Adam and Eve's Sin Before Being Sinners

The story of Adam and Eve's sin is foundational to understanding the Christian doctrine of original sin. According to Genesis, Adam and Eve disobeyed God's command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, leading to a fundamental change in their nature and the nature of humanity ^[3].

The biblical account presents Adam as being created in the image of God, with Eve being created from his side to be his companion. The narrative emphasizes that both were created with a specific role and relationship to God and to each other ^{[5, 6]}. The sin occurred when Eve, tempted by the serpent, ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam, who also ate ^[4].

The consequences of their sin are described in terms of their relationship with God, with each other, and with the natural world. They experienced shame, fear, and a change in their condition, including the introduction of pain in childbirth and the need to labor for sustenance ^[4].

Theologically, the significance of Adam and Eve's sin is understood in various ways across Christian traditions. The Reformed tradition, as represented by Charles Hodge, emphasizes that Adam's sin had a direct impact on his posterity, resulting in their guilt and corruption. This view is based on the understanding that Adam acted as a representative of humanity, and his sin is imputed to his descendants ^{[9, 14]}.

In contrast, the Catholic (Scholastic) tradition, as seen in the works of Aquinas, focuses on the transmission of original sin through the active principle of generation. According to this view, the sin is transmitted because Adam is the mover in the begetting of his children ^[8].

The patristic tradition, represented by Augustine, also emphasizes the significance of Adam's sin, highlighting the disobedience and its consequences for humanity. Augustine's view is that humanity is a unity in Adam, and his sin affects all his descendants ^[15].

The biblical basis for understanding the sin of Adam and Eve and its consequences is found in passages such as Romans 5:12-19 and 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, which link Adam's sin to the sin and death of his descendants ^{[11, 13]}. The nature of original sin is described as a corruption of human nature, resulting in a propensity towards sin and separation from God ^{[2, 7]}.

The different Christian traditions offer varying explanations for how Adam and Eve's sin affects humanity. While the Reformed tradition emphasizes the imputation of Adam's guilt, the Catholic tradition focuses on the transmission of original sin through generation. The patristic tradition highlights the unity of humanity in Adam and the consequences of his disobedience ^{[8, 9, 15]}.

The understanding of Adam and Eve's sin before being sinners themselves is closely tied to the concept of original righteousness and the nature of humanity as created by God. According to Calvin, humanity was created with original righteousness, which was lost as a result of Adam's sin ^{[10, 12]}.

The consequences of Adam's sin are not limited to himself but extend to his posterity. As Hodge notes, the sin of Adam injured not only himself but also all his descendants, resulting in their guilt and corruption ^[14].

The biblical narrative and the theological traditions provide a complex and multifaceted understanding of Adam and Eve's sin and its significance for humanity. The story serves as a foundation for understanding human nature, sin, and redemption.

The early Christian interpretation of Adam and Eve's story, as seen in the works of Josephus, highlights the significance of their actions and the consequences that followed. Josephus describes Adam and Eve's sin as a disobedience to God's command, resulting in their expulsion from Paradise ^{[1, 4]}.

