Were Adam and Eve the first humans? Studying Genesis 1-2

I am studying the Bible with my mum; she's been a Christian for as long as I can remember while I have recently just "found the path". Tonight we studied Genesis 1 & 2, about creation.

I have a few questions maybe someone, who is learned in the book, can answer.

My Bible is the New Living Translation, which is what I used in quotes below.

Okay, so Genesis 1, verses 1-25 holds the account of the first six days. From what I understand, this is when God creates the heavens and the earth, as well as plants and animals. He also creates mankind. But this first run of mankind is not Adam and Eve, correct? He creates the human race, to govern over what He created, before creating Adam and Eve, telling mankind to populate the earth.

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

At the beginning of Chapter 2, God creates Eden.

7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.

22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

So Adam and Eve are created, and they are given Eden, His paradise. It houses foliage that doesn't exist outside of the garden, and maybe animals as well? I questioned my mum this; maybe Adam and Eve were the first of mankind to be gifted a higher level consciousness and souls? She didn't agree or disagree.

Regardless, I believe Adam and Eve were a special creation of God's - mankind who had the ability to think and question life, though it wasn't until after they ate from the Tree of Knowledge that this ability was opened up. So were Adam and Eve God's special creation for the bloodline of Christ?

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. I am very curious about the Bible, and mum doesn't really have all the answers. She was raised never to question God. And me? I question everything. Haha.

reply to post by zillah


I'll let someone more knowledgeable chime in... but you can check the Apocrypha 1st and 2nd books of Adam and Eve.

I am at the part where they are hanging out in the cave under the garden...

www.sacred-texts.com...

SisyphusRide
I'll let someone more knowledgeable chime in... but you can check the Apocrypha 1st and 2nd books of Adam and Eve.

I am at the part where they are hanging out in the cave next to the garden...

www.sacred-texts.com...

Sweet! Thank you!

zillah

SisyphusRide
I'll let someone more knowledgeable chime in... but you can check the Apocrypha 1st and 2nd books of Adam and Eve.

I am at the part where they are hanging out in the cave next to the garden...

www.sacred-texts.com...

Sweet! Thank you!

man I read your topic title too fast, either that or it's getting late...

I though you meant were they the first people studying the Genesis story

Adam and Eve are the parents of humanity...

reply to post by zillah


Adam and eve are mythological characters...

There wasn't ever a point in human history where there were only two humans... And the story basically tells the reader our species is a product of inbreeding, which is genetically impossible

Skip the OT... And read the gospels

Unless you're just looking for a good bedtime story

reply to post by Akragon


Stop that!

Look up Mitochondrial Eve, then come back with that!!

Mitochondrial Eve Wikipedia reference:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondrial_Eve
en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Akragon


Obviously you didn't read my post because I argued the fact against "only two humans".

The simple answer is yes, Adam and Eve are first humans created in the Bible.

The long answer is ....

Genesis 1 is the account of all creation.

Genesis 2 goes back to the creation of Man and expounds upon it. It is not a second and separate creation account.

reply to post by AbleEndangered


Stop what?

Dispelling fairy tales?

No thanks

Akragon
reply to post by zillah

 

Adam and eve are mythological characters...

There wasn't ever a point in human history where there were only two humans... And the story basically tells the reader our species is a product of inbreeding, which is genetically impossible

Skip the OT... And read the gospels

Unless you're just looking for a good bedtime story

edit on 23-11-2013 by Akragon because: (no reason given)

You have no clue how genetics works. Inbreeding is only a problem due to genetic defects. Regardless of whether Genesis is true or not, there would be no defects, and inbreeding would not be a problem at this time.

zillah
I am studying the Bible with my mum; she's been a Christian for as long as I can remember while I have recently just "found the path". Tonight we studied Genesis 1 & 2, about creation.

I have a few questions maybe someone, who is learned in the book, can answer.

My Bible is the New Living Translation, which is what I used in quotes below.

Okay, so Genesis 1, verses 1-25 holds the account of the first six days. From what I understand, this is when God creates the heavens and the earth, as well as plants and animals. He also creates mankind. But this first run of mankind is not Adam and Eve, correct? He creates the human race, to govern over what He created, before creating Adam and Eve, telling mankind to populate the earth.

