Introduction
Early in the 6th century BC, the leaders of Jerusalem were forced out of their land and scattered across the Near East, as a punishment for ignoring God’s laws. It was then that they wrote the story of Adam and Eve, drawing on ancient traditions to fashion a profound reflection on the ongoing story of mankind’s troubled yet hopeful relationship with his Maker.
IN the beginning of Days, God spoke and said, ‘Let us make man in our image’. So he formed Adam out of the dust of the earth, and breathed life into him. He crowned Adam with such godlike virtues that he was only a little lower than the angels, and set him in Eden, a Garden of Delight.*
Seeing that Adam was lonely, God cast a sleep over him, and fashioned from one of his ribs a woman named Eve. Together they dwelt naked in Eden as stewards of his Creation, and only the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden to them, on pain of death.
But the artful snake whispered to them that God had forbidden the fruit of that Tree in jealousy, knowing they would become gods like him if they but tasted it. So Eve picked the fruit, and with bated breath tasted it; and she handed some to Adam, and he too tasted it.
St John Damascene states that it is free will and these virtues, not any physical or biological characteristics, that mean that Man (i.e. every human being) is ‘in the image and likeness’ of God.
Précis
When God made Adam and then Eve, he set them to live in Eden, a delightful Garden, which was theirs to use except for one tree, which they must not eat from. A snake, however, convinced them that the tree would make them divine, so one after the other they tasted its forbidden fruit. (54 / 60 words)
When God made Adam and then Eve, he set them to live in Eden, a delightful Garden, which was theirs to use except for one tree, which they must not eat from. A snake, however, convinced them that the tree would make them divine, so one after the other they tasted its forbidden fruit.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 60 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 50 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, just, or, otherwise, ought, since, unless, whether.
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
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