In which Tradition Portrays Adam as Most Innocent: Islamic, Jewish, or Christian exploring the narrative of Adam across Abrahamic traditions, we encounter varying inter

Excerpts from Flavius Josephus of the Antiquities of the Jews — Book I (annotated via

Claude.AI)

https://penelope.uchicago.edu/josephus/ant-1.html

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. On the sixth day he created the four-

footed animals, making them male and female. On the same day he also formed man.

Accordingly, Moses says that in just six days, the world and everything in it was made. The

seventh day was for rest and release from the labor of such operations. This is why we celebrate

a day of rest from our labors on that day, and call it the Sabbath, which means Rest in Hebrew.

Regarding the creation of man…God took dust from the ground and formed man, inserting in

him a spirit and soul. This man was called Adam, which in Hebrew means "red one" because he

was formed from red earth. God also presented the living creatures he had made, male and

female according to their kinds, to Adam and gave them the names by which they are still called.

But when God saw that Adam had no female companion or partner, he made Adam fall into a

deep sleep, took one of his ribs, and from it formed woman. When she was brought to him,

Adam recognized she was made from himself and acknowledged her as such. Woman is called

"issa" in Hebrew, but the name of this first woman was Eve, meaning Mother of All Living.

God commanded that Adam and Eve could eat of all plants except the Tree of Knowledge,

warning them that if they touched it, they would be destroyed. At that time, all living creatures

had one common language. The serpent, who lived with Adam and Eve, was envious of their

happy life in obedience to God's commands. Imagining their disobedience would lead to

calamity, the serpent deceitfully persuaded Eve to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of

Knowledge, saying it contained knowledge of good and evil that would make them as wise as

gods. Eve was convinced, tasted the fruit, and pleased with it, persuaded Adam to also eat it.

They then realized they were naked before each other, and feeling ashamed, covered themselves

with fig leaves. Though they thought themselves wiser, their disobedience had proven their folly.

When God came into the garden, Adam hid himself, conscious of his wickedness. Surprised, God

asked the cause of this behavior – why Adam now shunned conversation he previously delighted

in. Adam had no reply, aware he had transgressed God's command. God said He had intended

them to live happily without affliction or vexation, with all provisions for their enjoyment and

pleasure provided by His providence without labor and hardship, which would only hasten old

age and death. But now Adam had abused His good will and disobeyed. Adam's silence showed

not virtue but a guilty conscience. Still, Adam blamed Eve for deceiving him into error. Eve

blamed the serpent. As punishment, God told Adam the ground would no longer freely yield

food, but only through harsh labor, giving some fruits and denying others. He brought pain and

childbirth upon Eve for heeding the serpent as she had persuaded Adam. The serpent lost his

speech for his malicious trickery, and was made an enemy of mankind.

New Testament (Excerpts from the Writings of Paul)

Romans 5:12-14

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death came through sin, and

so death spread to all because all have sinned— 13 sin was indeed in the world before the law,

but sin is not reckoned when there is no law. 14 Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to

Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the

one who was to come.

1 Corinthians 15:21–22 21

21For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come

through a human being; 22for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.

Galatians 3:27–28

27As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is

no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for

all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 2:8–15

I desire, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or

argument; 9 also that the women should dress themselves modestly and decently in suitable

clothing, not with their hair braided, or with gold, pearls, or expensive clothes, 10but with good

works, as is proper for women who profess reverence for God. 11Let a woman learn in silence

with full submission. 12I permit no woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she is to

keep silent. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14and Adam was not deceived, but the

woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15Yet she will be saved through childbearing,

provided they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty.

Kvam, Kristen E.; Schearing, Linda S.; Ziegler, Valarie H.. Eve and Adam: Jewish,

Christian, and Muslim Readings on Genesis and Gender (p. 119). Indiana University Press.

Kindle Edition.

Selections from the Qur’an (c. 610–632 CE) Surah 2, The Cow: 2:29–39.

2:30 It is He who created all that exists on Earth for you. Then He turned to the heavens and

fashioned them into seven heavens. And He has knowledge of all things.

2:31 And when your Lord said to the angels, "I am going to place a representative on Earth,"

they said, "Will You place there someone who will spread corruption and shed blood, while we

constantly celebrate Your glory and remember You?" He replied, "I surely know what you do

not."

2:32 And He taught Adam the names of all things, then presented the knowledge to the angels,

saying, "Tell me the names of all these things, if what you say is true."

2:33 The angels said, "Glorified are You! We possess no knowledge except what You have

taught us. You alone are the All-Knowing, All-Wise."

2:34 God said, "O Adam, tell them the names of these things." And when Adam had told them

the names, God said, "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and Earth? And I

know what you reveal and what you conceal."

2:35 And God commanded the angels to bow down before Adam, but Satan refused out of pride

and became a disbeliever.

2:36 Then God said, "O Adam! You and your wife may dwell freely in Paradise, and eat from

this garden whatever you wish; but do not approach this one tree, or you will become

wrongdoers."

2:37 But Satan misled them and expelled them from their happy state, so We said to them, "You

are enemies to one another now. You will dwell and have sustenance on Earth for an appointed

time."

2:38 Then Adam received some words from his Lord, and He forgave him. Indeed, He is the

Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.

2:39 And We said, "All of you descend from here. And guidance will certainly come to you from

Me, and those who follow My guidance need not fear or grieve."

Kvam, Kristen E.; Schearing, Linda S.; Ziegler, Valarie H.. Eve and Adam: Jewish,

Christian, and Muslim Readings on Genesis and Gender (p. 179). Indiana University Press.

Kindle Edition.