4. Conclusion: Human’s Decision in Following God’s Command





In this paper, there is an attempt to work out a main theme intended by the original writer of the famous story of Adam and Eve reported in the Genesis 2:4b~3:24. It is suggested that the main theme should be human’s decision in following God’s command. In chapter one of this study, the meaning of ‘theme’ is defined and there are three criteria : literary orientated, readers’ involvement and harmony within a boarder context being lain for a theme that must be fulfilled. Moreover, some terminology is defined as well. The goal of identifying the intended theme of the original author with meaning to contemporary readers is set.

In chapter two, different methodology and opinions on the theme of the story are reviewed. It is found that the opinions are various and even opposing to each other. It is suggested that literary study is commonly adopted by scholars as a main tool for identifying the main themes. This study method has the ahistorical and objectivity characters. It is asset to investigate the intended meaning of the original author with minimizing influence of theological thoughts. Moreover, this method meet the three criteria of identifying a theme. Meanwhile, the final form of the text is used for the study.

The exegesis is conducted on the seven scenes of the story with literary approach. The five narrative techniques (variations in the narrative, norms of judgement point of view, dynamics of the relationship distant among the characters, plot and introversio) used by the authors are especially aware in order to give some hints for identifying the theme. The theme of human’s decision is adopted according to the introverse technique as it is the central part of the story. This suggested theme can encompass the findings revealed in the narrative techniques as well.

It is very important that the theme of human’s suggestion can meet the three criteria of being a theme. Firstly, it is developed through literary study but not from guess. Secondly, the role of readers is involved in the theme as well. Finally, it can have harmony with the text in a boarder context, a correspondence with the exhortation of Moses in deciding life and death. At the same time, it has no conflict with the findings of previous studies and it even has the contribution of creating tension of a first-person question of ‘how’ a decision should be made rather than a third-person question of ‘what’ and ‘why’ in previous studies. Thus, there is sufficient evidence to state that the main theme of the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 2:4b~32 is the human’s decision in following God’s command.







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