Julio

Is this is serious conundrum?
Adam lived 930 years.
Fundamentalist teaching INSISTS the “in the day” is metaphorical, but the 930 years are literal!
“…for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”
It doesn’t say “metaphorically”, “allegorically” or “spiritually”.
Read as it stands, it is Jehovah telling Adam a lie, or using sophism in dealing with extremely serious matters [for the future of humankind].
If it was to mean "spiritually", it should have been stated clearly, without the need for "interpretation"!
Eve was NOT included in the curse, please note.
Genesis 2:16-17.
PS: What possible concept of death could Adam have at that point?

ApostateAbe

I accept the interpretation that "in the day" is metaphorical, because otherwise I would have to believe that the writers and believers are complete blithering idiots, or else they believed in a God who makes empty threats, neither of which I think is likely.

sschlichter

It is also possible that he deserved to die but God had mercy and sacrificed animals (Gen 3:21) as a substitution on their behalf using the sacrifice to cover their shame on that same day.

~steve

Julio

Either way, it is inconsistent with an upright holy character, if we bring it into the equation.
The Elohim created all animals perfect [in the epic], but here comes Jehovah, one of the senior Elohim, to KILL them to appease his insane rage!
Tell me: does it make spiritual sense?
From a different angle: what was the problem with Jehovah that he could not be sincere? I'm sure we [Adam] would understand [Jehovah's character shortcoming].

spamandham

...or the god making the empty threat is not the real god, but an impostor. Don't underestimate what 1000 years of theology can come up with.

ApostateAbe

Well, I think I would expect to see better evidence if God was supposed to be an impostor.

Julio

Brilliant deduction. The "Creation" epic has many holes, but professional theologians do try always to cover them, because it is their trade, what do you think!

Julio

So, you reckon "in the day" it was to be understood by an innocent man to mean "after a while"?...
Why would a nice god not tell the crystal-clear truth upfront? Why wait for professional interpreters to arrive in the scene to help Jehovah communicate the message?
And since Jehovah doesn't threaten Eve, why punish her, too?
More holes to cover!...

ApostateAbe

A lot of incongruities in myths I take as sort of normal and expected. If it is a strange repeating pattern, then a good explanation is needed. If it is just an instance of something not quite making sense, then probably the best explanation is that the story-tellers didn't put so much thought into it, and the listeners weren't nearly the critical thinkers that you are.

Doug Shaver

That is a possibility, but that is not what it says. According to the story, God did not say to Adam "You will deserve death." According to the story, God said to Adam "You will die."