IndexIntroductionPoints to NoteCain and Abel: A Story of Murder Cain's punishment and the implications for his relationship with the Earth The punishment of Cain and His Implications for HumanityA Horizon of Hope?A Practical ConclusionReferencesIntroductionPeople nowadays don't seem to take the concept of "evil" very seriously, much less in academic circles. The notion of “evil” is nonsense as an intellectual argument. For example, in an article about Cambridge psychopathology professor Baron-Cohen, he is said to have said the following when proposing a new theory about human cruelty: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay: Replace the "unscientific" term "evil" with the idea of ​​"erosion of empathy": "People deemed cruel or evil are simply at one end of the empathy spectrum," he writes. (Carlisle , 2012) Evil, it seems, is not a phenomenon worthy of any genuine research, however, this was not always the case. Good and evil were two widely accepted concepts for centuries and there were those who lived their own life according to this fundamental belief.However, with the advent of the postmodern era, also came the rejection of such ideals Postmodernism believes that everything is relative and that the very fabric of reality is constructed by political, social and historical perceptions. Nothing, therefore, can be adequately explained by any kind of theory, idea or meta-narrative. Indeed, Nietzsche's famous statement that “God is dead” embodies what is argued by postmodernism valuable structures have collapsed. The death of God, in this context, refers to the death of all absolute values, and postmodernism teaches that immutable truths – those fixed for time and eternity – do not exist. Evil, then, is left for the theologian, priest, or simpleton to worry about. The question of whether or not evil is a fundamental element of man's nature, or whether evil acts are interconnected or not, is set aside and should not be taken seriously in a postmodern world. Despite the problems of postmodernism, the problem of evil has long persecuted philosophers and theologians of theistic persuasion. Clearly, if God does not exist, then evil (if accepted as real) requires no explanation; and if there are multiple gods or eternal principles, evil can be explained as the result of a conflict between them. Theism, however, must deal with the problem of evil. One commentator wrote that: The problem of evil is a major concern of theodicy, and as important and interesting an exploration as it is in the area of ​​theodicy, I have a different focus. “Perhaps the best solution is to have no solution, for what makes evil evil, what gives evil its enormous power, is the very mystery of its existence – the fact that it cannot be explained, and yet it exists.” ( L. González, 2005) As far as I'm concerned, I want to understand what the Bible can tell us about evil. What the book, which constitutes the fundamental text of Western civilization – in particular Genesis and the story of Cain and Abel – tells us about it. he origin of evil? This fratricidal story has long been associated with the fallen nature of man and his capacity for evil, and I wish to explore it in as much depth as this task allows. This short and tragic story of two brothers can be found at beginning of Christian history and I want to find out what hope, if any, can be gleaned from such a text. The claim that the Bible is the foundation of our culture does not seem to bea difficult claim to defend. Numerous works and in-depth research have been conducted on this topic. See for example "The Influence of the Bible on the English Nation" written in the Journal of Bible and Religion (Vol. 7, No. 1 (February 1939)) or "The Influence of the Bible on Civilization" written in The American Journal of Theology (Vol. 19, No. 2 (April 1915)). These are just two examples of a non-exhaustive list. Points to Note Before we begin the exploration of evil and violence in this story, there are a few points I wish to make at the beginning of this work. First, it is the idea that Cain and Abel are the first two humans born in history, according to the biblical account. The story of Cain and Abel takes place immediately after their expulsion from paradise. Therefore, Cain and Abel exist after the fall – they exist in history. They are working, self-aware, and, as far as we can tell, full-fledged people. The two brothers are the prototype of human beings. It is also important that Cain is the first human in the Bible. It's not like Adam and Eve, both created directly by God and born in paradise. Who among us, after all, was created like this? Clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson wrote: “Cain and Abel are truly the first humans, for their parents were created directly by God, and not born in the standard way… Cain and Abel lived in history… They must make sacrifices , to please God, and they do it, with an appropriate altar and ritual.” (Peterson, 2018) One of the first