Humanity from a single pair? || Eve from Adam's rib? || Genesis || Creation

 

In Genesis, humanity began from a single pair — meaning the first generations would’ve involved close-relative reproduction. If incest is now a moral violation, was that moral boundary set by God later, or was it always inherently wrong but contextually permitted? Furthermore, if Eve was made from Adam’s own body, how does that influence our understanding of genetic and moral kinship in the biblical narrative?”

Ans. There are at least two suggestions in regard to first query.

First, enough hint has been given in the Genesis that Adam and Eve had other children. Given this condition, it might be safe to assume that they involved in inter-family reproduction otherwise there was no way to populate the world. The laws were given pretty much later through Moses. Most conservative Christians and evangelicals hold this view.

Second view is quite thought provoking. There are good Biblical scholars who suggest that there could be peoples outside the garden. They suggest Genesis 1 humanity as a separate account dealing humanity being made in image of God while Genesis 2 is about particular two people Adam and Eve who were appointed as priest and priestess or head of the overall humanity. Hence, the copulation could have occurred between children of Adam and those who were outside garden but all fell under Adam's headship. This is unpopular but not impossible view.

To the second query, making of Eve out of Adam's rib is an interesting part in the creation narrative and unfolding the ancient near Eastern context, the language was more of relational. The Hebrew word used for rib actually stands for architecture word "side of something". Hence, it lays out the concept that Eve was an equal half of Adam. This promotes a complementary view that male and female needs each other. They are made for each other. In regard to rib, the Jewish tradition is that Eve was made from a part near to heart. She wasn't made from head so that she could rule Adam; she wasn't made from feet so that Adam could crush her under his feet; she was made from a Region very close to heart so that she could be under protection and love of Adam. This is very much a picture we can see in our society regarding how ideal husband wife relation ought to be.

Hence, it is not a scientific concern but a relationship picture. Scientifically, we aren't sure how they were created but the Bible values more relationship concerns and that's how Genesis frames it.