time, this interpretation still allows Paul to address an important message to the Roman church, that is, that only the Spirit, not the Law, provides victory over indwelling sin. Kidwell ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION......................... 1 CHAPTER 1 - HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION..........................................................7 Early Church Fathers ................................................................................................ 7 From Augustine to the Reformers ...........................................................................18 The Modem Period................................................................................................. 27 CHAPTER 2 - THE HERMENEUTIC AND RHETORIC OF PAUL............................ 45 Hermeneutics .......................................................................................................... 46 Rhetoric....................................................................................................................57 Diatribe ....................................................................................................... 64 Synkrisis...................................................................................................... 71 Impersonation............................................................................................. 74 Text Critical Issues .....................................................................................81 CHAPTER 3 - THE ADAM STORY IN JUDAISM........................................................88 Old Testament......................................................................................................... 92 Intertestamental Literature ....................................................................................100 CHAPTER 4 - THE ADAM STORY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT............................128 Synoptic Gospels.................................................................................................. 128 Johannine Literature .............................................................................................. 135 A cts........................................................................................................................141 Jam es......................................................................................................................142 Pauline Letters 147 Kidwell iii CHAPTER 5 - THE ADAM STORY IN ROMANS ...................................................... 172 Rom 1 - Exchanging Glory for Corruption ........................................................ 173 Romans 2 ............................................................................................................. 188 Romans 3 ...............................................................................................................190 Romans 4 ................................................. 193 Romans 5 - Adam and Christ Contrasted ........................................................... 195 Romans 6 - The Contrast Continues ................................................................... 205 Romans 8 - Glory Regained................... 209 Romans 9 through 15 .......................... 214 Romans 16:20 - Protoevangelium Fulfilled ........................................................215 CHAPTER 6 - STRUCTURAL ARGUMENTS ............................................................ 220 The Purpose of Romans ........................................................................................220 Paul’s Audience .................................................................................................... 222 Outline of Romans ................................................................................................ 226 Contrast in Romans............................................................................................... 235 CHAPTER 7 - ADAM IN ROMANS 7 .................................................................. 250 Paul’s View of the Law .........................................................................................250 “I” as Autobiography ............................................................................................253 “I” as Every M an.................................................................................................. 255 “I” as Israel........................... 260 “I” as Adam........................................................................................................... 264 CHAPTER 8 - CONCLUSIONS.....................................................................................288 BIBLIOGRAPHY 300 Kidwell iv DEDICATION Tell me the old, old story, Write on my heart every word. I have sung those words nearly my entire life, and from my earliest memories, many have told me the story of Jesus. Beginning with my grandmother and continuing on through Sunday school teachers, pastors and friends, I have been privileged to hear that narrative many times. It is to these faithful witnesses that I first dedicate this work for without them I would not know the wonderful story of redemption. This dissertation, however, is not primarily about the 2000 year old story of Jesus’ death on the cross but rather is concerned with an even older narrative that goes back to the dawn of creation. It concerns the story of the first man, Adam, whose sin necessitated the coming of the second Adam, Jesus, in order to deliver us from the sin and death which the first Adam ushered into the world. That most ancient of stories has been told to me many times as well. Indeed, my committee members are not only responsible for helping to finalize this work but have also sown the seeds which initiated the thought process that led up to it. It was in one of my first classes in the doctoral program with Dr. Ben Witherington that I first began to examine the idea that Paul was impersonating Adam in this text. Indeed, those structural arguments I presented in a paper for that class comprise much of the substance of one of the chapters in this