Genesis 6:1-8: The failing of humanity
In order to understand the context of the story line, we must notice that Gen 6:1-8 completes the "account of Adam." The "account of Adam" begins in Gen. 5 and seems to be the story of Adam's line after the Fall. As we noticed in Gen. 4, things went from bad to worse, and the pride of man grew in the face of his sin. Now, in Genesis 6, we find things going from worse to absolutely bad. Everything that God intended has been twisted beyond recognition, and apparently even the spiritual and physical worlds have collided beyond God's intended purpose. The end result is that God is terribly upset with the results of sin in this world, and he has decided to put a stop to the decline before it gets beyond help.
What does the passage mean by "sons of God?" Well, it could mean 1) men of valor and great strength, 2) chiefs of the tribes of men, 3) angelic beings. The actual term here is "Nephilim," which is often used of angelic messengers. In the New Testament, there are indications that Jewish Christians (like Paul, Jude, and Peter) viewed these Nephilim as angelic or spirit beings (1 Cor. 11:10, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6). So, we have Biblical precedence for understanding these giants to be spiritual entities that corrupted the intent of God further by not staying in their place, but by invading the human realm and adding to its problems.
The other options attempt to explain away the angelic invasion. But what to do with the New Testament interpretations? Either they are mistaken in the cultural portrayal, or there are some things that angels can do that we perhaps do not give them credit for.
What does the passage mean by "sons of God?" Well, it could mean 1) men of valor and great strength, 2) chiefs of the tribes of men, 3) angelic beings. The actual term here is "Nephilim," which is often used of angelic messengers. In the New Testament, there are indications that Jewish Christians (like Paul, Jude, and Peter) viewed these Nephilim as angelic or spirit beings (1 Cor. 11:10, 2 Peter 2:4, Jude 1:6). So, we have Biblical precedence for understanding these giants to be spiritual entities that corrupted the intent of God further by not staying in their place, but by invading the human realm and adding to its problems.
The other options attempt to explain away the angelic invasion. But what to do with the New Testament interpretations? Either they are mistaken in the cultural portrayal, or there are some things that angels can do that we perhaps do not give them credit for.
posted by Randy Rogers at
11:27 AM
1 Comments:
Randy,
I have often heard of angels being strong or poerful men. In this regard angels can be thought of as being anyone who is in the right place at the right time with the right resources to aid someone in distress. Philip might have been construed by the Ethiopian to be an angel by the way hea seems to have appeared, dispensed understanding, and disappeared.
On the other hand, Gabriel with Mary seems to be something easily described as supernatural, again lending to the perception of powerful and if not man at least not monster.
These 'sons of God', while not beyond the veil of the glass darkly, seem to be more along the lines of Gabriel, is that what you are saying?
I wonder what the Hebrew word that parallels Nephilim in terms of describing Jesus is--Immanuel?
Robert
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