Original Sin Reconsidered (Fri. JjULY 5)

The Word of the Day is "death." Today, in our scripture study, we ask what is at the bottom of human sinfulness? Based on our reading of Romans 15:17-6;2, the Western church answers unequivocally, "original sin." Attributed to Augustine (354-430 AD), this doctrine holds that the sin of Adam and Eve infected human nature with incurable sinfulness. Since the Garden, the guilt of Adam has been passed down throughout the human race. Thus, in reading, they translate,  "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin…"  (OSB Romans 5:13). Yet this answer of the origin of sin depends on the translation and the perspective accompanying it. Today, we will sketch out the Eastern counter view to the Western teaching of how the sin of Adam affected humans.

Yesterday, we read that "… just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned (Romans 5:12). That sounds plain enough. We identify the "one man" as Adam. Through him "sin entered the world and death through sin."

A DIFFERENCE IN TRANSLATION

However, let us look at this verse more closely. The New King James Bible translates this critical passage as follows: "Death spread to all men because all have sinned. The Western doctrine of "original sin" hangs on this Word: "because." This term blames Adam and Eve, whose sinful nature we have inherited.

However, the standard King James Version does not use the word "because." It uses the phrase "for that." This translation is a more literal translation of the two-word phrase. This version suggests that death spread to all men "for that" or "in that" all have sinned. This translation of the preposition means that human beings do not inherit the "original guilt" of Adam. They inherit the curse of death.

FOR THE ORTHODOX DEATH LEADS TO SINFULNESS 

A note from The Orthodox Study Bible makes this sense clear: "Which comes first, death or sin? For Adam, sin came first (the original sin) and then death. But for us, it is the opposite: we inherit death and mortality, that is, "corruption" from Adam. Sin follows after that" (OSB note on Romans 5:12).

Therefore, as St. Paul says, "by one man's offense death reigned through the one (Adam)…" (OSB Romans 5:17). St. John Chrysostom says that "for that" means that all, even those who did not eat of the tree, have become mortal" (NfPf1:11, 401).

And St. Gregory Palamas comments on Romans 5:17, "Just as through one man, Adam, liability to death passed down by heredity to those born afterward, so the grace of eternal and heavenly life passed down from the one divine and human Word to all those born again of Him" (St. Gregory Palamas, Homily 16, 17). Death is the result of Adam's disobedience to the Giver of Life, and it is at the root of human sinfulness.

THE CURSE OF DEATH CORRUPTS 

The curse of death corrupts human life with the notion that one must gain all that one can, however one can, before death. The scourge of death engenders desperate attempts to achieve immortality through fame, power, accomplishment, popularity, and the accumulation of wealth, none of which is lasting. That is, death provokes humans to self-seeking sin. It provokes humans to seek immortal life apart from their Creator, the source of life.

FOR REFLECTION

Our study has clarified the central role the Resurrection of Christ plays in Orthodox belief. Through His Resurrection, the Risen Lord conquered "death by death."Dea20th no longer has dominion over him  (Romans 6:10) or over those who are baptized into His death… as Paul writes, "As Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life" (OSB Romans 6:4). After Christ's resurrection death no longer reigns, and therefore sin no longer rules those who believe in Christ.