dissertation. Moreover, in Greek class Dr. Joe Dongell noted that where most English translations have “a lie” in Rom 1:25, the original actually employs the definite article and in the creation context of Rom 1, this almost certainly points to the original lie of Satan in the Garden. This led to further exploration of other texts in Kidwell v Romans for an Adamic backdrop. Finally, in Corinthians class with Dr. Ruth Anne Reese, I was able to explore how profusely Paul employed the Adam story in those epistles. Thus, thanks must go out to all three members of my committee for not only helping to finalize this project but also for contributing to its inception as well. Many thanks also go to my editor, Sue Liubinskas, for greatly improving the flow of my writing. Although she also did much to raise the level of my writing, the pastoral, familiar style which remains is my own. Furthermore,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Original Sin and Justification by Faith1 Churchman 67/4 1953
    Original Sin and Justification by Faith1 Churchman 67/4 1953 Revd D. B. Knox Thomas Becon, Archbishop Cranmer’s chaplain, wrote an allegory about a private dinner party through which he expounded the way of salvation. The first of the four courses which the cook served up consisted of texts from scripture which set out the sinfulness of man’s condition “This is a bitter dish to begin the meal,” a guest complained. “Its bitterness is necessary to be digested,” his host replied, “that you might the better appreciate the delicacy of the dishes that follow. A knowledge of ourselves is necessary to understand God’s grace”. Scripture teaches clearly that all humanity is sinful. No child of Adam avoids sin. (Romans, iii. 23; iii. 10-18; 1 John i. 10). This testimony of scripture is clear; but we should not need the light of scripture to arrive at this elementary truth about human nature, at least in this generation when the marks of human sinfulness are so clearly to be discerned all around us. The question arises, why is sinfulness universal? Pelagius had an answer, viz, the bad example of society into which children are born. There are modern sociologists who give the same reply. Change the environment, isolate the child from the entail of the past, and the sinful propensities will not develop. But experience shows that this is not so. Sinfulness is innate, an integral part of human nature as it now is. The Bible does not speak much of the origin of sinfulness in the individual.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Identity
    Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Page Talk Read Edit Fossil record Search Christian Identity Christ died so we may Main page write articles about Recent changes This page Random page contains too Christianity New pages many unsourced All logs statements and Help needs to be Support improved. Donate Christian A multi-chef broth Identity could use Community Catholicism some help. Please Saloon bar Eastern Orthodox research the To do list Protestantism What is going on? article's assertions. Restorationism Best of Whatever is RationalWiki Devil's in the details credible should be About RationalWiki American Family sourced, and what Technical support Association is not should be External links Bryan College removed. Twitter Charter for Facebook Compassion Discord Christian socialism Christian identity is a racist religious Tools Christmas philosophy and a way of translating What links here Leadership Related changes Christianity within the racist framework Conference of Women Special pages understood by some white supremacists, Religious Printable version Identity Christians (followers of the Mara bar Serapion Permanent link movement), Klansmen, some neo- Santiago de Page information Confederates, some anti-Semites and Compostela some Neo-Nazis. The pearly gates Christianity portal Contents v - t - e 1 Tenets 2 "Evidence" The colorful pseudoscience 3 Debunked 4 Followers Racialism 5 See also 6 External links 7 References Tenets [edit] Hating thy neighbour In a nutshell, here is all you will ever Racism need to know about these loony-tune Racial pride whackjobs. They believe the following: Nationalism 1. The nation of Israel and the Ten Divide and conquer Lost Tribes in the Old Testament of Aryan the Bible is the Celtic, Germanic, Black Hebrew Anglo-Saxon, Slavic, Scandinavian Israelites peoples and their descendants.
    [Show full text]
  • Muhammad Speaking of the Messiah: Jesus in the Hadīth Tradition
    MUHAMMAD SPEAKING OF THE MESSIAH: JESUS IN THE HADĪTH TRADITION A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY by Fatih Harpci (May 2013) Examining Committee Members: Prof. Khalid Y. Blankinship, Advisory Chair, Department of Religion Prof. Vasiliki Limberis, Department of Religion Prof. Terry Rey, Department of Religion Prof. Zameer Hasan, External Member, TU Department of Physics © Copyright 2013 by Fatih Harpci All Rights Reserved ii ABSTRACT Much has been written about Qur’ānic references to Jesus (‘Īsā in Arabic), yet no work has been done on the structure or formal analysis of the numerous references to ‘Īsā in the Hadīth, that is, the collection of writings that report the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. In effect, non-Muslims and Muslim scholars neglect the full range of Prophet Muhammad’s statements about Jesus that are in the Hadīth. The dissertation’s main thesis is that an examination of the Hadīths’ reports of Muhammad’s words about and attitudes toward ‘Īsā will lead to fuller understandings about Jesus-‘Īsā among Muslims and propose to non-Muslims new insights into Christian tradition about Jesus. In the latter process, non-Muslims will be encouraged to re-examine past hostile views concerning Muhammad and his words about Jesus. A minor thesis is that Western readers in particular, whether or not they are Christians, will be aided to understand Islamic beliefs about ‘Īsā, prophethood, and eschatology more fully. In the course of the dissertation, Hadīth studies will be enhanced by a full presentation of Muhammad’s words about and attitudes toward Jesus-‘Īsā.
