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Link to share: https://hanglberger-manfred.de/en-cain-abel.htm |
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The
narrativ of Cain and Abel A
critical interpretation of the story of Cain and Abel The text in the
Bible:4 The man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore
Cain, saying, "I have produced a man with the help of the LORD." Next she bore his brother Abel.
Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil. In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the
fruit of the soil, while Abel, for his part, brought one of the best firstlings of his
flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and
his offering he did not. Cain greatly resented this and was crestfallen. So the LORD said to Cain:
"Why are you so resentful and crestfallen? If you do well, you can hold up your head; but if not, sin is a demon
lurking at the door: his urge is toward you, yet you can be his master." Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go out in the field."
When they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD asked Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He
answered, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" The LORD then said: "What have you done! Listen: your brother's
blood cries out to me from the soil! Therefore you shall be banned from the
soil that opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. If you till the soil, it shall no longer give you
its produce. You shall become a restless wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the LORD: "My punishment is too great to bear. Since you have now banished me from the soil, and I must avoid your
presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, anyone may kill me at
sight." Not so!" the LORD said to him. "If anyone kills Cain, Cain
shall be avenged sevenfold." So the LORD put a
mark on Cain, lest anyone should kill him at sight. |
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A
critical interpretation of the story of Cain and Abel |
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Old
outdated ideas in this narrative: |
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1. |
It is not true, |
that the
story of Cain and Abel and Adam and Eve is a real "family story". |
Cain and
Abel represent the peasant culture and the pastoral culture, which for
thousands of years have repeatedly been engaged in a life-and-death struggle
against each other. [In the
so-called "seizure" of Canaan by the Israelites, as the Bible
depicts, the "Abels" (the pastoral peoples) have slain the
"Cains" (the peasants and townspeople)] |
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2. |
It is not true, |
that God
wants people to sacrifice for Himself, that people have to offer something to
God as a sacrifice. |
God wants
people to help each other in every need and to protect and preserve nature:
This often requires renunciation (= sacrifice?) |
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3. |
It is not true, |
that God
arbitrarily gives his love to some people and withholds it from others. |
But
people in early cultural epochs believed that misfortune, sickness, and
suffering of all kinds were a sign that God did not love a person. Conversely,
later in Christianity there was an equally false and dangerous sentence: "Whom
God loves, he chastises:" |
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4. |
It is not true, |
that the
anger of Cain would be unjustified if he were actually less
loved than his brother. |
Children
who are significantly disadvantaged in a family are often more
aggressive and angry throughout their lives than others. |
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5. |
It is not true, |
that
anger is something demonic or devilish. |
Anger
also has its causes. For example, it is often a sign that something is
unfair. |
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But this story says,
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1. |
that God
is on the side of the suffering, the unjustly treated, the oppressed - not on
the side of the victor. (Later realization: God is on the side of every human
being, but he confronts the perpetrator with the pain of the victim) |
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2. |
that God
sympathizes with the pain of those who suffer: No
criminal can hide from God: "The blood of your brother cries out to
me!" |
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3. |
that at all times there are people who want to avoid
responsibility and say: "Am I my brother's keeper?" |
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4. |
that God
does not want to destroy the murderer either, that he gives him a new chance
at life. But it is
important that he realizes his guilt and repents. |
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5. |
In the
Bible, the cruel victor is not the hero - as in other old stories - but a
criminal! It is not
victory that matters, but justice and humanity! |
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6. |
The
narrative is a story of peace and reconciliation: The
message of the story is: "You
wandering shepherds and you farmers, who so often
come into conflict with each other, before God you are brothers after
all!" |
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In the story of Cain and Abel, one gets the impression that God also
had a favorite child: Abel. Such old biblical stories contain valuable messages and at the same
time - like some strong medicines - have dangerous side effects: See above! Reasons why there are also "favorite children" and
"shadow children" in some families in our time - and what to do
then >>> |
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=> Index of the texts about
Cain and Abel
=> Bible-Index (German language)