Bruce Michael
Well-Known Member
I pulled the following (quotes in dark blue, my comments in green) from theGod's Word to Women website a while back, but the direct link may not be working.
Please read Gen. 1:26-28, and with it, Gen. 5:2. We find that at the first the name "Adam" belonged equally to male and female. God said: "Let US make man [or "Adam,"--it is the same word] in our likeness, -" and the story proceeds,-"In the image of God made HE HIM, male and female made HE THEM." Please note that in the second clause, man is spoken of as both singular and plural. What does this mean?
I'll tell you what it means, Adam was of both sexes- androgynous.
There is no "and" in the Hebrew. It is "in the image of God made HE HIM,"male-female" made He them." Well you see that this was before Eve was created. So it wasn't talking about her.
This was known by Blavatsky and Steiner too.
The theory has been held among the Jews, at least as far back-- as the days of Jesus Christ, as shown by the writings of Philo, that man was, at the beginning Male and female in one person. This belief will also be found among other people besides the Jews. Next, after the androgynous (2)state, it is supposed that human beings were born in pairs, male and female twins.
Yes this is called the separation of the sexes. In the past children born as hermaphrodites were considered to be quite special, godlike. Not like in recent years where they have been butchered because they don't 'fit in' with a notion of normality.
If this be correct, it lends force to the Lord's words in Matt. 19:4 (R. V.), concerning the sanctity of marriage,-and we must remember He was speaking to men who were doubtless familiar with the theory: "Have, ye not read, that He Who made [no "them" in the original] from the beginning made them male and female." The rabbis did not seem to recognize an "and" in the expression in Genesis, "male and female," but read "male-female."
Yes this saying of our Lord now makes perfect sense. We now know what He meant by "one flesh". Also we understand why polygamy is wrong, because it is not reflective of the first perfect Man- Adam Kadmon.
Dr. Hershon, in his book, Talmudic Miscellany, says: "There is a notion among the rabbis that Adam was possessed originally of a bi-sexual organism, and this conclusion they draw from Gen. 1:27, where it is said, 'God created man in His own image; male-female created He them."'...
We conclude that the first chapter of Genesis describes the original creation of "Adam,"-mankind. (We must bear in mind the fact that the word "Adam" is applied sometimes to mankind, and sometimes to the individual being who was husband of Eve). The second chapter describes the elaboration of the first Adam into two sexes. The second chapter nowhere uses the word "create," of Adam, but a totally different word,-"formed." Please look up this same word, "formed," in Isa. 44:2, 24 and 49:5, and convince yourself that it is used there exclusively of all idea of creation. Then turn to Isa. 43:1, 7; 45:18, and see how it is used of a process additional to creation. This is what St. Paul refers to, where he says, "Adam was first formed then Eve,"- 1Tim. 2:13. He is speaking of development, not of original creation. Adam and Eve (so far as their primal state is concerned) were created simultaneously; but Adam was "formed," elaborated, first.
There is a notion among the Rabbis that Adam was possessed originally of a bisexual organization, and this conclusion they draw from Gen. i. 27, where it is said, "God created man in his own image; male-female created He them" These two natures, it was thought, lay side by side; according to some, the male on the right and the female on the left; according to others, back to back; while there were those who maintained that Adam was created with a tail, and that it was from this appendage Eve was fashioned. Other Jewish traditions tell us that Eve was made from "the thirteenth rib of the right side" (Targ. Jonath.), and that "she was not drawn out by the head, lest she should be vain; nor by the eyes, lest she should be wanton; nor from the mouth, lest she should be given to garrulity; nor by the ears, lest she should be an eavesdropper;
Back to Genesis:
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Some have protested that the first Man was only a spiritual being. If they were “spiritual” then why, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea…"
-Br. Bruce
Please read Gen. 1:26-28, and with it, Gen. 5:2. We find that at the first the name "Adam" belonged equally to male and female. God said: "Let US make man [or "Adam,"--it is the same word] in our likeness, -" and the story proceeds,-"In the image of God made HE HIM, male and female made HE THEM." Please note that in the second clause, man is spoken of as both singular and plural. What does this mean?
I'll tell you what it means, Adam was of both sexes- androgynous.
There is no "and" in the Hebrew. It is "in the image of God made HE HIM,"male-female" made He them." Well you see that this was before Eve was created. So it wasn't talking about her.
This was known by Blavatsky and Steiner too.
The theory has been held among the Jews, at least as far back-- as the days of Jesus Christ, as shown by the writings of Philo, that man was, at the beginning Male and female in one person. This belief will also be found among other people besides the Jews. Next, after the androgynous (2)state, it is supposed that human beings were born in pairs, male and female twins.
Yes this is called the separation of the sexes. In the past children born as hermaphrodites were considered to be quite special, godlike. Not like in recent years where they have been butchered because they don't 'fit in' with a notion of normality.
If this be correct, it lends force to the Lord's words in Matt. 19:4 (R. V.), concerning the sanctity of marriage,-and we must remember He was speaking to men who were doubtless familiar with the theory: "Have, ye not read, that He Who made [no "them" in the original] from the beginning made them male and female." The rabbis did not seem to recognize an "and" in the expression in Genesis, "male and female," but read "male-female."
Yes this saying of our Lord now makes perfect sense. We now know what He meant by "one flesh". Also we understand why polygamy is wrong, because it is not reflective of the first perfect Man- Adam Kadmon.
Dr. Hershon, in his book, Talmudic Miscellany, says: "There is a notion among the rabbis that Adam was possessed originally of a bi-sexual organism, and this conclusion they draw from Gen. 1:27, where it is said, 'God created man in His own image; male-female created He them."'...
We conclude that the first chapter of Genesis describes the original creation of "Adam,"-mankind. (We must bear in mind the fact that the word "Adam" is applied sometimes to mankind, and sometimes to the individual being who was husband of Eve). The second chapter describes the elaboration of the first Adam into two sexes. The second chapter nowhere uses the word "create," of Adam, but a totally different word,-"formed." Please look up this same word, "formed," in Isa. 44:2, 24 and 49:5, and convince yourself that it is used there exclusively of all idea of creation. Then turn to Isa. 43:1, 7; 45:18, and see how it is used of a process additional to creation. This is what St. Paul refers to, where he says, "Adam was first formed then Eve,"- 1Tim. 2:13. He is speaking of development, not of original creation. Adam and Eve (so far as their primal state is concerned) were created simultaneously; but Adam was "formed," elaborated, first.
There is a notion among the Rabbis that Adam was possessed originally of a bisexual organization, and this conclusion they draw from Gen. i. 27, where it is said, "God created man in his own image; male-female created He them" These two natures, it was thought, lay side by side; according to some, the male on the right and the female on the left; according to others, back to back; while there were those who maintained that Adam was created with a tail, and that it was from this appendage Eve was fashioned. Other Jewish traditions tell us that Eve was made from "the thirteenth rib of the right side" (Targ. Jonath.), and that "she was not drawn out by the head, lest she should be vain; nor by the eyes, lest she should be wanton; nor from the mouth, lest she should be given to garrulity; nor by the ears, lest she should be an eavesdropper;
Back to Genesis:
26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Some have protested that the first Man was only a spiritual being. If they were “spiritual” then why, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea…"
-Br. Bruce
