Theology Thursday
by Dave Holzhauer
There’s a line from song that is frequently quoted, but people often don’t know came from a song. “One is the Loneliest Number” shows up in all kinds of places, whether in advertisements or Mulder quoting it in the X-Files. However, the frequently forgotten second line is an interesting, if less poignant one: “Two can be as bad as one, it’s the loneliest number since the number one”.
It strikes me that in Genesis 3 that there is a chicken and the egg situation between sin and the breakdown of relationship. In verses 1-6, the serpent tempts Eve, who then eats the forbidden fruit, as does Adam. Adam is standing right there with her. There’s obviously a lot of things that can be explored off that one situation, but I want to talk about the relationship between the two breaking down. Two was the loneliest number after the number one, as Eve was seemingly on her own here to deal with the serpent being crafty.
This separation rolled down into the two of them mutually creating and wearing clothes to hide themselves from each other (they were previously naked and without shame, according to Genesis 2, v. 25). It rolled down into them hiding themselves from God in a sad game of hide and seek (it’s pretty tough to hide from someone who knows where you are/what you’re doing/what you’re thinking at all times), separating themselves from the one being who had been their infinite joy to please. It even rolled down into one of their sons (spoiler alert for chapter 4) murdering the other and being further ostracized from God.
In many cultures, most notably Germanic cultures, there’s the idea of a blood price, or wergild, the offending party had to pay. This is still seen in many relationships, though it’s usually not monetary exchange. It seems to illustrate the offender trying to “pay off” their guilt. Sin separates. It can’t be fixed by the offending party, it has to be forgiven; but until that forgiveness takes place, there’s a yawning chasm of separation. Separation turns into loneliness; loneliness turns into being absolutely alone. By alone I don’t mean solitude; what I mean can be best represented by a word picture. Picture yourself in a room full of people who you know and know you, but everyone talks only to someone else and never to you.
It's into our estrangement that God brings forgiveness. It’s into rejection that God brings his saints the ability to please the being who we infinitely want to please. He paid the wergild, though he was the one wronged. But it’s also into this situation that we are to be with others, all of whom are experiencing the exact same thing. You might not be able to help, but hopefully two isn’t the second loneliest number.
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