Adam and Eve in the scriptures, part 2

In the last post, I focused on the number of times Adam and Eve are mentioned in each book of scripture.  I learned a few surprising things from that part of the study.  The next step was to take a qualitative look at each reference and compare how doctrine in connected to Adam and Eve.  In this regard, the Book of Mormon really stands out. First we'll look at references to Adam and Eve in each of the other books. This part will include the Bible and the Doctrine & Covenants and part three will include the Book of Abraham, Book of Moses, and Book of Mormon. I'll highlight the references which connect to doctrine, light yellow if it touches a little on core gospel doctrine, and a deeper yellow if it connects deeply with core doctrine.

The Old Testament

As discussed in part 1, 18 of the 21 references to Adam and Eve in the entire Old Testament happen in Genesis 1-5.  These occur as part of the narrative account -- there is no real discussion of doctrine, just a telling of the events that transpired.

The rest of the OT only contains 3 other references to Adam the person (there is one reference to a city called Adam in Joshua 3 which I excluded from this study):

1. Deuteronomy 32:8 -- "When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel." (This is an oblique reference to Adam as the father of the human family.)
2. 1 Chronicles 1:1 -- "Adam, Sheth, Enosh," (This is the beginning of a genealogy.)
3. Job 31:33 -- "If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding mine iniquity in my bosom:" (This is a reference to an event in the Garden of Eden.)

That's it for the entire Old Testament.  I don't see much, if any, deeper doctrine connected with these references.

New Testament

The New Testament contains a few references to Adam and Eve and includes some doctrine:

1. Luke 3:38 -- "Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God." (Part of a genealogy.)
2. Romans 5:14 -- "Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come." (These two mentions of Adam come in a doctrinal discussion about sin and death.)
3. 1 Corinthians 15:22 -- "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." (This is a well-known verse in a doctrinal treatise on sin and atonement.)
4. 1 Timothy 2:13-14 -- "For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression." (This set of references includes references to events in the Garden as well as some doctrinal discussion about the roles of men and women.)
5. Jude 1:14 -- "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints," (This reference to Adam is only in passing.)

Doctrine & Covenants

For the sake of post length, I'm going to summarize the 31 references found in the Doctrine & Covenants a little more generally:

• Section 27: Connects Adam/Michael/Ancient of days.
• Section 29: "all things unto me are spiritual" / Satan rebelled before Adam and sought God's honor / Adam became subject to the will of the devil by partaking of the fruit / God gave Adam the gospel of repentance
• Section 78: Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 84: Abel received the priesthood "by the hand of his father Adam"
• Section 107: The history of the order of the priesthood / a description of the great priesthood meeting held prior to Adam's death
• Section 116: Identifying Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 117: Adam-ondi-Ahman
• Section 128: Keys of the priesthood
• Section 136: A promise that we shall behold God's glory if we are faithful in keeping all His words.
• Section 137: A vision of Adam in the celestial kingdom
• Section 138: Adam and Eve standing in the "vast congregation of the righteous" in the post-mortal spirit world

Conclusion

We're building to something here.  Notice how the Old Testament is essentially devoid of deeper doctrine connected to Adam and Eve.  The New Testament fares a little better. The Doctrine and Covenants does quite well in this regard.  In the next post, we'll see how the last three Books included in this investigation compare.

The Brother of Jared as a Type of Christ

This article by Thomas R. Valletta highlights some of the symbolic connections between the brother of Jared and Jesus Christ. The article is long, and I'll likely summarize some of its main points in a few different posts. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy this type of symbolism.

One point made early on which grabbed my attention is the meaning of the Hebrew name Jared -- "He descends" or "he goes down." Thus, the brother of Jared becomes "the brother of him who descended."  I see a clear connection to the Fall.

The symbolic connections continue.

The story of the Jaredites begins at the Tower of Babel, which for many scholars represents a mockery/imitation of true temple worship.

4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11, KJV)

This effort was rooted in pride and a mockery of the true way, however, and resulted in the confounding of the language and scattering of the people.

Contrast this effort with the words of the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland Temple:

24 We ask thee, Holy Father, to establish the people that shall worship, and honorably hold a name and standing in this thy house, to all generations and for eternity;
25 That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;
26 That no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house; (D&C 109)

In the Garden of Eden, man succumbed to the temptation of the devil and transgressed God's commandments in order to gain knowledge. As a result, they were driven out of the God's presence. Jared asked his brother to "cry unto [the Lord] wither we shall go." Similarly, Jared and his people were "drive[n] out of the land" but through their faith and cries to the Lord, they were led to a land of promise.

If Jared represents fallen man, his brother brings about the means of their salvation and journey to the promise land. The author of the paper suggests that his actual name might have been left out to point out to the reader that each of us has a brother just like Jared did who can do for us what the brother of Jared did for Jared.

The following table presents scriptural references comparing descriptions of the Brother of Jared with Christ:

Table 2

The Brother of Jared as a Type of Jesus Christ

The Brother of Jared Large and mighty man, highly favored of the Lord (Ether 1:34).	Jesus Christ “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52).
Intermediary for his people (Ether 1:34–39).	One mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5).
Commanded to gather his people, flocks, and seeds (Ether 1:40–43).	How often would I have gathered thy children together (Luke 13:34).
Commanded to lead his people in their trek (Ether 2:1–13).	All are commanded to follow Jesus Christ (e.g., Matt. 4:19; 10:38).
Visited by the Lord in a cloud (Ether 2:4–5; 14).	Jesus visited by Father in cloud (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34).
Procured small transparent stones for the Lord to touch for light in the barges (Ether 3:1–4).	Jesus Christ is the light to lead us through darkness (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46); He is also the stone or rock of Israel (Acts 4:11; 1 Cor. 10:4; Hel. 5:12).
Had a great vision of Lord on top of an exceedingly high mountain (Ether 3).	Jesus received divine messengers and was transfigured on a high mountain (Matt. 17:1–2).
Forbidden to write many of the things which he had seen (Ether 4:1).	Jesus charged his disciples after descending the mount to “tell the vision to no man” (Matt. 17:9).

There is a lot more detail to get into in future posts. It's an interesting connection to be sure.