Wednesday 16 February 2011

Genesis Four: Sin Leads from Murder to Murder



Sin led to the first murder: Cain killed his brother Abel.



Joel Kontinen

Atheists often claim that bad things are a result of religion. However, reality tells a different kind of story.

The genealogy in Genesis four (the line of Cain) differs greatly from that presented in the next chapter, that is, Seth’s genealogy. The former genealogy begins with a murderer (Cain) and ends with a murderer (Lamech). Sin causes misery and destruction, as the apostle Paul said: ”The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).

In contrast, the genealogy in Genesis chapter five lists men who prayed to God, prophesised and heard His voice. The line of these patriarchs led to Abraham, Moses and Jesus, who came to take away the curse brought about by human sin.

Source:

Robinson, Robert T. 1986. Literary Functions of the Genealogies of Genesis. The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 48:595-608.