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ADAM
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consulted by all who are interested in their exposition. Apart from the reference in Jude, where he calls Enoch, the
seventh from Adam, and Luke, who takes the genealogy of the Saviour back to Adam (Luke 3:38), no other writer in
the New Testament than Paul uses the name Adam or relates either doctrinal, dispensational or practical teaching
with it.
Paul uses the name seven times, and these occurrences we now give:
Adam in Paul's Epistles
Rom. 5:14.
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses.
Rom. 5:14.
After the similitude of Adam's transgressions.
1 Cor. 15:22.
For as in Adam all die.
1 Cor. 15:45.
The first man Adam was made a living soul.
1 Cor. 15:45.
The last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1 Tim. 2:13.
For Adam was first formed, then Eve.
1 Tim. 2:14.
And Adam was not deceived.
Some students of Scripture have put forward the idea that the creation of `Adam' in Genesis 1:26-28, and the
creation of Genesis 2:18-25 refer to two different events and to two different men. The opening verse of the book of
the generations of Adam (Gen. 5:1) most certainly refers back to Genesis 1:26,27, yet, as it is the Adam of Genesis 2
and 3 who was the father of `Seth' one and the same man must be intended. So also the Adam of Romans 5:12-14 is
the Adam of Genesis 2 and 3. To Paul, the Adam who brought death into the world, was `the first man' (1 Cor.
15:45).
That Paul, alone of the apostles has a doctrine of `Adam' and that he alone is the apostle of the Gentiles, together
with the fact that it is Luke and not Matthew that takes the genealogy of the Son of God back to Adam, are facts
eloquent and illuminating to the discerning reader. See SECRETS OF THE SON4, and IN ADAM2.
ADOPTION
This word `adoption' is the translation of the Greek huiothesia, a word composed of huios `a son' and thesis `to
place, or constitute'. (See CHILDREN v SONS p. 142). The word is used only by Paul in the New Testament and
occurs five times as follows:
Rom. 8:15.
Ye have received the spirit of adoption.
Rom. 8:23.
Waiting for the adoption.
Rom. 9:4.
To whom pertaineth the adoption.
Gal. 4:5.
That we might receive the adoption of sons.
Eph. 1:5.
Unto the adoption of children.
To appreciate the full significance of the apostle's figures in Galatians 3 and 4 they must be viewed in the light
of the law of adoption - and more particularly, the Greek law of adoption. At the same time it must be remembered
that Paul also uses the term in Romans, so that we must also bear in mind the Roman law on the subject.
There is no equivalent `law of adoption' in England. In Roman law, adoption was a very serious undertaking.
`The adopted son became a member of the family, just as if he had been born of the blood of the adopter; and he
was invested with all the privileges of a filius familias. As a matter of fact it was by this means that the
succession amongst the Caesars was continued. It never descended from father to son. What with poison,
divorce, luxury and profligacy, the surviving members of a family were few, the descent suffered constant
interruption, and whole families disappeared ... In no case amongst the Caesars did the throne pass from father to
son ... Augustus was the great nephew of Julius Caesar, and was adopted from the Octavian into the Julian gens.
Tiberius was no relation at all to his predecessor: he was merely the son of Augustus's wife, Livia, by Tiberius