It’s crazy how fast the severity of sin increases in the Bible. Before any of you theological purists start clutching your proverbial pearls, I understand that all sin is severe in God’s sight. But, I think it’s reasonable to recognize that there is a sliding scale of the scope and consequence of our wrongdoings, particularly in their impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. In Genesis, the book of beginnings, humanity crescendos from the disobedience of nibbling on forbidden fruit to murder in the span of a few paragraphs.
Adam failed not only to take responsibility for his own actions, but also to act responsibly to help his beloved bride avoid failure… Turns out the sinful apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
The first sin is found in Genesis 3. The serpent calls the command of God into question asking, “Did God really say…” Eve responds by outlining not only what “God did say,” but also the consequences of failing to obey His instructions. Ultimately, the temptation of the serpent becomes too much and Eve takes the fruit and eats it. Verse 6 reads, “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” The author then provides us with some additional details: “She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”
When God comes strolling into the garden, Adam and Eve are overwhelmed by guilt and shame so they hide. God confronts them and Adam immediately attempts to throw Eve under the bus. Verse 12 reads, “The woman you put here with me – she gave me some of the fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” It’s interesting to me that his excuse implies that her presence caused his failure, but it seems to me that his presence could have prevented hers. Adam failed not only to take responsibility for his own actions, but also to act responsibly to help his beloved bride avoid failure.
Turns out the sinful apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. The very next story is about their sons, Cain and Abel, and the sin of the firstborn. The text reveals that both boys bring offerings to the Lord. God looks with favor on Abel’s steak, but unfavorably upon Cain’s salad. We’re not told why. We are told that Cain is “very angry” about it. In this case, Cain doesn’t just draw his brother into sin with him; he makes him the target at which it is aimed. Genesis 4:8 reads, “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” When God confronts Cain, we see no clear signs of shame. Instead, we see feigned ignorance and cold indifference. In Genesis 4:9 we read, “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?”
We aren’t responsible for the actions of others, but we should feel a sense of responsibility for their well-being (spiritually and physically).
It’s a massive jump from sharing forbidden fruit to crushing your brother’s melon. It does occur to me, however, that in both stories the sin and consequences could have been avoided had one acted as the other’s keeper. Had Adam been looking out for Eve and stepped in to encourage her not to give into the temptation and to walk away from the forbidden fruit, it would have saved them both the shame and blame shifting that came from their sin. Had Cain evaluated the quality of his own attitudes and actions not only would he have avoided harming his brother in anger, he would have found the favor of God. Had either Adam or Cain acted as their brother’s (or sister’s) keeper it would have been exponentially better for all parties involved.
I think Cain’s question to the Lord actually captures the Lord’s expectation. Once again, he asks, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The implied answer to him and to us is, “YES! YOU ARE MEANT TO BE YOUR BROTHER OR SISTER’S KEEPER!” We aren’t responsible for the actions of others, but we should feel a sense of responsibility for their well-being (spiritually and physically). It is a key component of loving neighbor as self. We should seek to keep them from self-destructive, sinful attitudes and actions and we should go above and beyond to avoid acting out towards them in angry, destructive, and sinful ways.
