Did Adam and Eve eat?

[Delphiki]

Did Adam and Eve need to eat? We all know she ate the forbidden fruit, but is this the only thing she ever ate?

 

[juvenissun]

Did Adam and Eve need to eat? We all know she ate the forbidden fruit, but is this the only thing she ever ate?

What is the question in your mind?

 

[SkyWriting]

Did Adam and Eve need to eat? We all know she ate the forbidden fruit, but is this the only thing she ever ate?

That's a very interesting question. Hmm. I'll have to check.

2The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'"

So she was told she could eat. That implies that eating was normal. But we don't know if she had the opportunity to eat any other fruit while in the garden. Once removed from the garden, she ate regularly enough to bear children in the fallen world.

 

[Delphiki]

What is the question in your mind?

That would be both of the sentences you quoted there that end with question marks.

 

[Delphiki]

I think that, because God instructed what was edible, Adam and Eve must have rquired sustenance to survive. This goes against the idea that death didn't exist until the fall. Because of this, it shows the allegorical and mythological nature of Genesis.

 

[Notedstrangeperson]

I think that, because God instructed what was edible, Adam and Eve must have rquired sustenance to survive. This goes against the idea that death didn't exist until the fall. Because of this, it shows the allegorical and mythological nature of Genesis.

This is an argument which has been used by theistic evolutionists before. The usual creationist response is that Adam and Eve were vegetarians (plant deaths do not count because plants do not have the same "breath of life" that both animals and humans have).

Not only this, but there was no predation prior to the fall. All carnivorous animals (including dinosaurs ...) ate plants too. Animals only began eating one another after the Fall. And in case you're wondering why most Christians aren't vegetarians, it's because humans were given permission to eat meat following the end of the Flood.

The more we question the literality of the Bible, the more ridiculous the answers become: apparently, it's fine for humans to eat animals because we have been given permission to do so. But the fact that animals eat one another is a sign of the terible evil that humans brought into the world.

Makes sense ...

 

[Delphiki]

This is an argument which has been used by theistic evolutionists before. The usual creationist response is that Adam and Eve were vegetarians (plant deaths do not count because plants do not have the same "breath of life" that both animals and humans have).

Not only this, but there was no predation prior to the fall. All carnivorous animals (including dinosaurs ...) ate plants too. Animals only began eating one another after the Fall. And in case you're wondering why most Christians aren't vegetarians, it's because humans were given permission to eat meat following the end of the Flood.

The more we question the literality of the Bible, the more ridiculous the answers become: apparently, it's fine for humans to eat animals because we have been given permission to do so. But the fact that animals eat one another is a sign of the terible evil that humans brought into the world.

Makes sense ...

Actually, it's not so much what they are eating that I was hinting at, but that's still an interesting point. What I am saying is, if there was to death before the fall, then there would be no reason for people to eat anything at all. If there is no death then nutrition is no longer a requirement to live.

 

[Aman777]

Did Adam and Eve need to eat? We all know she ate the forbidden fruit, but is this the only thing she ever ate?

Dear Delphiki, Adam and Eve, before the fall, were as Christians will be in Heaven. In Heaven, Christians can eat ALL plants IF they want, but since they are in everlasting bodies, they don't have to eat. Also, Christians can eat all they want and never gain a pound. It's Heaven, after all. God Bless you.

BTW, plants don't suffer since they have NO brains. Reminds me of the way some Evols act.

In Love,
Aman

 

[freezerman2000]

Actually, it's not so much what they are eating that I was hinting at, but that's still an interesting point. What I am saying is, if there was to death before the fall, then there would be no reason for people to eat anything at all. If there is no death then nutrition is no longer a requirement to live.

I think that is the first time I ave seen this question and to tell the truth,even thought about it.
According to the literal account,God gave the animals to Adam to have dominion over them.I suspect that includes use as a food item also..there was no mention of A&E doing anything agricultural.Supposedly,everything was supplied to them,without labor.
Great question!

 

[Aman777]

Actually, it's not so much what they are eating that I was hinting at, but that's still an interesting point. What I am saying is, if there was to death before the fall, then there would be no reason for people to eat anything at all. If there is no death then nutrition is no longer a requirement to live.

Dear Delphiki, Death was present BEFORE the FIRST Day. It happened because God created heaven (air) and earth (ground) APART from Himself, and anything apart from God is subject to the Darkness or Death. The ONLY way to be immortal is to be in God, in Christ.