26 Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

27 So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

28 Then God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground.”

31 Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! And evening passed and morning came, marking the sixth day.

At the beginning of Chapter 2, God creates Eden.

7 Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

8 Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made.

15 The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it.

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one.

20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening.

22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

So Adam and Eve are created, and they are given Eden, His paradise. It houses foliage that doesn't exist outside of the garden, and maybe animals as well? I questioned my mum this; maybe Adam and Eve were the first of mankind to be gifted a higher level consciousness and souls? She didn't agree or disagree.

Regardless, I believe Adam and Eve were a special creation of God's - mankind who had the ability to think and question life, though it wasn't until after they ate from the Tree of Knowledge that this ability was opened up. So were Adam and Eve God's special creation for the bloodline of Christ?

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read this. I am very curious about the Bible, and mum doesn't really have all the answers. She was raised never to question God. And me? I question everything. Haha.

Nothing like spitting the parent behind her back... That will teach her right? Really show her who has the true intellectual power. Good luck finding what you think you are looking for.

zillah
reply to post by Akragon

 

Obviously you didn't read my post because I argued the fact against "only two humans".

edit on 23-11-2013 by zillah because: (no reason given)

Hmm whups... i missed that

My bad... Gotta stop writing from my iphone on midnights

reply to post by Akragon


Also, it actually doesn't tell the story of inbreeding.

16 So Cain left the Lord’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain had sexual relations with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain founded a city, which he named Enoch, after his son.

So he married outside of his family, to a woman he found in the land of Nod. Afterwhich, he founded a city. Of who? Himself and his wife? There must have been other people in the beginning, as I stated in my OP. This is only proved more by:

13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is too great for me to bear!
14 You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”
15 The Lord replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him.

Who, besides his mother and father...and dead brother, would be out to kill him if no one else existed at the time?

reply to post by apydomis

Nothing like spitting the parent behind her back... That will teach her right? Really show her who has the true intellectual power. Good luck finding what you think you are looking for.

Wrong. In fact, I told her I was going to go online to find answers because it piqued her curiosity as well. She's eagerly awaiting what I find. This is a journey she and I are making together, since she has always taken the book at face value, and only recently has been more receptive to new explanations - mostly those from her pastor at church.

zillah

So he married outside of his family, to a woman he found in the land of Nod. Afterwhich, he founded a city. Of who? Himself and his wife? There must have been other people in the beginning, as I stated in my OP. This is only proved more by

Several things to mention. It never states God ONLY made Adam and Eve. It never states all the children they had. It never states Cain married anyone outside his family, only that she was living in a different land.

Zillah, I recommend sticking to the King James version and using the New Translation you are using or an NIV, New International Version to get through some of that tough old English.

King James Version has some major differences than the rest.

They don't want you reading the King James Version anymore...

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


Right. Adam and Eve were just the only ones worth mentioning, as those unnamed had nothing to do with the official beginning of Jesus' bloodline. I do believe Adam and Eve were the first man and woman with an actual soul, but the more I read different translations of the Bible, the more I feel there were other humans created first. I'm not trying to be rude or dismissive! I really appreciate your response! I mean, I know it's going to take quite a bit of discussion and digging for me to find an answer. And no, it doesn't have to be the answer I "want to hear".


edit to add in:

OccamsRazor04
Genesis 1 is the account of all creation.

Genesis 2 goes back to the creation of Man and expounds upon it. It is not a second and separate creation account.

If this is true, why does Genesis 1 state the animals are made before man, but Genesis 2 states that man is created before animals?

Also, there's no reason for people to be rude! I certainly won't be (though you may have to forgive me - I'm one of those always-happy-silver-lining people).

Anyway, I realize that, when it boils down to it, the OT won't pave my road to Heaven. That's on me living right, abiding by the Word, and loving Jesus. I'm just genuinely curious about this since mum and I are studying it!

reply to post by zillah


Can't say either way biblically if they were the first or not. I do know that studying these passages in English is not going to go as well as you may hope.

Suggest that you get a good Greek-Hebrew lexicon so you can actually translate it back to what it originally says. At least then you'll be reading the actual words right.

Thanks, AbleEndangered and Bassago! Those are both ideas I will definitely be looking into tomorrow!