Who is…
Adam

Hebrew: אָדָם —transliteration: adam —meaning: man or red (Babylonian); the generic name for man, having the same meaning in the Hebrew and the Assyrian languages

Origin

Adam is the name given to the first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent history and that of his descendants are detailed in the first book of Moses (Genesis 1:27-chapter 5). “God created man [Hebrew: Adam] in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

Read our illustrated story of the first man. GO

Adam was absolutely the first man whom God created. He was formed out of the dust of the Earth (and hence his name), and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and gave him dominion over all the lower creatures (Genesis 1:26; 2:7). He was placed after his creation in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it, and to enjoy its fruits under this one prohibition:

“Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

The first recorded act of Adam was his giving names to the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, which God brought to him for this end.

Making of Eve

Afterwards, the Lord caused a deep sleep to fall upon him, and while in an unconscious state took one of his ribs, and closed up his flesh again; and of this rib he made a woman, whom he presented to Adam when he awoke. Adam received her as his wife, and said,

“This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

He called her Eve, because she was the mother of all living.

Adam’s first sin

Being induced by the tempter in the form of a serpent to eat the forbidden fruit, Eve persuaded Adam, and he also did eat. Thus man fell, and brought upon himself and his posterity all the sad consequences of his transgression. The story of the Fall contains the great promise of a Deliverer (Genesis 3:15), the “first gospel” message to man. They were expelled from Eden, and at the east of the garden God placed a flame, which turned every way, to prevent access to the tree of life (Genesis 3). How long they were in Paradise is matter of mere conjecture.

Shortly after their expulsion Eve brought forth her first-born, and called him Cain. Although we have the names of only three of Adam’s sons (Cain, Abel, and Seth), it is obvious that he had several (and perhaps many) sons and daughters (Genesis 5:4). He died at the age of 930 years.

Origin of the human race

Adam and Eve were the progenitors of the whole human race. Evidences of varied kinds are abundant in proving the unity of the human race. The investigations of science, altogether independent of historical evidence, lead to the conclusion that God,

…made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth… —Acts 17:26 NASB

Compare Romans 5:12-21 and 1 Corinthians 15:22-49)…

Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned… —Romans 5:12 NASB

For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. —1 Corinthians 15:22 NASB

Relatives

Lineage from the 1st Adam to the 2nd Adam

God → ADAMSethEnosCainanMahalaleelJaredEnochMethuselahLamechNOAHShem → Arpachshad → ShelahEBER (father of the Hebrews) → PelegReuSerugNahorTerahABRAHAMIsaacJacobJUDAHPerezHezronRamAmminadabNahshonSalmonBoazObedJesseKING DAVID (and Queen Bathsheba) → Prince Nathan → Mattathah → Menan (Menna) → MeleaEliakim → Jonan → JosephJudahSimeonLeviMatthat → Jorim → EliezerJose (Joshua, Jesus)ErElmodamCosamAddiMelchiNeriShealtielZerubbabelRhesaJoannas (Joanna)JudahJosephSemeiMattathiah (Mattathias)Maath → Naggai → Esli → NahumAmosMattathiah (Mattathias)JosephJannaMelchiLeviMatthatHeliMARY, mother of JesusThe 2nd Adam, JESUS THE CHRIST, the God-Man (wholly God and wholly human)

In what way is Jesus Christ the 2nd Adam?

The 2nd Adam’s physical body was wholly created by God the Holy Spirit (incarnated) as a fetus in the virgin Mary’s womb. His DNA code was created by God, as was the 1st Adam’s. Neither of them inherited their DNA from any man or woman; both Adams were unique in this from any other human.

The 1st Adam was created as an adult. However, the 2nd Adam was created as a tiny fetus taking nourishment from His mother’s womb and growing as would any child till birth and eventual adulthood, experiencing life’s pains, difficulties, joys and temptations.

Like the 1st Adam, Jesus had no inherited sin nature; He was totally sinless and innocent. However, unlike the 1st Adam, Jesus remained innocent of any sin throughout His entire Earthly life and forevermore.

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Article Version: July 11, 2021