Changes

The fall of mankind into sin began when Satan questioned one of God's commands, namely not to eat of the tree of life, and succeeded in talking Eve into eating the fruit, followed by Adam.  The result of disobeying this command resulted in the driving away of Adam and Eve from the garden, to live a life of subsistence farming and painful childbearing.  Genesis 3:15 is also cited as being the first reference to the coming [[Messiah]].

The fall of mankind into sin began when Satan questioned one of God's commands, namely not to eat of the tree of life, and succeeded in talking Eve into eating the fruit, followed by Adam.  The result of disobeying this command resulted in the driving away of Adam and Eve from the garden, to live a life of subsistence farming and painful childbearing.  Genesis 3:15 is also cited as being the first reference to the coming [[Messiah]].

== Multiple Authors Theory ==

==Critical view==

 

Some biblical scholars have claimed to have identified five separate authors of the five books of Moses<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora.htm Who Wrote The Pentateuch, The Five Books of Moses?]</ref><ref>[http://lectionary.org/EXEG-English/OT/EOT01-Gen/Authorship-Genesis%20&%20Pentateuch.html Introduction to Genesis & the Pentateuch]</ref>.  Although unidentified, each of these authors had been given the name of a letter:

Tradition holds that this and the first five books of the Bible were written by Moses.  Some biblical scholars, however, have identified five separate authors of these books<ref>[http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_tora.htm Who Wrote The Pentateuch, The Five Books of Moses?]</ref><ref>[http://lectionary.org/EXEG-English/OT/EOT01-Gen/Authorship-Genesis%20&%20Pentateuch.html Introduction to Genesis & the Pentateuch]</ref>.  Each of these authors have been named with a letter.

* J who uses JHWH (or ''Jehovahist''), and who possibly wrote in the south of [[Judah]].

* J who uses JHWH as God's name.

* E who uses Elohim as God's name, and possibly wrote in [[Ephraim]].

* E who uses Elohim as God's name.

* D who wrote Deuteronomy.

* D who wrote Deuteronomy

* P who wrote an alternate history in what was called the ''Priestly Code''.

* P who wrote an alternate history in a priestly style

* R who joined the writings of J, E, D and P to form a single work.

* R who joined the writings of J, E, D and P to form a single work.

Under this hypothesis, looking at the Creation story

Under this hypothesis, looking at the Creation story

* Genesis 1:1 through 2:3 were written by P.

* Genesis 1:1 through 2:3 were written by P.

* Genesis 2:4 was written by R

* Genesis 2:4 was written by R

* Genesis 2:5 through 4:26 were written by J.

* Genesis 2:5 through 4:26 were written by J.

 

This theory has gained in popularity since it was first postulated in the late 19th century.  However, it is a traditional product of modern rationalistic skepticism and has its basis on false literary critiria, unfounded philosophic assumptions, and an enmity against historical, miraculous, and prophetic elements which are basic to the first five books of the Bible Unger, 397; Young, pp. 183-276)

Furthermore, there are also a number of doubling of stories and inconsistencies between the doubles.  An example of such a doubling can be found in Genesis 7:15 where God instructs Noah to collect two of each species of animal and at Genesis 7:2-3, God instructs Noah to bring seven pairs of clean animals and one pair of unclean animals.  Again Genesis 7:4 describes the flood as rain only while Genesis 7:11 describes the flood as rain and water coming from the earth.