Genesis 4: Why did God favor Abel's sacrifice over Cain's?

[psychemusic]

The Scripture, at least by my reading of it, doesn’t give many clues here. Anybody know what the traditional Catholic teaching is on this question? I saw in one online commentary that we can presuppose that Abel gave with a heart full of devotion, but I wonder if we know of an interpretation more solidly built on Scripture and/or Tradition. Thanks all,

Michael

 

[Verbum]

Hi Michael,

Look at Hebrews 11,4:

Through faith,Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater value than Cain’s. Therefore he was proclaimed just, God having born testimony to his gifts, and through faith, though dead, he still speaks.

So we can see that it was Abel’s interior dispositions, his trust in God, his faith that by honoring God, he was doing something pleasing to God that would be rewarded.

Verbum

 

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

Genesis 4:3-5 tells us:

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.

Our Sages note a subtle hint in the text itself as to why, “the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.” Abel offered up, “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof,” i.e. he brought the very best of his flock, he didn’t just pick any old sheep, he selflessly brought his top-of-line stuff. Cain? He merely, “brought of the fruit of the ground,” i.e. he just pulled up some carrots (maybe even some runty ones) and said to God, “Here, take it.”

Thus, “the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.”

Be well!

ssv

 

[Zooey]

Look at what the Lord says to Cain in vv.6&7: “Why art thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.” He gives Cain a chance here to do better, & Cain not only doesn’t even try, he gets angry…
I like SSV’s idea. It’s the way it looks, exactly. Abel brings the Lord the very best of everything; Cain brings whatever, & gets mad at Abel and at God for something that is his own fault. Nobody made him bring just any old thing…He even gets a chance to apologize & do better. Instead, he murders his brother–for doing better than he did…
I have sometimes wondere why he didn’t just say “OK, I’m sorry.” I mean, why kill Abel? But then, he would have to admit that he did something wrong.

 

[psychemusic]

You guys are awesome! I had totally forgotten about the passage in Hebrews 11 – it makes sense, and it does point to the right interior disposition (namely, faith) on Abel’s part. And it also makes sense that God would be pleased because Abel gave of his very best – the firstlings and the fat. I imagine sacrificing an animal was much more expensive than letting go of a few crops.

So what are some examples of how we can, in faith, give of our very best to God? And could we read this story as an early example of penance on Abel’s part, or am I getting ahead of myself?

Michael

 

[Maccabees]

Of coursse the far trickier question is how Cain found a wife.
Was it Cain’s sister or were there another branch of humans outside of Adam and Eve’s circle?

 

[Genesis315]

Maccabees:

Of coursse the far trickier question is how Cain found a wife.
Was it Cain’s sister or were there another branch of humans outside of Adam and Eve’s circle?

Didn’t he go live with nomads or something? Who were those people?

 

[km112482]

stillsmallvoice:

Hi all!

Genesis 4:3-5 tells us:

Our Sages note a subtle hint in the text itself as to why, “the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.” Abel offered up, “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof,” i.e. he brought the very best of his flock, he didn’t just pick any old sheep, he selflessly brought his top-of-line stuff. Cain? He merely, “brought of the fruit of the ground,” i.e. he just pulled up some carrots (maybe even some runty ones) and said to God, “Here, take it.”

Thus, “the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.”

Be well!

ssv

I look at it as Abel gave of the best of his flock. Just as Our Father in Heaven gave his son so that we might have enternal life. Just as Abraham was going to sacrafice his own son for the Lord. I dont know if anyone made that connection. I may not be making any sense here, but that is something that came to mind.

God Bless,
Kerri

 

[Verbum]

Hi Michael,

So what are some examples of how we can, in faith, give of our very best to God? And could we read this story as an early example of penance on Abel’s part, or am I getting ahead of myself?

Hebrews 12 draws its own conclusions:

Therefore, we too, surrounded as we are by such a multitude of witnesses, must rid ouselves of every burden and doff every sin, so that we may persevere in running the race that we are invited to, keeping our eyes on the author of our faith, who leads it to perfection, Jesus. Himself invited to a life of joy, he chose to endure the cross, whose infamy he scorned, and is now seated at the right of God’s throne. Think of him who endured such an opposition from sinners so as not to lose courage through weariness of the soul. In the fight against sin you have not yet shed blood.

[Private translation)
A life of faith is a life in which we keep our eyes on the prize, sacrificing everything that does not bring us closer to it.

Verbum

 

[donosti]

Because Abel always worried to offer God the best he had,and Cain just offered God the first thing he found without worrying if it was not the best he could offer.

 

[BayCityRickL]

The first sacrifice of animals was by God to harvest skins for Adam and Eve to wear, to cover their nakedness.

We jump over a lot of stuff and we see that Abel was offering an animal. Where did Abel come up with this idea of offering a sacrifice, specifically an animal?

Without evidence of what fills in the gap between these sacrifices of animals, it may be that Adam and Eve taught Abel and Cain about “sacrifices.” And, perhaps, Abel performed the correct sacrifice, but Cain did not.

And, it was not an “animal” that was a sacrifice, it was the life of the animal that was the sacrifice. So, Cain’s choice of a lifeless offering cannot be more blatantly inappropriate in contrast to Abel.

But, again, this is all a hunch.

 

[need_to_know]

Genesis315:

Maccabees:

 	 		 			 				 Originally Posted by **Maccabees**

			 *Of coursse the far trickier question is how Cain found a wife.

Was it Cain’s sister or were there another branch of humans outside of Adam and Eve’s circle?*

Didn’t he go live with nomads or something? Who were those people?

I think that for the first generation or so reproduction within the family was allowed.

 

[Trelow]

Because vegetarians are an abomination to God.