    [Show full text]
  • Reassessing Justin Martyr's Binitarian Orientation in 1
    Perichoresis Volume 17.1 (2019): 41–54 DOI: 10.2478/perc-2019-0009 REASSESSING JUSTIN MARTYR’S BINITARIAN ORIENTATION IN 1 APOLOGY 33 STEPHEN O. PRESLEY * Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary ABSTRACT. Many scholars argue that Justin is either inconsistent or confused in his view of the Spirit in relation to the Logos. The most decisive section in this discussion is 1Apol. 33, where Justin appears to confuse the titles and unify the functions of the Logos and the Spirit. This essay argues that this apparent confusion is conditioned by Justin’s particular christologi- cal reading of Isaiah 7:14 in order to meet the demands of his own understanding of the apos- tolic faith. The interpretation of Isaiah 7:14 is a unique case with multiple external hermeneu- tical pressures imposing upon his exegesis, including those coming from competing Jewish exegesis, Greco-Roman mythology, and Marcionite interpretations. At the same time, Justin reads scripture within his own Christian community. Justin’s exegesis of Isaiah 7:14 attempts to account for these external pressures by focusing upon the particular Lukan terminology of ‘Power’ rather than ‘Spirit’ in Luke 1:35, which downplays the function of the Spirit in the incarnation in order to demonstrate that the Logos has come in power. This exegetical move exposes him to binitarian allegations, but does not suggest that Justin is, in fact, a binitarian. What this suggests, however, is that in 1Apol. 33 Justin actually resists confusing the Logos and the Spirit even when a text uses the language of ‘Spirit’, because his exegetical concern is fo- cused on the Logos coming in power.
    [Show full text]
  • Sermon Notes
    The Story of Christmas—Pt.1 “The Story Begins with a Promise” (12/6/15) As you are all painfully aware of we have officially entered into the Christmas season. And in honor of Christmas and all that it means to us as Christians I’d like to do something I’ve never done before in all my years of ministry. I’d like to take this Sunday, the next two Sundays and then finishing on Christmas Day—I’d like to set aside these four services to focus on the ‘Story of Christmas’. I remember years ago when my oldest son Phil was only about 5 or 6 years old, he came to me a couple of weeks before Christmas and asked me to read him the Christmas story from the Bible. My initial reaction was to turn to the Gospel of Luke and read to him the first part of chapter two when the Lord spoke to my heart and reminded me that that really wasn’t where the Christmas story began—in many ways that was the culmination of the story of Christmas. You see the Christmas story didn’t begin in Bethlehem or in a manger or even with the angel announcing to Mary that she had been chosen by God to be the mother of the Messiah— The Christmas story actually began four thousand years earlier in a Garden—the Garden of Eden. 1 Genesis 2:8-9, 15-17 (NKJV) 8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
    [Show full text]
  • Original Sin and Justification by Faith by the Rev
    Original Sin and Justification by Faith BY THE REv. D. B. KNOX, B.A., M.Th. The substance of a lecture at the Oxford Conference of Evangelical Churchmen HOMAS BECON, Archbishop Cranmer's chaplain, wrote an Tallegory about a private dinner party through which he expounded the way of salvation. The first of the four courses which the cook served up consisted of texts from scripture which set out the sinfulness of man's condition "This is a bitter dish to begin the meal," a guest complained. " Its bitterness is necessary to be digested," his host replied, " that you might the better appreciate the delicacy of the dishes that follow. A knowledge of ourselves is necessary to under­ stand God's grace". Scripture teaches clearly that all humanity is sinful. No child of Adam avoids sin. 1 This testimony of scripture is clear ; but we should not need the light of scripture to arrive at this elementary truth about human nature, at least in this generation when the marks of human sinfulness are so clearly to be discerned all around us. The question arises, why is sinfulness universal ? Pelagius had an answer, viz, the bad example of society into which children are born. There are modern sociologists who give the same reply. Change the environ­ ment, isolate the child from the entail of the past, and the sinful pro­ pensities will not develop. But experience shows that this is not so. Sinfulness is innate, an integral part of human nature as it now is. The Bible does not speak much of the origin of sinfulness in the individual.