acts committed outside of Eden is murder, despite God and premeditated because it was not simply a murder, but the murder of a family member, of an innocent brother, of an ideal brother. The first human being is a murder and the fact that the Bible states this is something to keep present and worth taking very seriously. Interestingly, this idea that the first man is a murderer and that humans are consequently naturally attracted to evil and violence is not only seen in the Bible, but also has a place. in the Quran.However, more interestingly, Peterson also highlights the ancient Mesopotamian religious belief that; humanity was "created from the blood of the worst demon" imaginable. For an elaboration on this thought see Petersons lecture series on the psychological meaning of biblical texts. Finally, before I begin to discuss whether there is a horizon of hope in the story of Cain and Abel, I must first analyze how tragic the story of Cain and Abel is. the events of this narrative are. As I will discuss later, hope, in the theological sense, requires that we understand how serious a situation truly is. Furthermore, I feel it is important to point out that I do not intend to get too far into a discussion about whether this story can be called a tragedy in the literary sense – I simply use the term loosely, I could easily have described this story as disastrous, catastrophic or calamitous. This is not literary criticism, rather an attempt at theological discussion of such matters. Cain and Abel – A Story of Murder It is difficult to understand how people, with even a superficial knowledge of the events of the 20th century, could deny the existence of the evil phenomenon or, simply, dismiss it as an idea not worth entertaining seriously. From the two world wars, to the extermination of six million Jews by the Nazis, to the deaths of nearly twenty million people under Stalin's reign, to the tens of millions of deaths during Mao's rule in China, it seems clear that the twentieth century has been full of evil and violence. I say this to clarify from the beginning of this work that I am not discussing whether evil exists or not, I am accepting itsexistence and use the story of Cain and Abel to explore this concept in more depth. The story of Cain and Abel is one of the most profound stories ever written. It can be told in less than a minute and yet there are so many ways the story can be interpreted. Cain and Abel, sons of Adam and Eve, are hostile brothers: "The man knew his wife Eve, who conceived and gave birth to Cain, saying: "I have begotten a man with the help of the Lord." Then she gave birth to his brother Abel.” (Genesis 4:1-2 NRSV) Both Cain and Abel were working men: Cain tilled the land and Abel raised cattle. They bring an offering to God and once that happens, the story begins to pick up form. God shows favor for Abel's sacrifice and not for Cain's was favored or because Cain decides to kill his brother. It is the story of two men, engaged in a struggle that ends in the death of the best of them: an all too familiar story that has been enacted throughout human history. clearly tragic, it speaks to the very nature of man and, perhaps in the search for an explanation of evil and violence, this tale of murder could be a good starting point. The inequality of man and the murder of Abel. When Cain and Abel appear in the biblical story, humanity seems to have already figured out how to offer sacrifices to God. This is the crux of the story. Both men make offerings to God in an attempt to regain favor lost when humanity was removed from heaven; the firstborn of his flock, their fatlings. And the Lord had regard to Abel and his offering, but he had no regard to Cain and his offering.” (Genesis 4:4-6 NRSV) The Genesis account offers no reason why God has no regard for Cain's offering. It's not clear and there has been endless speculation about it. It seems that this is the introduction of inequality into human history - people will always have different talents and therefore be unequal in position - herein lies the foundation of evil and violence in the human narrative.[FootnoteRef:4] Unresolved Inequality , jealousy or anxiety among people today inevitably leads to violence - and in Genesis we see the first man fall prey to such a doctrine. Cain, we can safely assume, had become jealous and bitter over the unequal treatment he and his brother had received from God. It is easy to sympathize with Cain at this point since it would be understandable if he had been rejected for not making any sacrifices. In fact, this would have been preferable as it could have calmed his anger as he would have known he was at fault. But the fact that this was not the case, that he had worked the land and presented himself to God with an offering was too much, and there was no limit to his anger. Reacts: Interestingly, Pope Francis agrees, announcing to the world in 2014 that; “Inequality is the root of all social evils.” See the Pontiff's Twitter account. «Then Cain was very angry and his face was gloomy. The Lord said to Cain: “Why are you angry and why is your face depressed?” (Genesis 4:5-7 NRSV) It is difficult to think of a time when arguing with God would be a good thing to do and it is evident that this was not the best way for Cain to react to rejection. God responds, without remorse, and explains that he had no one to blame but himself. It's a fascinating twist: We don't know the nature of the brother's offerings. Was not Cain's fruit of the land his best fruit?