A barrage of questions floods my thoughts whenever I read Genesis 4 – the story about Cain (farmer) and Abel (shepherd). Questions like, why was Cain’s sacrifice rejected; did Yahweh ask for sacrifices; did Abel kill the firstborn of his flock? Sadly, these and other questions that puzzle my mind are unanswered in the text. I am stuck pondering what is uncertain.
One does not have to be a Christian to be familiar with the story about Cain and Abel. It is familiar enough and its scenario replicated often in movies, books, shows, songs – any form of media – that when one mentions Cain and Abel, the context is immediately understood. Cain killed Abel because of jealousy. Yahweh approved of Abel’s offering while rejecting Cain’s, even though Cain had made an offering to Yahweh, first. Why weren’t both offerings approved? Some commentaries explain it as an attitude problem: Cain did not have an attitude of gratefulness or humility. He was making an offering out of a sense of obligation. While, on the other hand, Abel gave his best with a thankful heart. We do not know. Another theory is that at the time when the story was recorded, shepherding was a more favorable duty than that of a farmer. Therefore, Yahweh favored the shepherd’s offering as opposed to the farmer’s – perhaps. Regardless of the motives or rationale, what we do know – and here is a point that is often overlooked – Cain’s offering was rejected, but not Cain.
Yahweh talks to Cain. During the conversation, there is an opportunity for Cain to confess what he has done. For all of the unknowns in the text, we can be sure that Cain realized that killing his brother was wrong. Why would he be passive in his responses? Evasive? Nonetheless, Yahweh is patient with him to the point of sparing Cain’s life and placing a symbol of protection on him so that others would not do to him what he had done to Abel. From this story, we see the depths of God’s love. We can be sure that while we do not have all of the answers that are raised from the reading of this story, nor our own lives as we live each day, we can be certain that God’s love is real.
