Another Look at Cain and Abel

It is thought by some that Cain of the Cain and Abel story represents an attitude of envy based on monetary considerations. That in today’s world Cain is best represented by this class based attitude that finds a home among communists and socialists. That greed, real greed, is as with Cain, the spiritual affliction of the downtrodden, certain reformers and populists. That Cain represents the anger of the “poor” as he slew his brother Abel.

However as the Cain and Abel types unfold in scripture we find the Cain type in the seats of power and most notably in the seat of religious power.....not poor, not downtrodden. They gravitate there, as it is pointed out time and again, for easy wealth. They promote themselves as the ministers of truth and partners with God and so are entitled to fortune. Yet their prime enemies were the prophets God himself sent against them. Almost all of the prophets mocked the power and money loving priests and false prophets in good detail. The Cain priests were said to have “eaten the flock”, spent wildly on themselves, and promoted false prophets and corrupt political leaders to secure the position of both and share in the bounty. In order to do this they promoted another god of their own creation keeping only the trappings of truth and there by leading the people astray.

The Abel type is represented in scripture as outside of the kingdom of mammon and power. These sorts are often sheep herders as was Abel. They were simple men by the world’s standards that came against religious corruption and called by God to do so. Certainly in most cases coming from outside ideal notions of where God would send a man from. “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son” they said of Jesus. David and Amos were both reminded at some point that they were but simple sheep keepers that have forgotten their place. In Cain’s case having to listen to his simple sheep boy brother reprove him was just more than he could stand. Jesus told those who were about to kill him that all the righteous blood spilt from Abel until now would be required of His generation. That is to the children of Cain who as they do found themselves in the seat of religious power and authority. And such men were not about to listen to a man that called himself the true shepherd.

Yes Cain was a mover and shaker, a cattle man. A builder of cites and great upon the earth. A get up and go run this world sort of guy that wanted all the good things this world could give and that at any measure. Cain was a man of agriculture and maker of metal, a builder of civilization. A man like this isn’t about to listen to a smelly shepherd. If we want to call these two guys names, it’s clear that Cain looks more like the capitalist.

Cain leading Abel to slaughter. The priests of "mamon god" at work. The root of all evil. Keepers of the vineyard.

edit on 6-11-2012 by Logarock because: n