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Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 5th, 2009, 2:43 pm
by Theophilus
"The sons of God saw that the daughters of men were attractive and they took as their wives any they chose."
Genesis 6:2

One interpretation of this passage is that these sons of God were fallen angels. But how could an angel possibly be so attracted to a human woman that he would want to marry her? After all, angels and humans are totally different from each other.

I have thought of one possible explanation for this. The angels were created to serve and worship God and their natures were such that carrying out this purpose was also a source of pleasure to them. It is likely that after the angels rebelled against God they still had this innate desire but had to find a new outlet for it. Humans were created in the image of God. Perhaps some of the angels hoped they could satisfy this longing for God by joining with something which was made like him.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 5th, 2009, 4:11 pm
by friendofbill
I suppose it's as good a guess as any, since no one really knows what this passage means. The explanation we got in seminary is that the "sons of God" were simply a race of very powerfulabd awe-inspiring people dwelling in the area, considered "giants" by others, and thus called "sons of God." The word "God" here does not necessarily mean "Yahweh," the God if Israel -- especially since there was no Israel at the time and the name "Yahweh" was not yet known. It is unlikely, in fact, that monotheism had arisen at the time. "Sons of God" could refer to any god.

And it is equally likely that this is a local legend that made its way into the growing literature that would eventually become the Torah.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 6th, 2009, 2:30 pm
by Theophilus
There are two other possible explanations that I am aware of. One is the the sons of God are the descenents of Seth, called this because they continued to worship God, while the daughters of men are the descendants of Cain. According to this theory intermarriage between the two groups led to Seth's descendants being led away from obeying God.

Another theory is that "Sons of God" was a title used by rulers and this passage meant that they began the practice of having more than one wife.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 17th, 2009, 6:53 pm
by cyranorox
T'philus, you are looking for contradictions.
You seem to take OT passages literally, or ask that your problems be solved on that basis. Why? Are you attached to the Prot. solas? On what basis? otherwise, your thought seems free-ranging. Most of the problems you pose dissolve with any other understanding of the passages you quote.

RC philosophical dicta about God also give you problems, which again dissolve against an OC understanding - just a touch of apophaticism explodes a lot of scholasticism.

I'm curious to know where you actually stand.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 20th, 2009, 3:20 pm
by Theophilus

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 21st, 2009, 12:47 pm
by Bluegoat

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 22nd, 2009, 7:27 pm
by cyranorox
I meant that T'philus has presented problems or apparent contradictions, based either on a literal reading of a passage [the 'solas', perhaps, or just literal exegesis], which is typically Protestant, or on philosophical abstrations about God [the 'omnis'] which I think of as typically RC. Since both of these are alien to an OC view, the problems proposed don't arise, from here. So, I want to know T'ph's principles of exegesis, or hermaneutic principles, his epistemology, and his basic theology/soteriology.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 22nd, 2009, 7:35 pm
by wondawomen
Would you please explain that entire statement to a little Baptist girl??? :rolleyes:

Courtesy Dialogue

PostPosted: June 22nd, 2009, 9:53 pm
by Jesse Hove
Perhaps you should present your own perspective before questioning another persons way of struggling with scripture. Far more ecumenical I think.

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 23rd, 2009, 3:19 pm
by Theophilus

Re: Sons of God and daughters of men

PostPosted: June 25th, 2009, 12:23 pm
by Bluegoat