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Judeo-Christian Myth #4: Adam was the first man.

From our childhood, most of us have been told that all races of mankind have descended from Adam, because Adam was the first man created by God. 1 Corinthians 15:45 says:

The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam , became a living person." But the last Adam--that is, Christ --is a life-giving Spirit.

Does this mean that Adam was the first created man? It sure sounds like it. But look closely! Christ became the "last Adam (man.)" Here is the problem. If Paul means that Adam was the first man in the physical sense, and Jesus was the last man, then there have been no men since the death of Christ on the Cross. However, Paul is speaking in a spiritual sense! Consider verses 48 and 49 from the same passage:

Every human being has an earthly body just like Adam 's, but our heavenly bodies will be just like Christ 's. Just as we are now like Adam, the man of the earth , so we will someday be like Christ , the man from heaven .

We all know that Adam was a physical man - a living soul (naphesh.) We also know that Yahweh told Adam that on the day he ate of the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil "he would surely die." Did Adam physically die that day? No - whe know that he lived 930 years past that event. What death, then, did Adam (the man) die? Spiritual death!

Consequently, what made Adam the first living man was not the fact that he was a physical man, but that he was formed by and communed with Yahweh as a quickened man. He entered into a state of separation with his God because of his transgression. Jesus was the "last Adam" because He did away with the state of separation. The reference to the first man, Adam, was, then, a reference to what made Adam unique: his relationship with the Creator.

There certainly are a few passages in the inspired Word that seem to say that Adam was the first human being on earth. But there are many more that clearly indicate he wasn't! So, is the Bible contradicting itself? Of course not. The problem is in our understanding, and our unwillingness to set aside our preconceived ideas and man-made doctrines in order to be correct. Consider this passage:

And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and [there was] not a man [Adam - Strongs 0120] to till the ground. (Genesis 2:5)

This verse can mean that there could have been other humanoid kinds other than Adam-kind. We'll shortly find out that this is surely the case.

 The many problems with popular"Christian Science" view on Adam

If Adam was the first created human being, there are several inescapeable problems for the Bible student: The "Christian Science" doctrine has attempted - but failed - to address these problems:

Modern "Creation Science" is built around several myths, like the idea that the earth was created in seven literal days. One of these myths is that Adam was the first human being on the planet. The "Chrisian Science" movement is neither Christian or science, because it denies that Yahweh is changeless and ignores the scientific method. However, since most apologetics behind the Adam myth are centered around the movement, we will address some of the passages of appeal presented by "Chiristian Scientists."   Acts 17:26 is the most-often used passage to "prove" that all people trace their lineage back to Adam:

And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation...

The biggest problem here is that the knowledge of blood having encoded genetic information did not exist in the first century. To the Hebrew, "flesh and bone" were the phrases used to describe racial kinship - as Adam described his wife, Eve.

Secondly, the previous verse sets the context:

Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

The "blood" being referred to is not necessarily limited to the blood of man, but the blood-attonement provided by the Perfect Lamb.

Third, if there is no real distinctiveness between men, why did Yahweh establish the "bound of their habitation?"

Finally, most Bible commentaries state that the "best texts" omit the word "blood" in this passage.

 The Garden

The creation language is ancient hyperbole. The best explanation for the account of Adam is that he was a unique person, created to tend the earth. There is no scriptural evidence that the entity speaking to Adam and Eve from the Tree of Knowedge of Good and Evil was an evil, non-human being who "fell from the heavens" and brought part of the hosts of heaven with him.

Trees are often used as idioms by the semetic peoples as nations (example: Hosea 14:6)! Israel was represented as an olive tree (Isaiah 24:13, Jeremiah 11:16, Romans 11:17). Lebanon was represented as cedars (1 Kings 5:6, Ezekiel 31:3) and the righteous as palm trees (Psalms 92:12.) The corrupt House of Judah was represented as a fig tree (Mark 11:20.) There were trees in the garden, and Adam was created to tend the garden. He was typological of the role of Israel, which were to be chiefs and priest, and a blessing to the nations.

And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

  Using Some Common Sense

It's wonderful that we have the faith in our God that we should allow for His ability to perform miracles. The problem is, Yahweh does not always use miracles to manifest His Will. Some of the miracles He would have to perform in order to satisfy our desire for Adam to be the first Human being are:

1. Adam and Eve would have to have been created with everything necessary to create and propagate multiple racial types.

2. Change His mind regarding the Law against incest.

3.Created for confusion the many, many historical, anthropological and archaeological evendences we find today that the Asian and Negro peoples are very ancient, and existed over 12000 years ago - prior to the time Adam was born according to his geneology as recorded in the Holy Word.

Many believers seek to redefine the Covenant people today as all believing peoples - regardless of enthiticity. It's important for them to be able to apply the initial communion with Yahweh by Adam to all peoples. If the fall into sin by Adam was applicable to all peoples, it would follow that the resolution that Jesus provided would be applicable to all peoples. Thus, it would be necessary for them to believe that Adam was the first human being.
 

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