Genesis 4:4 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Genesis 4:4

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And here you have the case of Abel who understands that he's a sinner, and he understands that he needs forgiveness, and he understands that there must be an atonement and blood must be shed. And so he makes the symbolic sacrifice clearly in accordance with an instruction given to him by God and he did it by faith. The sacrifice showed that blood must be shed and somehow this would be done in Abel’s mind. He believed it so his sin could be washed away. It would be atoned for and he could walk with God and know his forgiveness. ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.’ Cain’s sacrifice was a sacrifice of disobedience. There was clearly an instruction, though we are not told when or how, but Cain ignored it. He wanted to offer to God the produce of his labours, he was proud of himself and self-righteous, he saw no need of forgiveness of sin. He did not understand this business about a sin offering and blood needing to be shed and a symbolic token offering would have to be offered up. Just as God prescribed, no he would do it his own way in his own manner and style. And so he did, he offered up proudly, the produce of the labour of his hands and his sacrifice was valueless. In fact, it was a condemnation of him and his pride. Cain brought an offering of his crops, but Abel particularly brought something selected from the firstborn, the very best, of his flock, ‘and of the fat thereof,’ which probably signifies the very best nourished and the most top-quality lamb that he could bring. ‘And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.’ How was that expressed? We have no idea. You could guess that the Lord burned up the offering by fire, divinely sent. Calvin thought it was a respect that was shown in the process of time, in that Abel’s working of his flock would be prosperous and Cain’s working of the land would be pretty unfruitful; God’s pleasure would be shown. But the narrative rather gives you the impression that it was some more immediate kind of signal, something that happened at once. All you know for sure is that God showed unmistakeably that Abel’s offering was acceptable, and that Cain’s was not. If you look carefully, you notice that man is mentioned before the offering in each case, as though God was reading the heart and the person first and foremost, and the offering next. So because of their different offerings, one of these two brothers was accepted and one was rejected.

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There are broadly two possible ways of looking at this. The traditional way (which we follow here) is to assume that God had given clear instructions for an offering, and that the offering was specifically designated as an animal offering, a burnt sacrifice, and blood was to be shed, and this would symbolise an atonement for sin. This view is in line, of course, with what God later did when he established worship for the children of Israel. and so that is a natural thing to think. In that case the problem with Cain was that he disobeyed the instructions, which reflected his heart, and he wanted to show off and to bring to God something of his own work, his own prowess. He did not need an atonement. Another way of looking at it is simply to say that, in the case of Abel, he was sincere in his love for God. He came to him as a sinner, realising that only by grace could the human race be received at all. Abel sought to live for God and to trust in him, and so he and his offering of thanksgiving was accepted, whereas Cain was the opposite, and so he was rejected. We cannot be absolutely certain which of these two views is correct. Hebrews 11 tells us that the reason Abel was accepted and Cain rejected is that Abel offered his gift by faith, and Cain did not. This might imply that Abel obeyed a clear instruction to bring an animal sacrifice representing the atonement, but Cain was not going to go to Abel and obtain an animal for a sacrifice. But equally it could mean that Abel offered his gift, trusting in God, and recognising that his gift could not purchase God’s favour. But Cain came proudly and his heart was not right before God.

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Genesis 4:4 Commentary and Bible Study