1Ti 6:16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Below is the Scriptural evidence of the first time darkness appears:

Gen 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

In Love,
Aman

 

[EternalDragon]

Actually, it's not so much what they are eating that I was hinting at, but that's still an interesting point. What I am saying is, if there was to death before the fall, then there would be no reason for people to eat anything at all. If there is no death then nutrition is no longer a requirement to live.

They did still have human bodies like me and you. Why would you think that they would not have to eat even if their bodies could live forever? The only reason we die is because things wear out and can no longer repair themselves. The cells reach their maximum ability to continue.

Why would eternal life preclude eating and drinking?

 

[Delphiki]

Why would you think that they would not have to eat even if their bodies could live forever?

What happens to you if you go to long without eating?

What would have happened to Adam and Eve is they didn't eat before the fall?

 

[lasthero]

What happens to you if you go to long without eating?

What would have happened to Adam and Eve is they didn't eat before the fall?

Does raise some interesting questions.

If Adam ran all day without drinking, would he dehydrate?

If, he, say jumped off a cliff and fell hundreds of feet, what would happen to him?

If he jumped in the water and stayed submerged for an hour, would he be fine?

Heck, forget eating and drinking - did he even need to breathe?

 

[TillICollapse]

Excellent thread

They did still have human bodies like me and you. Why would you think that they would not have to eat even if their bodies could live forever? The only reason we die is because things wear out and can no longer repair themselves. The cells reach their maximum ability to continue.

Why would eternal life preclude eating and drinking?

Suppose their bodies could "repair themselves" fully to the point they would not experience death. What then, was the purpose of eating plants for food ?

What I find interesting is the literalists interpretation of Genesis begs so many questions ... yet when reading the Gospels and the things Jesus said, he uses Genesis "terms" to describe things in ways other than "literalist" thinking.

For example, snakes often equal Teachers of the Law, Pharisees, etc. So right there, we have "talking snakes" which are full of "wisdom" and trying to interpret the things God says, similar to the snake in the Garden.

Jesus often refers to his followers as "sheep", there are also wolves in sheep's clothing, and he also refers to people and aspects of the Spirit (faith, hope, love, etc) sometimes in plant terminology. Vine/branches, seeds, bearing fruit, etc. He discusses the way seeds grow IN people, and how plants and seeds can be taken, removed, uprooted in PEOPLE. He apparently refers to parts of human beings as "soil". So right there, we have things being planted, seeded, put into the soil, cultivation of the seed and soil, trees bearing fruit ... similar to Genesis, except these things have to do with PEOPLE and spiritual aspects of them: faith, hope, love, etc. Similarly, the use of terms to describe different types of *animals* is not used in a typical way when contrasting the way Jesus used the terms, with the way Genesis is often read.

Jesus said his food was to do the will of God, and he claimed to have water which
will cause an end to thirst. He claimed waters would flow up IN a person, like a well spring, *leading to* eternal life. So right there, we have waters flowing up like well springs, an explanation of food that, even Jesus said to his own disciples, that they knew nothing about. So we have food and waters and such that have to do with spiritual matters, not literal eating of food into the mouth and water coming up from the earth.

IOW ... Jesus uses terminology similar to the Genesis account, which have meanings most people would not consider in regards to the verbiage used in the account itself.

 

[EternalDragon]

Does raise some interesting questions.

If Adam ran all day without drinking, would he dehydrate?

If, he, say jumped off a cliff and fell hundreds of feet, what would happen to him?

If he jumped in the water and stayed submerged for an hour, would he be fine?

Heck, forget eating and drinking - did he even need to breathe?

I would think there would be limits. But since we were not there we
can only speculate.

 

[lasthero]

I would think there would be limits.

Limits like what?

 

[Notedstrangeperson]

Actually, it's not so much what they are eating that I was hinting at, but that's still an interesting point. What I am saying is, if there was to death before the fall, then there would be no reason for people to eat anything at all. If there is no death then nutrition is no longer a requirement to live.

I suppose you could argue that they could eat and drink purely for pleasure, but the idea that there was no death before the Fall is absurd anyway...

 

[lasthero]

I suppose you could argue that they could eat and drink purely for pleasure, but the idea that there was no death before the Fall is absurd anyway...

Which is another thing - the Earth is only so big. If animals reproduce but don't ever die...

 

[Notedstrangeperson]

Which is another thing - the Earth is only so big. If animals reproduce but don't ever die...

And considering one of the first commands God gave was to be fruitful and multiply, this would indeed be an enormous problem.

 

[juvenissun]

I think that, because God instructed what was edible, Adam and Eve must have rquired sustenance to survive. This goes against the idea that death didn't exist until the fall. Because of this, it shows the allegorical and mythological nature of Genesis.

This is your real question.

What if the food they eat was not alive?