Quote:
Originally Posted by Contra_Mundum  I am convinced that Cain's sacrifice was unacceptable on account of his heart, which led him to proffer that which was unacceptable in form. In other words, his offering was entirely unacceptable, the will-worship of his offering being an index of his rebellious heart.
So my slight disagreement with Vic would be that I don't see Cain as being slipshod in his choice, but rather refusing to trade his own sweated labors for a sheep of Abel's flock. I doubt it was the best of his field either, but after he rejects God's exemplary means I don't even think it mattered if the fruit was hi-quality or not.
Cain said, in essence, "God ought to accept from the labor of my hands that which I deem worthwhile." The contrasts with Abel's offerings are more than superficial. Beside being an atoning sacrifice, Abel's is "of the fat" or best; nothing at all is said about the quality or first-fruit of Cain's, which was not bloody (a requirement that is simply fundamental). Even assuming God was in the habit of receiving "peace" offerings of grain at this time (and there is no indicator that he had authorized them), Cain is clearly not at peace with God, for his "offering" is rejected. |
Excellent Bruce. Something just occurred to me that I want to get your opinion on. Do you suppose part of the "both" might have also been that he didn't want to have to go to his own brother and trade, in kind, for some of his grain to get an animal that might have been an acceptable sacrifice? This would require he humble himself, which was clearly not present as you note in his disposition toward God.
I can imagine that there is an unspoken, older brother "pride in the flesh" aspect in not wanting to acknowledge that his younger brother had something he needed in order to worship God. It almost seems like there's even a parallel to Ishmael's pride in the flesh as well.