The First Man Adam
March 16, 2008
By Jeremy J. Main
Is the Adam of Genesis a mythical or historical man? Did Moses record Adam as some character he fabricated out of his imagination? Certainly not! Yet some people are inclined to foolishly question everything. Moses documented Adam as the first man in history, complete with biography. For example, Moses by inspiration recorded that Adam was the first of Mankind, created by God (Gen. 1:27; 2:7). Adam had a wife named Eve (Gen. 3:20), who gave him two sons named Cain and Abel (Gen. 4:1), and later another son named Seth (Gen. 4:25). Besides these children, Adam had other “sons and daughters” (Gen. 5:4 NKJV). Finally, after a long life, Adam died (Gen. 5:5). Clearly, Moses recorded Adam as a man of history. What did the other writers of the Holy Scriptures believe concerning Adam?
First, Jude wrote that Enoch was “the seventh from Adam” (Jude 1:14). The writer of the Book of Chronicles recorded the genealogy, accurately listing Adam first and Enoch seventh (1 Chr. 1:1-4). Jude’s argument against false teachers stood or fell upon the accuracy of his statement. Did Jude believe that Adam was a historical figure? Yes!
Second, Luke listed “Adam” in the genealogy of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:38). Did Luke believe that Adam was a historical figure? Yes! The implication is that Adam is as much a historical figure as Jesus Himself.
Third, Job affirmed the historicity of Adam. In making his defense, Job mentioned how Adam covered his transgressions (Job 31:33; c.f. Gen. 3:6-8). Yes, Job believed in Adam as a historical man.
Fourth, Mathew and Mark both record Jesus citing the Genesis account of creation and the divine institution of marriage, alluding to the first man and the first woman (Matt. 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9). Jesus based His argument for marriage on the historical account of Genesis (e.g. Gen. 1:27; 2:24). His argument for marriage stood or fell based upon the accuracy of His statement. Did Matthew, Mark, and Jesus believe that Adam was a historical figure? Yes!
Fifth, Paul wrote about Adam. Notice how Paul listed Adam together with other historical figures, such as Moses (Rom. 5:14) and Christ (1 Cor. 15:22). The implication is that Adam is as much a historical figures as Moses and Christ. Did Paul believe in the creation of Mankind? Yes! Moses wrote, “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7). Paul wrote, “The first man Adam became a living being” (1 Cor. 15:45). He also wrote, “For Adam was formed first, then Eve” (1 Tim. 2:13). Did Paul believe that Adam was a historical figure? Yes!
It is clear from the Bible that Adam was a historical figure. People such as Jesus, Moses, Job, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Paul, and Jude all believed in the historicity of Adam. Some people spend their lives asking foolish questions and causing foolish disputes. Trust in God and His word. “The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever” (1 Pet. 1:24-25).