Question about all knowing God

[luvthelight]

i have recently begun a study of the old testament of the bible and im hoping someone can help me clear up some questions. why, in some of the early chapters of the ot does God not sound all knowing, for example - He calls out to Adam, asking him where he is, it takes Him a little to realize that Adam ate the forbidden fruit, He demands to Cain - what happened to Able. i just dont understand how the passages can go along with our belief of an all knowing God - why does He have to ask questions? and why in the passage about the tower of Babel does He ‘come down’ to see the tower? can someone clear these up for me?

also does anyone know of any sort of online Catholic Bible study tool?

thank you!

 

[TEME525]

luvthelight, I guess the starting point to answer your question is that I don’t see the passages in question as being a literal passage, that is this diologue never took place as is. So if it is not a literal translation I have to ask the question, “What is it then?” Through out the OT and the NT for that matter, we find the author(s) using the Anthropromorphism - expressing or giving human attributes to non hum beings which God tops the list. But we are humans and can really only express our thought in human terms. So in these passages God is given the human qualities of ignorance to express or teach the lesson or in this case the Revelation of the passage. So it is important when studying both of these passages to look at the whole story and not just a verse or two to understand what is being expressed in these passages and the means to express the truth being revealed.

 

[Thomas_More_1]

God is infinitely beyond our understanding, so much so that he could never be described in writing. So biblical writing describes him in different ways so that we can understand what he revealed about himself.

Sometimes the writing is extremely profound (from a human point of view), especially later writing, especially New Testament Christology, especially in Saint John’s Gospel, e.g. the whole prologue.

Sometimes the writing is much simpler and anthropomorphic, especially in earlier writing, especially Old Testament writings on early events. E.g., God “gets angry,” “repents,” is “jealous.”

Both of these ways express truths to human beings about a God who is beyond all understanding.

That’s how I see it. God had to engaged Adam. If God had just shown himself to Adam in all omnipotence and omniscience, Adam would have died.

 

[puzzleannie]

luvthelight:

i- what happened to Able. i just dont understand how the passages can go along with our belief of an all knowing God - why does He have to ask questions? !

why does a good teacher ask questions of his students? is it because he does not know the answer and is waiting for his students to enlighten him? no, it is to start the students exploring the truth and understanding it.

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

Hi Live the Light, My earthly Father would ask me questions that he already knew the answer to for the purpose of giving me the opportunity to fess up to what I did wrong. It simply could be the same in the passages you list.

 

[Fidelis]

Puzzleannie:

why does a good teacher ask questions of his students? is it because he does not know the answer and is waiting for his students to enlighten him? no, it is to start the students exploring the truth and understanding it.

Daniel Marsh:

Hi Live the Light, My earthly Father would ask me questions that he already knew the answer to for the purpose of giving me the opportunity to fess up to what I did wrong. It simply could be the same in the passages you list.

I’d go with these explanations as well. It isn’t as if God doesn’t know what goes on (“Oh, poor God! Won’t he be crushed when he finds out!”). God is giving these men a final chance to acknowledge their sinfulness before him and show some remorse. As we can tell by their answers (answers we have all given at one time or another when we are confronted by our own sins), they instead blame someone else or try to change the subject. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[JLove]

If God was asking Adam in order to provoke a confession (which by the way I agree with) would God have restored Adam or not exiled him, if he repented? Thus negating the need for a savior.

 

[Fidelis]

luvthelight:

why does He have to ask questions? and why in the passage about the tower of Babel does He ‘come down’ to see the tower?

Forgot to answer this one.

One explanation I’ve heard is kind of an ironic one that emphasizes the foolish pride of men. Here we have these puny mortals build this tower with the intent to make it so high, it will reach heaven. But their efforts fall so short, that God actually has to come DOWN to look at it.

also does anyone know of any sort of online Catholic Bible study tool?

I recommend you visit my website, linked below. I have a few resources that may help you.

 

[nico1089]

Wen God was asking “Adam, where are you?” He was asking every man even today" Where are you? What is your state of affairs?"
Should we hide, like the first Adam?

 

[Mystophilus]

puzzleannie:

why does a good teacher ask questions of his students? is it because he does not know the answer and is waiting for his students to enlighten him? no, it is to start the students exploring the truth and understanding it.

(I hope that I do not like this answer merely because I am a teacher and I do this. It works; it really, really does.)