The Apple Does Not Fall Far From The Tree

The Book of Genesis begins with the depiction of the Fall, the ramifications of which are echoed throughout the Bible, such as in the case of the impiety of Noah’s son, Ham. To fully understand the connection of the Fall to Ham, it is necessary to examine the Fall, the nature of sin, how it is passed through the generations, and the effects of it in the life Ham. Thus, in this paper, I will argue how the sin of Adam and Eve is transmitted to the entire human race, as a sin of nature, since it becomes a habit of mankind. This habit of abusing freedom echoes its ramifications of disorder such as disobedience against God, disorder between Creator and created, disordered passions, and destruction of the roles within a family, as is seen in the impiety of Ham.

In Chapter Three of the Book of Genesis occurs the Fall of Adam and Eve. Adam is the first man made by God; he has reign over the creatures, is in charge of serving the garden, has the power to name creatures on behalf of God, and is married to Eve. In sum, Adam is “the universal bridegroom. He’s married to all of humanity…[Adam is the] firstborn son, king, priest, prophet, and bridegroom.” But Adam destroys his roles when he and Eve believe the snake’s message that, “You can’t trust God as your loving Father. His rules aren’t for your good. He just doesn’t want you to experience the kind of life he enjoys.” Eve saw the beauty and desirability of the apple, so “she took of its fruit and ate; and also she gave some to her husband, and he ate.” Thus, Adam and Even broke God’s command not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, showing their disobedience and disrespect towards God. Naturally, their action had consequences and God punishes them by bringing pain into t...

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...am’s children will not respect Ham, since he did not respect Noah.

As has been argued, the sin of Adam and Even is a sin of nature, a habit of human kind. The effects of this habit, rooted in pride, are disorder between Creator and created, disordered passions, and disorder among a family. An example of such is seen in the impiety of Ham, who disrespects Noah, his father. Thus, by sin, man destroys his relationship with God and his family, as he values his freedom more than justice and order.

Works Cited

Catechism of the Catholic Church. New York, New York: Doubleday, 1995

Ignatius Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, 2nd Catholic Edition, 2006

John Bergsma, Bible Basics for Catholics. Notre Dame, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 2012

Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologicae. Trans. Fathers of the English Dominican Province. Notre Dame, Indiana: Christian Classics, 1948