In our English Club, we read Genesis 4, a story of Cain and Abel in English. First of all, do you know where ‘east of Eden’ is?  I remember seeing the movie in my teenage period, ‘East of Eden’ in which James Dean played the main character.  However, I had no idea that ‘east of Eden’ is, in fact, the place where Cain had to live and wander about after he was driven out from the Lord’s presence.  According to NIV bible, it reads, “So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod,east of Eden.”  In this verse, ‘east of Eden’ was mentioned just to describe where the land of Nod is, no more or no less.  However, John Steinbeck, the Nobel-prize winner, caught sight of these 3 words and took it as the theme of an epic story about Cain and Abel.  I was really amazed at his sharp observation!

Secondly, reading Cain and Abel in English, I could get some idea about why the Lord favoered only Abel’s offering.  Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil” while Abel brought “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock”  To me this verse implies that Cain didn’t care a lot about what to offer to God while Abel did his best to bring forth the top quality, the most delicious part of the firstborn sheep.  It came as a sharp contrast to me.  The Lord distinguished careless, casual offering of Cain from sincere, revering offering of Abel.  That’s why the Lord tells to Cain, “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?”” , which implies Cain didn’t do what is right.

Lastly, the most interesting figure in this story is Cain.  If you suppose this story as a play, there’s no line for Abel,  He didn’t say a word in this story.  However, there are many strong and interesting lines for Cain.  Especially, I was surprised at Cain’s reply when the Lord asks him, “Where is your brother Abel?.  Cain said, ” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  How dare he?  How come he has such an audacity to talk back to the Lord and tell a lie to the Lord?  Who is this guy?  Most bible characters fear God, the creater, the omnipotent God.  But, Cain didn’t.  Why?  Can I interprete it as “the Love” between a father and  a naughty son?  Cain loved the Lord, his father so much that he couldn’t bear the Lord’s favor toward his brother.  Even after he killed Abel, he is still angry, in thirst for the Lord’s love!  How tragic!  I assume that God also esteems Cain’s love toward him.  When Cain said, , “My punishment is more than I can bear.  Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”  You know what the Lord said, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.”  I could appreciate God’s endless love even toward a murdrer.  The Lord could have killed Cain right away as a punishment, but he simply said, “Not so!”

To conclude, it is a painfully sad story.  I don’t know why, but my sympathy goes out to Cain more than to Abel.  Is it becaue I could empathize how much he longed for the Lord’s love?  How much did he want to be loved by the Lord? Anyway, ‘East of Eden” is a poignant, sad love story between a father and a son!