Source: Crispin Fletcher-Louis, Jesus Monotheism: Christological Origins: The Emerging Consensus and Beyond, vol. 1 (Eugene, OR: Whymanity Publishing, 2019), 3–30.
7B. Worshiping_Adam_paved_the_way_for_Jesus.m4a
This academic analysis investigates the provocative notion of a Divine and Glorious Adam Worshipped in Pre-Christian Judaism, exploring how an elevated view of humanity's original, sinless state influenced early Christological thought. The author argues that various Second Temple Jewish traditions, particularly the 'Worship of Adam Story' found in the Life of Adam and Eve (L.A.E.), portray Adam as God's 'living cult statue' or 'image-idol', who was commanded to be worshipped by angels. This perspective offers a conceptual precedent for the worship of Jesus Christ as the true, sinless Adam who restored humanity's original glory, suggesting that "Christological monotheism" did not arise entirely ex nihilo but built upon existing Jewish theological anthropology. Ultimately, the text uses this Adam tradition—bolstered by its connections to other sources like the book of Daniel—to help understand the shape and origins of early Christological belief.
When we think of Adam, most of us picture the man from the early chapters of Genesis: a figure of tragedy who, through one act of disobedience, was exiled from paradise and plunged humanity into a state of sin. This story of the fall has profoundly shaped Western thought, often cultivating a "low view" of human nature as inherently flawed and broken from the beginning.
But what if this is only part of the story? What if, long before the Christian era, certain Jewish traditions held a dramatically different view—one where Adam, before his fall, was not merely an innocent gardener but a glorious, quasi-divine being? These ancient texts preserve a forgotten perspective on the first human, presenting him as a figure of cosmic importance, splendor, and authority. What might this exalted vision of Adam reveal about humanity's original purpose and identity?
A careful look at texts from late Second Temple Judaism reveals a high theological view of Adam that challenges our modern assumptions. Here are four of the most significant takeaways.
In many pre-Christian Jewish texts, Adam was not just the first human; he was a glorious being who shared in divine splendor. These traditions describe him as possessing "wondrous, divine beauty" and, in some cases, having "cosmic dimensions." This was not a fringe idea, but a widespread tradition with vivid expressions.