11 Comments

  1. Fascinating. I never connected the statement from Genesis about sweating for one’s food and with that of physical labor within the tabernacle.

    Based on what we seem to be reading into God’s command in the Garden to care for it, can we reach the conclusion that plants within the garden were reproducing for food purposes or that the word avad is referring to something more ritualistic being done before the Fall? Since we believe that they were often in God’s presences, I don’t see this as a stretch.

  2. I’m not so sure what there was to for man to “keep” or “dress” in the garden of Eden, particularly before the Fall. I think there is more going on here than simple words disclose.

  3. Very interesting! If you look at the priests as representing Adam, the idea that they are laboring for their bread is great symbolism.
    On Hans’ comment, the Garden of Eden was the original temple on Earth. Adam was the first priest. Subsequent temples represented the first primordial temple. It would seem, then, that the work of the temple priests was a re-enactment or imitation of Adam’s work.

  4. Connie

    Thanks for your blog. I’ve really been enjoying it! And thanks for the heads up on Wall-E.

  5. Hi David, I like your points and think that you are really on to something. I also agree with Bryce that there is something more than meets the eye because the accounts are not that in depth beyond the lesson the scripture is trying to tell us. I suppose I was thinking that it would be interesting that Adam could have been working with reproducing plants before the Fall which seemingly contradicts 2 Nephi 2.

    I think that the more likely is David’s idea that he was performing priestly service. Adam was commanded to till the Earth until after he had partaken of the fruit so it does not seem likely that this was the condition that plants were reproducing.

  6. Ferreira

    In this context of sweat as it relates to temple service, this scripture detailing the Lord’s suffering of atonement seems to increase in significance: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” (Luke 22:44).

  7. Excellent connection Ferreira! Both the sweating and the partaking of bread symbolize the atonement. When God commanded man that in the sweat of their face they were to eat bread all the days of their lives, He may have been alluding to our consecration and submission of our will to the gospel of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father throughout our entire mortal probation. An angel later told Adam:

    Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call upon God in the name of the Son forevermore. (Moses 5:8)

  8. Another thought. Christ sweat “as it were great drops of blood” so that we wouldn’t have to sweat to eat His bread one day, when “we return unto the ground,” if we follow His commandments here and now.

    Consider the following scriptures:

    12 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow.
    13 And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of the wicked, yea, who are evil—for behold, they have no part nor portion of the Spirit of the Lord; for behold, they chose evil works rather than good; therefore the spirit of the devil did enter into them, and take possession of their house—and these shall be cast out into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth, and this because of their own iniquity, being led captive by the will of the devil. (Alma 40:12-13)

    But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (John 4:14)

    And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

    7 But he truly gave unto them bread to eat, and also wine to drink.
    8 And he said unto them: He that eateth this bread eateth of my body to his soul; and he that drinketh of this wine drinketh of my blood to his soul; and his soul shall never hunger nor thirst, but shall be filled. (3 Nephi 20:7-8)

  9. The following scripture is also enlightening to this discussion:

    34 Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created.
    35 Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my commandments are spiritual; they are not natural nor temporal, neither carnal nor sensual. (D&C 29:34-35)

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