Disciple Bible Study: Week 3, Reading 1

I’m participating in Disciple Bible Study, a 34 week intensive. Every day, we have different readings (except on the seventh day…resting!). I have decided to document my initial noticings from a close reading of the scripture. Well, an attempt at a close reading.

Week 3, Reading 1:  Genesis 3 - 4

Noticings:

• The First Sin and Its Punishment
• Genesis 3
• And, BTW, God told the man not to eat before the woman was even created.  Everything the woman heard was second hand from the man.
• v. 3: "nor shall you touch it"
• the first sin might be that the man tells the woman she can't even touch the fruit/tree
• v. 5:  become like the gods vs. become like God
• does this make a difference?
• v. 6:  "make one wise"
• v. 6: the man was with her all along
• perhaps this is the first sin; he could've stepped in at any point
• could passivity in the face of wrong behavior be the first sin?
• v. 7: "naked"
• what about being spiritually naked?
• v. 11:  God looking for the man and woman
• Didn't God know where they were?
• v. 12:  The man blames the woman and then blames God because God gave him the woman
• v. 17:  The man's punishment is the cursing of the ground
• v. 20:  Eve means life
• v. 21: God makes the garments for the man and woman and clothed them.  I wonder what they looked like? Is God a good tailor?
• Genesis 4
• Cain Murders Abel
• v. 1: the man "knew" his wife (ha ha ha)
• Cain is born first, Abel second; yet they both bring their offering to God relatively simultaneously.  Presumably Cain is at least 9 months older than Abel.  So he delayed his gift.  It was not his first fruits.  It was "in due time." (v. 3)
• v. 7: God tells Cain what to do for favor.  Master his anger.
• Isn't it interesting that Cain is of the land and the land is the curse of the man (Adam)? And that is who gets cursed further by God?
• Beginnings of Civilization
• Cain's son is Enoch and Seth's son is Enosh.  Really?
• v. 23-24: What the heck?  Lamech killed a man avenging Cain?  There has to be a bigger story here!