Murder, Football and Redemption

In adult Sunday school this morning, if the rain doesn’t keep everyone away, we’ll read Genesis chapter 4, which tells the J story of Cain murdering Abel and begins an etiology of civilization, humans beginning to settle down. Anglicans, Episcopalians, as usual have more questions than answers; which seems good because religion with questions and doubts is interesting to ponder and permissible to question and doubt; whereas religion with all the answers is not only incredibly boring but inevitably wrong. So, come!

It makes this morning’s post too long, nevertheless, here’s Genesis 4 (NRSV) followed by some questions and stuff.

Come!

Cain Murders Abel

1 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced[a] a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.”[b] And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so![c] Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod,[d] east of Eden.

Beginnings of Civilization

17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and named it Enoch after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methushael, and Methushael the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives:

“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.

24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

25 Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, “God has appointed[e] for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.

Footnotes:

Genesis 4:1 The verb in Heb resembles the word for Cain
Genesis 4:8 Sam Gk Syr Compare Vg: MT lacks Let us go out to the field
Genesis 4:15 Gk Syr Vg: Heb Therefore
Genesis 4:16 That is Wandering
Genesis 4:25 The verb in Heb resembles the word for Seth

Notes, questions --

Note that J/JE’s purpose from start to finish, the Garden of Eden through the Flood, is to show the development of sin starting with the first earthling and growing until the entire world is consumed in sin and God has to destroy everything and start over with a new creation in Noah.
Cain and Abel cultural conflict between farmers/tillers, and shepherds whose flocks ruin the land they graze on.
We can ponder it, but the story does not explain why the Lord likes Abel’s offering and not Cain’s offering. For me, Cain brings a bushel of wheat while Abel roasts a lamb, so there’s no question of which is the favorite offering! Apparent anachronism of people not yet having permission to kill animals and eat meat seems not to bother the ancient storyteller. ? Is the story told this way instead of Abel killing Cain because the ancient Hebrews were wandering tribesmen herding flocks who saw themselves as the first victims of sin? IDK
This is not only a murderous family feud, it’s a religious battle. Cain has shed Abel’s sacred blood on the altar of Cain’s sacrifice, the field where he grew the grain of his offering to God, blasphemy beyond measure.
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain is rude, impertinent, disrespectful to the Lord, showing contempt and defiance. This is not just a civil crime, J writes in a theocratic culture in which sin and crime are indistinguishable.
Is Cain his brother’s keeper? Perhaps he is meant to have been even more than neighbor and “keeper” but his brother’s brother in community. “Neighbor/keeper” is not the same as “brother.”
Religiously, Cain has substituted himself for God by deciding to take life, which was God’s authority alone, as Adam substituted himself for God as the decision-maker in the garden. Notice that sin/crime grows more wicked.
God shows mercy to Cain with the protective “mark of Cain” just as God shows mercy to Adam and Eve by making clothing for them.
Is punishment becoming more civilized, measured, equitable, not enraged massacre of vengeance?
“Nod” is wandering.
If the long story seems disjointed, doesn’t hold together well, it is so. It seems to be various stories cobbled together by the storyteller as part of his agenda to show the progression of human sinning to a state of total sinfulness.
4:23 part of a poem seemingly unrelated, except that it includes the sin element?
Disobedience -> deceit -> fratricide/murder -> total sinful wickedness of humanity.
4:26 use of the Name YHWH: is this the same God who names himself to Moses in Exodus chapter 3?

Football

For a young man who last night threw his first pass in a college football game, Tyler Murphy redeemed himself well as Florida's QB and doesn't have to take a back seat to Driskell or anyone else.

And counter to some Sunday morning writers, Alabama did not "cruise past" Colorado State. McIlwain redeemed himself very well against his old buddies by holding Bama to two TDs and a field goal the first half, then scoring against the mighty Tide and holding them scoreless in the third quarter. The outcome was inevitable, and a win's a win, but nobody got their axx whipped, and Colorado State proudly earned their $1.5 million, it was no cupcake.

And, my beautiful girls were at the FSU game last night, with the Girl Scouts, in the rain, and wearing FSU shirts. Go 'Noles. not. Well just this once for love of granddaughters.

76-0. It's not a game, it's a business, but shame anyway.

My hopes this season. Bama Oregon at Miami, not Ohio State now or ever. And ABM, Anyone But Manziel for Heisman.

TW+