[FootnoteRef:5] Cain's fruit was not so much asacrifice like Abel's firstborn? It's hard to know, and as readers, we can do nothing but infer at this point. In any case, from God's response, we understand that it was Cain's fault; [5: It is generally accepted that Cain did not offer his best offering to God and that Abel did. This is because it explicitly states that Abel's offering was of high quality and does not treat Cain's in the same way, however, this remains the subject of heated debate, certainly in the Christian tradition. This is the same in the Islamic tradition, with ambiguities everywhere. “If you do well, won't you be accepted? And if you don't do well, sin is lurking at the door; his desire is for you, but you must master it. (Genesis 4:7-8 NRSV)It would It's not easy to be told that your rejection, despite your best efforts, is your fault, and then to be told that you need to control your feelings considering this rejection. It certainly wasn't easy for Cain. God's unapologetic response increases his resentment and anger. Cain becomes embittered and begins to plot the murder of his brother who has received nothing but praise. He then leads Abel into a field and kills him, committing the worst possible sin; “Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out into the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” (Genesis 4:8 NRSV) Cain's punishment and the implications for his relationship with the EarthThe tragedy of this tale is also exemplified in the punishment of Cain:“And now you are cursed by the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive the punishment of your brother blood from your hand. When you till the earth, it will no longer give you i its products; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the Lord: "My punishment is greater than I can bear! Today you have driven me from the earth and I will be hidden from your face; earth and whoever meets me will be able to kill me.” (Genesis 4 11-15 NRSV) Cain's punishment is delivered and in response we hear a fervent response from him the call of God himself earlier in the story. First, I would like to point out that the punishment inflicted on Cain has a connection to his relationship with the earth. Cain was once a farmer and received his sustenance from the land – it was his livelihood – but no longer. The earth would no longer provide for Cain because the earth was forced to open its mouth and receive Abel's blood. Interestingly, it was recently argued in an article written by Mari Jørstad that the terrain may be more than just a setting, but rather a character in the story. In establishing a pattern between Adam, Cain and Noah, Jørstad presents a different analysis of the reading of Genesis 1 – 11. In his article, he argues that: "Establishing a close and unique connection between Adam, Cain, Noah and the earth, Gen 1-11 reflects on the nature of the relationship between humanity and the soil and the extent to which the soil is available to human choice and control”. (Jørstad, 2016)The relationship between man and the earth is intimate indeed , like Cain, for millennia we have depended on the land bearing fruit to ensure our survival. It might be a worthwhile endeavor to study what the land might do, independent of people, and what form that action might take this story was personified, the ground is the only subject of an active verb in the verse that states "Who opened his mouth to receive your brother's blood."[FootnoteRef:6] Ultimately, the question of our The relationship with the land is certainly an element of this narrative, Jørstad continues: It has been argued that, because the nature ofGround's reaction was such, Ground is not just a character, but potentially an accomplice to Abel's murder. the curse on Cain is not primarily a punishment of the earth; it is, rather, an expression and description of the earth's loyalty to the will of God. If humans attempt to use the earth for destructive, non-creative purposes, the earth will resist.” This is certainly an interesting idea and worthy of further research and study, however, an elaboration on this topic will not be possible for my purposes. It is worth noting that this is but another episode of tragedy in the tale. Like Cain, are we making the mistake of neglecting our ecology to suit our purposes? Are our sins at odds with mother nature herself? Likewise, throughout the rest of the Old Testament, in God's relationship, the