The second chapter of Genesis presents clues
that Adam is not merely a horticultural figure, but a priestly figure, chosen
by God as the High Priest of Eden . . . Targum
Neofiti is an early translation from Hebrew into Aramaic, and it is . .
.instructive. The rending of Genesis 2:15 is typical of early Jewish concepts
of Adam, depicted in priestly language. There, Targum Neofiti describes Adam as being placed in the Garden “to toil in the Law and to observe its
commandments.” This expression is intended to evoke priestly rigor, and
calls to mind similar descriptions of Levitical priests in the Book of Numbers.
The translation of Targum Neofiti at
Genesis 2:19 presents yet another example. At this point, the Targum explicitly
states that in naming the animals, Adam used “the language of the Sanctuary.” . . . On the notion of Adam’s
possible priestly role—that is, in preventing that which is unclean to trespass
into the “gates” of the Garden sanctuary—another text from Genesis 2 requires
some attention. The Hebrew term tardemah (“deep
sleep”) in Genesis 2:21 with respect to Adam’s rest suggests the author’s
intention to indicate the passing of time, such that Ada—who was created on the
sixth day—awakens to discover Eve, given to him by God on the seventh day. In
such a reading, the gift of Eve on the Sabbath would place Eve near the center
Adam’s perfected, priestly world. Out of his side, and by his side, he would
freely roam the garden, preserving and protecting the boundaries of the Garden:
seeing to the continual state of holiness all that was within the sanctuary,
and that all unclean things were kept outside the sanctuary.
While the timing of the creation of Eve
remains unclear, the following is clear. Adam, the high priest of Eden, failed
to fulfill his end of the covenant. When the most unclean Serpent (Hebrew, nahash) trespassed the boundaries of the
Garden sanctuary, and failed to preserve and protect the holiness of the
Temple, “Adam stepped aside and did not guard the garden sanctuary or his wife
from the evil it represented.” One Catholic theologian opines that “Adam’s
failure to engage this demonic serpent in battle was the result of his
unwillingness to lay down his life in defense of the garden Sanctuary . . . he
failed to offer his life as a priestly sacrifice to God” (Michael Barber, Singing in the Reign: The Psalms and the
Liturgy of God’s Kingdom [Steubenville, OH: Emmaus Road, 2001], 44).
In the New Testament, the Book of Hebrews
suggests that something similar when it writes of “the fear of death” that overcomes
men. An identification with Adam seems plausible, if not likely: “Since
therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [Jesus] himself likewise
partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the
power of death, that is, the devil,
and deliver all those who through fear of
death were subject to lifelong bondage” (Heb 2:14) . . . other texts beyond
Genesis are worthy of consideration. For example, in Exodus, Moses is commanded
to fashion precious gems for the temple and for Aaron’s vestments, both of
which reflected the glory (kāvôd) of
God himself, as several texts from Exodus make clear: “And you shall make holy
garments for Aaron your brother for glory (kāvôd)
and for beauty” (Exod. 28:2); and “For Aaron’s sons you shall make coats and
sashes and caps. You shall make them for glory
(kāvôd) and beauty” (Exod.
28:40).
The term used here for “glory” (kāvôd) is standard terminology “for God’s
glorious theophanic revelation of himself to Israel at Sinai, at the
Tabernacle, and at the end of time” (Gregory Beale, The Temple and the Church’s Mission, 41-42). Genesis does not
portray Adam dressed in the glorious robes of the high priest of the later
Temple, yet Ezekiel does, and stops short of referring to him as an angelic
being: “You were an anointed guardian
cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of
the stones of fire you walked” (Exod. 28:14).
Likewise, texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls
depict the glory of Adam: “Adam, our father, you fashioned in the image of your glory . . . the breath of life you blew into
his nostril, and intelligence and knowledge in the Garden of Eden, which you
had planted. You made [him] govern . . . and so that he would walk in a
glorious land . . . he kept. And you imposed on him not to turn away . . he is flesh and to dust” (4Q504). And
elsewhere, “Remember Adam, please, that all of us are your people . . . You are
in our midst, in the column of fire and in the cloud your holy walks in front
of us, and your glory is in our midst”
(4Q504).
Similarly, the Aramaic Targums replace “garments
of skin” in Genesis 3:21 (Gen. 3:21) with “garments of glory,” as in this text:
“And the Lord God made garments of glory
for Adam and for his wife from the skin which the serpent had cast off.” (Steven
C. Smith, The House of the Lord: A
Catholic Biblical Theology of God’s Temple Presence in the Old and New
Testaments [Steubenville, Ohio: Franciscan University Press, 2017], 81, 82-83,
85-87)
