Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?, by C. John Collins

Did Adam and Eve Really Exist?

By, C. John Collins

The subtitle for this book gives us a quick glimpse as to why this book was written.  It states, “Who they were and why you should care!”  There has been a real controversy lately that revolves around the aspect that Adam and Eve were not real people but instead are figurative / symbolic of humankind.

Should it matter to us whether they were real or symbolic?  YES!  There are very solid reasons why it is important that Adam and Eve were real historical people whom God created as the first man and woman.

The book of Genesis reads as though they are real people, not just figurative.  God gives them life and they have personality.  God gives them instruction and they learn from walking in the garden with God.  God gives them free will and they take that free will and abuse the privilege by eating of the fruit that was forbidden.

Bottom line, they sinned!  Through their sin all mankind to follow will enter this life in a state of fallen sinfulness. 

Maybe the best way to help you understand this books intent is to quote the beginning of Chapter 6, “Conclusions.”  C. John Collins states, “What I think I have shown;  I do not claim to have solved every problem or to have dealt with every possible objection.  But I trust I have shown why the traditional understanding of Adam and Eve as our first parents who brought sin into human experience is worthy of our confidence and adherence.  It does justice to specific Biblical texts, and suits the Biblical story line, with its notions of representation and covenantal inclusion; it also provides a meaningful explanation for everyday experience.  It is the view articulated or presupposed in Genesis, in Paul, and, above all, in the Gospel presentation of Jesus.  The alternatives are less satisfactory, and possibly even disastrous, on all these counts.”

Collins accomplished that conclusion in the text of the book.  His chapters headings are as follows;

Chapter 1, Introduction

Chapter 2, The Shape of the Biblical Story

Chapter 3, Particular texts that speak of Adam and Eve

Chapter 4, Human Uniqueness and Dignity

Chapter 5, Can Science Help us pinpoint “Adam and Eve?”

Chapter 6, Conclusions

Collins takes a good bit of time taking about the book of Genesis.  He then traces the references to Adam and Eve through the Old Testament.  He follows that by addressing how the Apostle Paul viewed Adam and Eve in his epistles and also had Jesus referred to Adam and Eve through his teachings as shown in the Gospels.

Further there is some reference to Adam and Eve drawn from Revelation to give us kind of the bookends of the Bible.  Genesis starts with Adam and Eve and Revelation sums up why God had to do what He did to bring mankind back to a place where the sin of Adam and Eve has been dealt with and man can now live a life free of sin.

Chapter 5, Can Science Help us pinpoint “Adam and Eve” starts out by referring to the crux of debate that has happened.  That crux is that scientist believe that human DNA “points to a population of several thousand people from whom all humans have descended, not just two.”

Collins will work through that discussion and draw on the material he has laid out in the first four chapters of his book to express why he doesn’t believe that is an appropriate belief.

If you are going to deal with any people who question the reality of Adam and Eve or who question that the Bible really addresses them as historical accurate figures rather than just symbolic figures used for the sake of story, then you need to read this book.

C. John Collins does a good job of giving us well thought out logical material to help us lead our ‘skeptic’ friends to further understand their Bibles and see the true storyline that God has woven through history and that He shows us in His Word.

Enjoy!