earth can be made morally sensitive. Long after the events of Genesis 4 occur, the Israelites are warned that if they did not follow the laws God set before them, the earth itself would vomit them out; all these practices the nations that I drive out before you have defiled themselves. Thus the land became defiled; and I punished him for his iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants.” (Leviticus 18:24-26 NRSV) The consequence of this rejection by the earth had grave implications for Cain. He would no longer have a stable place to live nor will he be able to practice his profession to provide for himself. He would therefore always be restless, a perpetual exile and alienated from the work of the land, thus dependent on others for the sustenance he himself once derived from the land. Cain's punishment and its implications for humanity While the relationship between Cain and the earth may have forever changed and therefore man's relationship with the earth, this was not as immediately dangerous to Cain as the other side of his punishment. Cain receives a mark from God, which represents God's promise to protect him despite their divorce. Exegesis of various forms of early scripture, particularly the Septuagint text, presents Cain as “groaning and trembling in the earth” – his sign that leaves him suffering in pain (Byron, 2011).[FootnoteRef :7] Interestingly, Cain's decision to cause chaos doesn't stop with him: his descendants are equally affected by the seed of evil and violence, and the tragedy of this story seems to perpetuate throughout his family line. In his anger, Cain kills once. However, his descendant, Lamech, says; [7: The Septuagint is the first Greek translation of the Old Testament from the original Hebrew. It was probably made for the Jewish community in Egypt when Greek was the common language throughout the region. See Byron's listed work for more details. ]“…I killed a man for wounding me, a young man for hitting me. If Cain be avenged seven times, Lamech seventy-seven times." (Genesis 4, 23-25 ​​NRSV) The evil in Cain's heart is being revealed in the hearts of his descendants – another aspect of the tragedy that befell Eve's eldest son. The fact that murder was now a possibility among men made Cain's separation from God even more troubling. Cain seems aware of the implications of what he has just done. The safety that was once present among men was no longer there: people were now threatening and were no longer safe in each other's company. Now that he had killed his brother, who knew what everyone else was capable of? As society developed, violence went beyond the simple killing of a brother. The aforementioned Peterson, describes this: Before Lamech is Tubal-Cain, who according to Gen 4:22, in the NRSV, created “…all kinds of instruments of iron and bronze.” Dependingof the translation, however, Tubal-Cain is widely considered the first creator of weapons of war. Again, this could be indicative of the man's violent nature. “You hurt me; I hurt you back. No, you hurt me; I kill you and six other people. What happens next is that it's not seven people, but seventy people. And so there's this idea that once the first murderous seed is sown, it has this tendency to manifest itself exponentially. (Peterson, 2017) It seems that evil has entered the world when Adam and Eve are removed from paradise. However, no action is taken until Cain's violent act. Evil and violence then become part of the biblical narrative, of human history, of the narrative on which our society is based. The evil that dwells in Cain's heart is in the hearts of all his descendants. We see from Lamech's words how evil and vengeful violent acts are not performed in equal measure. Again, this is evident even in today's world. A horizon of hope? The tragedy of the story of Cain and Abel is evident. From the disturbing nature itself, to Cain's infernal existence divorced from God, the death of his best brother, the curse that seems to have attached itself to Cain's descendants leading to the creation of weapons and the exaggeration of violence towards the inevitable reality of inequality - it seems clear that this story refers us to the inevitable fact that evil, violence and tragedy enter humanity with the expulsion from paradise. The parallels between the events of this tale and the realities of recent history and today's world are palpable. It seems baffling that the authors of this text managed to articulate an absolute truth about the nature of man: he is condemned to experience tragedy, violence and evil throughout his life. It's inevitable. Is there any hope of being taken out of this story? When discussing such issues, certainly from the theological perspective, it is important to note that hope is not optimism – this is not simply a conceptual distinction but a distinction in motivation. An optimist will not allow himself to see how serious the situation is, while hope forces you to see how serious the situation is – an