In the Christian Science Bible Lesson November 3, 2014 Issue

What is man’s true nature?

For the Lesson titled: "Adam and Fallen Man" from November 3-9, 2014

Madelon Maupin

The importance of having a role model, someone to be looked to and used as a guideline for one’s own life, is a widespread idea today. We just want to be sure we’re looking at the right one. This week’s Bible Lesson, “Adam and Fallen Man,” from the Christian Science Quarterly addresses this by highlighting the emptiness of one man, Adam, and the power and blessings of another, Christ Jesus.

Comparing Adam and Christ, the Apostle Paul warns the Corinthian church: “As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly" (Responsive Reading, I Corinthians 15:48).

This Bible Lesson draws from the two distinct sources of Genesis, which tell profoundly different stories of creation. Since the 17th century, Bible scholars have explained these differences by highlighting two major authors of the early chapters, based on their names for Deity. Genesis 1 through 2:3 uses Elohim for God, while the remainder of Genesis 2 through Genesis 3 uses the proper name Yahweh and Elohim, translated as Lord God. The Yahwist writer is responsible for the long narrative sections of Genesis, beginning with the story of Adam and Eve (see Sections 1 and 2 of the Lesson) and continuing through Abraham’s family stories.