Sources

Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 2, section 1: . Concerning The Posterity Of Adam, And The Ten Generations From Him To The Deluge. 1. Adam and Eve had two sons: the elder of them was named Cain; which name, when it is interpreted, signifies a possession: the younger was Abel, which signifies sorrow. They had also daughters. Now the two brethren were pleased with different courses of life: for Abel, the younger, was a lover of righteousness; and believing that God was present at all his actions, he excelled in virtue; and his employment was that of a shepherd. But Cain was not”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sin — Is "any want of conformity unto or transgression of the law of God" (1 John 3:4; Rom. 4:15), in the inward state and habit of the soul, as well as in the outward conduct of the life, whether by omission or commission (Rom. 6:12-17; 7:5-24). It is "not a mere violation of the law of our constitution, nor of the system of things, but an offence against a personal lawgiver and moral governor who vindicates his law with penalties. The soul that sins is always conscious that his sin is (1) intrinsically vile and polluting, and (2) that it justly deserves punishment,”
King James Version “[KJV] Genesis 4:1 — And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.”
Project Gutenberg “Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, CHAPTER 1, section 4: thy evil conscience." However, Adam excused his sin, and entreated God not to be angry at him, and laid the blame of what was done upon his wife; and said that he was deceived by her, and thence became an offender; while she again accused the serpent. But God allotted him punishment, because he weakly submitted to the counsel of his wife; and said the ground should not henceforth yield its fruits of its own accord, but that when it should be harassed by their labor, it should bring forth some of its fruits, and refuse to bring fo”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Adam — a city on the Jordan, "beside Zaretan," in the time of Joshua. (Joshua 3:16) Man, generically, for the name Adam was not confined to the father of the human race, but like homo was applicable to woman as well as to man . (Genesis 5:2) (red earth), the name given in Scripture to the first man. It apparently has reference to the ground from which he was formed, which is called in Hebrew Adamah . The idea of redness of color seems to be inherent in either word. The creation of man was the work of the sixth day--the last and crowning act of creation. Adam was creat”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adam — Red, a Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages. It was the name given to the first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent history and that of his descendants are detailed in the first book of Moses (Gen. 1:27-ch. 5). "God created man [Heb., Adam] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Adam was absolutely the first man whom God created. He was formed out of the dust of the earth (and hence his name), and God breathed into his nostrils the brea”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Cause of Sin, on the Part of Man, Art. 5: I answer that, The solution of this question is made clear by what has been said. For it has been stated (Article [1]) that original sin is transmitted by the first parent in so far as he is the mover in the begetting of his children: wherefore it has been said (Article [4]) that if anyone were begotten materially only, of human flesh, they would not contract original sin. Now it is evident that in the opinion of philosophers, the active principle of generation is from th”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 48: was pronounced by him “very good.” This is utterly inconsistent with the idea that Adam was a fallen spirit. The Bible also teaches that Adam was created in the image of God in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, and fell from that state here in this life, and not in a previous and higher state of being. The Scriptures also, as we have seen, say that it was by one man that sin entered into the world, and death by sin, because all sinned in that one man. There is a causal relation between the sin of Adam and the condemnation and sinful”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 43: the Latin Church on all the questions relating to sin, grace, and predestination. It having come to be generally admitted that original righteousness was a supernatural gift, it was also generally held that the effect of Adam's sin upon himself and upon his posterity was the loss of that righteousness. This was its only subjective effect. The soul, therefore, is left in the state in which it was originally created, and in which it existed, some said a longer, others a shorter, period, or no perceptible period at all, before the receipt of”
Romans (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Romans 5:13: For until the law, sin was in the world,.... This is a proof of sin's having entered into the world, by one man's transgression of the positive law of God, which forbid him the eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; since it was in the world before the law of Moses was given: the sin of Adam and the guilt of that were in the world before, and came upon all men to condemnation; the general corruption of nature appeared before; and actual sins, and transgressions of all sorts were committed before; as by the immediate posterity of Adam, by the me”
CCEL (Reformed) “Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, Vol. 1 (Gen 1-23), section 7.17: received, that he was rather captivated with her allurements than persuaded by Satan’s impostures. 168 168 So our great Poet: — He scrupled not to eat Against his better knowledge, not deceived, But fondly overcome with female charm. Paradise Lost, Book IX For this purpose the declaration of Paul is adduced, ‘Adam was not deceived, but the woman.’ ( 1 Timothy 2:14 .) But Paul in that place, as he is teaching that the origin of evil was from the woman, only speaks comparatively. Indeed, it was not only for the sake of complying wit”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 50: is, where there is no law there is no sin. And where there is no sin there is no punishment. All men are punished, therefore all men are sinners. That all men are punished, he proves from the fact that all men die. Death is punishment. Death, he says, reigned from Adam to Moses. It reigns even over those who had not sinned in their own persons, by voluntary transgression, as Adam did. It reigns over infants. It has passed absolutely on all men because all are sinners. It cannot be questioned that such is the argument of the Apostle; neith”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 45: § 8. The Effects of Adam’s Sin upon his Posterity. That the sin of Adam injured not himself only but also all descending from him by ordinary generation, is part of the faith of the whole Christian world. The nature and extent of the evil thus entailed upon his race, and the ground or reason of the descendants of Adam being involved in the evil consequences of his transgression, have ever been matter of diversity and discussion. As to both of these points the common Augustinian doctrine is briefly stated in the Symbols of our Church. Acco”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 35 [XXI.] -- ADAM AND EVE; OBEDIENCE MOST STRONGLY ENJOINED BY GOD ON MAN. (part 1): When the first human beings--the one man Adam, and his wife Eve who came out of him --willed not to obey the commandment which they had received from God, a just and deserved punishment overtook them. The Lord had threatened that, on the day they ate the forbidden fruit, they should surely die.[2] Now, inasmuch as they had received the permission of using for food every tree that grew in Paradise, among which God had planted the tree of life, but had been forbidd”

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