effort I have attempted to undertake thus far. For example, someone who sees the glass as half full rather than half empty is not a hopeful person but an optimist. The banality of optimism is that this perspective is based entirely on one's point of view. The image of the glass betrays the fact that there is nothing in the situation itself that determines our response to it. This image states that what matters is simply one's perspective, an attitude that will lead one to ignore the facts of the situation and maintain an unrealistic view. I have attempted to lay out the facts in this essay: regardless of perspective, the story of Cain and Abel is tragic and this was important in gaining some hope from it. In the Christian tradition, hope is one of the theological virtues. . Hope, as I said, is not optimism, but for Christians it is a continuous wait towards the eternal world. This is not a form of escapism, but rather something a Christian should do. Awareness of this hope will influence how we live our lives. The Apostles, for example, who initiated the conversion of the Roman Empire, all left their mark on earth precisely because their minds were occupied by Heaven. As C.S. Lewis wrote rather eloquently: “It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffectual in this [hope]… Aim at Heaven and you will get the earth 'cast in': aim at the earth and you will get neither. (Lewis, 1952) It seems clear that Cain, when he killed his brother, was not thinking ofParadise. As I explained, the tragedy of this story is overwhelming, but understanding how serious the situation is can allow hope to come in when reflecting on this story. A Practical Conclusion The question that often comes to mind at the end of reading this text IS; Why was Cain allowed to keep his life? Why did God not only spare his life in his punishment, but go a step further and actively ensure his protection from those who wanted to harm him? Then the Lord said to him: “It is not so! Whoever kills Cain will suffer sevenfold vengeance." And the Lord put a sign on Cain, so that no one meeting him would kill him." (Genesis 4:15-16 NRSV) The mark of Cain has sparked endless speculation, and there appears to be no consensus on its meaning. While there are those who argued that by ensuring Cain's survival, God was punishing him even more as he now has to live with the guilt and shame of his actions on display to all who encountered him. However, there appears to be another element to this. For example, Walter Brueggemann writes:“God's mark on Cain... may originally have referred to a visible mark such as a tattoo, now it must be understood in terms of its function in the narrative. This feature is double-edged. On the one hand it announces Cain's guilt. On the other, it marks Cain as safe under God's protection. In such a simple way, the narrative articulates the double face of human life, endangered due to disobedience and yet kept safe. (Brueggemann, 1982) The recognition of guilt and the reality of grace meet in this story. Cain is forced to show his sins to the world, but by the grace of God he has preserved his life and can be kept safe. Could a connection be made here with the life of Christians today? Like Cain, Christians sin and are separated from God a little more by each one they commit. Like Cain, they are asked to become aware of their sin and the guilt that accompanies it. Then they have to recognize it. In doing so they recognize the awareness that the punishment of their sins is equivalent to condemnation. Yet, like Cain, despite this tragedy, they are kept safe. Through the grace of God and the sacrifice of his only son, Jesus Christ, Christians can receive the promise of salvation. Furthermore, as I have previously stated, Cain was divorced from God and condemned to be a fugitive wandering the lands and never to return. see the light of his face. It seems like a hopeless punishment – ​​Cain certainly sees it that way. Being separated from God doesn't sound pleasant, but perhaps there is a slight element of hope in such punishment. For example, Terry Eagleton writes: "For traditional theology, to be in hell is to fall from the hands of God by deliberately scorning his love, if such a position is actually thinkable... But since there can be no life outside of God, which is the source of all vitality, the finality of hell is a matter of extinction, not of perpetuity... If there is such a thing as hell fire, it could only be the fire of God's merciless love, which burns those who can't stand it... Those who live in fear of hell fire, therefore, can rest assured. The good news is that they will not roast forever. This is because the bad news is that they will simply be consumed into thin air”. Hell is a state of non-existence rather than the agony and torture of hellfire. Eagleton seems to argue that even in hellfire God is still present since there can be no life outside of God. Fire cannot be. than the fire of the “merciless love of God”. If yes.