    [Show full text]
  • The Book of Common Prayer
    The Book of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church Together with The Psalter or Psalms of David According to the use of The Episcopal Church Church Publishing Incorporated, New York Certificate I certify that this edition of The Book of Common Prayer has been compared with a certified copy of the Standard Book, as the Canon directs, and that it conforms thereto. Gregory Michael Howe Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer January, 2007 Table of Contents The Ratification of the Book of Common Prayer 8 The Preface 9 Concerning the Service of the Church 13 The Calendar of the Church Year 15 The Daily Office Daily Morning Prayer: Rite One 37 Daily Evening Prayer: Rite One 61 Daily Morning Prayer: Rite Two 75 Noonday Prayer 103 Order of Worship for the Evening 108 Daily Evening Prayer: Rite Two 115 Compline 127 Daily Devotions for Individuals and Families 137 Table of Suggested Canticles 144 The Great Litany 148 The Collects: Traditional Seasons of the Year 159 Holy Days 185 Common of Saints 195 Various Occasions 199 The Collects: Contemporary Seasons of the Year 211 Holy Days 237 Common of Saints 246 Various Occasions 251 Proper Liturgies for Special Days Ash Wednesday 264 Palm Sunday 270 Maundy Thursday 274 Good Friday 276 Holy Saturday 283 The Great Vigil of Easter 285 Holy Baptism 299 The Holy Eucharist An Exhortation 316 A Penitential Order: Rite One 319 The Holy Eucharist: Rite One 323 A Penitential Order: Rite Two 351 The Holy Eucharist: Rite Two 355 Prayers of the People
    [Show full text]
  • Cain and Abel” the Promise Pictured and a Counterfeit Gospel Genesis 4:1-16, 25-26
    Patrick Griffiths ONE STORY | ONE SAVIOR - UNIT 1 | LESSON 05a The Pentateuch – The Promise Given Through the Royal Gift Covenant God is a PROMISE Making God God 1) CREATES a place where 2) He will MEET with his People 3) for their JOY . 4) His People reject Him. 5) God binds Himself through PROMISE (i.e. The Royal Gift Covenant) to 6) RESCUE His people from their sin and 7) RESTORE them to Himself for their JOY . “Cain and Abel” The Promise Pictured and a Counterfeit Gospel Genesis 4:1-16, 25-26 Gen. 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” THE BIG IDEA [Emphasis; A.I.M.; The Line; The Melodic Line; Main Point]: In chapters 1 and 2, we learned how Adam and Eve were the pinnacle of God’s good earth. In chapter 3, Adam and Eve reject God’s invitation for joy and separate themselves from God through their rebellion. Now, in chapters 4 and following, we will learn of sin’s catastrophic impact on Adam and Eve’s descendants, the insidious attack against the SEED PROMISE by the Serpent, and God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promise to the Serpent, to Adam, and to Eve. The serpent’s seed would assault the woman’s seed in order to stop the promise of God. This pattern of assault tracks through the entire Bible. The sin of Adam and Eve impacted their entire offspring.
    [Show full text]
  • Did Eve Have Sex with Satan? the Serpent Seed View of Genesis 3:15
    CHRISTIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE PO Box 8500, Charlotte, NC 28271 Practical Hermeneutics: JAP393 DID EVE HAVE SEX WITH SATAN? THE SERPENT SEED VIEW OF GENESIS 3:15 by Robert Velarde This article first appeared in the Practical Hermeneutics column of the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, volume 39, number 03 (2016). For further information or to subscribe to the CHRISTIAN RESEARCH JOURNAL, go to: http://www.equip.org/christian-research-journal/. “Here is what really happened in the Garden of Eden. The Word says that Eve was beguiled by the serpent. She was actually seduced by the serpent….He was so close to being human that his seed could, and did mingle with that of the woman and cause her to conceive. When this happened, God cursed the serpent.” —William Branham1 Branham (1909–65), a proponent of Oneness theology,2 taught the so-called serpent seed interpretation of Genesis 3, with adherents of this view often citing Genesis 3:15 in support of their position: “And I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (ESV). The crux of the serpent seed view is that Eve and Satan engaged in sexual relations. Consequently, sin is viewed as sexual in nature, as opposed to the traditional interpretation of the fall as sin being disobedience to God. In addition to Branham, other serpent seed interpretations of Genesis 3:15 are found in the teachings of the Christian Identity movement, as well as, for instance, in the teachings of Arnold Murray (1929– 2014) of Shepherd’s Chapel and also the Unification Church.
