Wednesday 07 November 2012

Background

The explanation of human life and its interaction with thenatural world around continues in this passage. It shows howimportant in the Middle East was the distinction betweenanimal-herders and crop-growers - an importance and, an animositywhich continues even into some areas of our contemporary world -this conflict still continues in parts of East and West Africa.

Both Cain and Abel as young men make a thanks offering to God -Abel, the firstborn of his sheep, and Cain, the fruits of ground.God looks favourably on Abel's offering but not on Cain's. This isall very puzzling. How did they know that one offering was happilyaccepted and the other was not? No explanation is given. All weknow is that Cain got very angry about it, so angry that, in a fitof jealousy he killed his brother.

The question for Cain and for us is why, at least from our humanperspective and in our human timeframe, God appears to bless somepeople and not others. And from this story it would appear that Godis not interested in the 'why' of it all but only in how Cain orhow we cope with the experience.

Two young men left for a walk, only one returns. God asks Cain,"Where is your brother?" Six times in four verses Abel is describedas "his brother" or "your brother". This underlines the horrificnature of what Cain had done but reminds us, if we need anyreminding in these days of child abuse, that the family is aregular place of violence and abuse.

Cain is unrepentant in his response to God - 'I look after theground not after my brother, you are the one who is supposed tolook after him'. It was a brazen response from Cain. His wrongdoingwas far greater than that of his parents. There had been what todaywe would call a step change in sin.

To Ponder

• Can you recall times when you have felt marginalised andunder-appreciated in contrast with others? What happened? Did youcry out to God about the unfairness of it all? Or did you seetheinwardly?

• Violence and murder within families is very common. Why do youthink this is so? Are we correct to regard this as a more heinouscrime/sin because it is within the family?