    [Show full text]
  • Films Shown by Series
    Films Shown by Series: Fall 1999 - Winter 2006 Winter 2006 Cine Brazil 2000s The Man Who Copied Children’s Classics Matinees City of God Mary Poppins Olga Babe Bus 174 The Great Muppet Caper Possible Loves The Lady and the Tramp Carandiru Wallace and Gromit in The Curse of the God is Brazilian Were-Rabbit Madam Satan Hans Staden The Overlooked Ford Central Station Up the River The Whole Town’s Talking Fosse Pilgrimage Kiss Me Kate Judge Priest / The Sun Shines Bright The A!airs of Dobie Gillis The Fugitive White Christmas Wagon Master My Sister Eileen The Wings of Eagles The Pajama Game Cheyenne Autumn How to Succeed in Business Without Really Seven Women Trying Sweet Charity Labor, Globalization, and the New Econ- Cabaret omy: Recent Films The Little Prince Bread and Roses All That Jazz The Corporation Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Shaolin Chop Sockey!! Human Resources Enter the Dragon Life and Debt Shaolin Temple The Take Blazing Temple Blind Shaft The 36th Chamber of Shaolin The Devil’s Miner / The Yes Men Shao Lin Tzu Darwin’s Nightmare Martial Arts of Shaolin Iron Monkey Erich von Stroheim Fong Sai Yuk The Unbeliever Shaolin Soccer Blind Husbands Shaolin vs. Evil Dead Foolish Wives Merry-Go-Round Fall 2005 Greed The Merry Widow From the Trenches: The Everyday Soldier The Wedding March All Quiet on the Western Front The Great Gabbo Fires on the Plain (Nobi) Queen Kelly The Big Red One: The Reconstruction Five Graves to Cairo Das Boot Taegukgi Hwinalrmyeo: The Brotherhood of War Platoon Jean-Luc Godard (JLG): The Early Films,
    [Show full text]
  • BIBLICAL BEGINNINGS- “The Fall That Fractured Man” DATE: December 8, 2019 ​
    MESSAGE/SERIES: BIBLICAL BEGINNINGS- “The Fall that Fractured Man” DATE: December 8, 2019 ​ SCRIPTURE FOR THIS WEEK: (These verses will help you understand themes within as you read our core text as scripture proves scripture) Genesis 3-5, Romans 5:12, 2 Corinthians 11:3, Hebrews 11:3-5, Revelations 12:9, 1 ​ John 3:12, John 8:44, 1 John 2:16, Matthew 4:3-8, 1 Timothy 2:14, Galatians 3:16, Romans 8:19-23 (Nature affected by curse), 1 John 3:8-12 (The Sinner practices ​ sin/love propels obedience & repentance), Isaiah 53:3 OPENING SCRIPTURE: [Genesis 3-5] “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.
    [Show full text]
  • 37. the Serpent Seed Doctrine
    THE SERPENT SEED DOCTRINE By George Lujack The Serpent Seed doctrine is a controversial religious belief, which attempts to explain the Scriptural account of the fall of man by saying that the serpent in the Garden of Eden mated with Eve, impregnated her, and that the offspring of their union was Cain. Much of Scripture was written allegorically, figuratively, prophetically, and symbolically. Proponents of the Serpent Seed doctrine decipher the Genesis account of the fall of man with the understanding that it was written symbolically. The problem is that the Serpent Seed doctrine follows a preconceived storyline and refuses to look at the Scripture and scientific exculpatory evidence that proves that the serpent in the garden could not have impregnated Eve, but instead makes leaps in assumptions and logic, liberally using Scripture to support the doctrine. This article will review excerpts of the Serpent Seed doctrine, in italics, and will show that man’s original sin was an act of disobedience to God in the Garden of Eden, but was not an act of sex between Eve and the serpent. This article will also show that the serpent did not impregnate Eve, resulting in Cain being born as the spawn of the serpent. The origin of the Serpent Seed doctrine goes back thousands of years, appearing in Gnostic writings and early Jewish texts. Mainstream Christian theologians and the early Christian church rightly rejected the Serpent Seed doctrine as unscriptural. THE DOCTRINE OF THE SERPENT SEED [1] SS DOCTRINE: “And the Lord God said unto the Serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and every beast of the field; upon thy belly thou shalt go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shall bruise his heel.” -Genesis 3:14-15 GENESIS 3:1: Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field, which YHWH (the Lord) God had made.
    [Show full text]