Reference: Heredity
Hastings
HEREDITY, which may be defined as 'the hereditary transmission of qualities, or even acquirements,' so far as it is a scientific theory, is not anticipated in Holy Scripture. That men are 'made of one' (Ac 17:26 RV) is a fact of experience, which, in common with all literature, the Bible assumes. The unsophisticated are content to argue from like to like, that is, by analogy. But the modern doctrine of heredity, rooted as it is in the science of biology, involves the recognition of a principle or law according to which characters are transmitted from parents to offspring. Of this there is no trace in the Bible. Theology is therefore not directly interested in the differences between Weismann and the older exponents of Evolution.
1. In the OT, which is the basis of the doctrine of the NT, there is no dogmatic purpose, and therefore no attempt to account for the fact that 'all flesh' has 'corrupted his way upon the earth' (Ge 6:12), and that 'there is none that doeth good' (Ps 14:1). A perfectly consistent point of view is not to be expected. Not a philosophical people, the Hebrews start from the obvious fact of the unity of the race in the possession of common flesh and blood (Job 14:1; 15:14), the son being begotten after the image of the father (Ge 5:3; cf. Heb 2:14). This is more especially emphasized in the unity of the race of Abraham, that 'Israel after the flesh' (1Co 10:18), whose were the fathers and the promises (Ro 9:4-5). But the Bible never commits itself to a theory of the generation or procreation of the spirit, which is apparently given by God to each individual (Ge 2:7; 7:22; Job 33:4) constitutes the personality ('life' '/2-Samuel/1/9/type/emb'>2Sa 1:9, 'soul' Nu 5:6), and is withdrawn at death (Ec 12:7). This is the source of Ezekiel's emphasis on individual responsibility (Eze 18:4), a criticism of the proverb concerning sour grapes (v. 2), which was made to rest on an admitted principle of the Mosaic covenant, the visitation upon the children of the fathers' sins (Ex 20:5). This principle involves corporate guilt; which, though sometimes reduced to a pardonable weakness inseparable from flesh (Ps 78:39; 103:14; Job 10:9), and therefore suggestive of heredity, yet, as involving Divine wrath and punishment, cannot be regarded as a palliation of transgression (Ex 34:7; Ps 7:11; Ro 1:18). Sin in the OT is disobedience, a breach of personal relations, needing from God forgiveness (Ex 34:6-7; Isa 43:25); and cannot therefore be explained on the principle of hereditary transmission. Moreover, the unity of Israel is as much one of external status as of physical nature, of the inheritance of the firstborn no less than of community in flesh and blood (Ex 4:22; cf. Ge 25:23; 27:35). Similarly Adam is represented as degraded to a lower status by his sin, as cast out of the garden and begetting children in banishment from God's presence.
2. Such are the materials from which NT theology works out its doctrine of original sin, not a transmitted tendency or bias towards evil, but a submission to the power of the devil which may be predicated of the whole race. [See art. Sin.]
J. G. Simpson.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
So then Yahweh God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed in his nostrils the breath of life - and man became a living soul.
And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his likeness after his image, - and called his name Seth:
And God beheld the earth, and lo! it had corrupted itself, - surely all flesh had corrupted its way, on the earth.
All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life of all that were on the dry ground died.
And Yahweh said to her. Two nations, are in thy womb, And two races, from thy body, shall be parted, - And, one race, shall be stronger, than the other race, And the elder, shall serve the younger.
Then he said, Thy brother came in with deceit, - and took away thy blessing.
Then shalt thou say unto Pharaoh, Thus, saith Yahweh - My son - my firstborn, is Israel;
thou shalt not bow thyself down to them nor be led to serve them - For, I, Yahweh, thy God, am a jealous GOD, visiting the iniquity of fathers upon sons, unto three generations and, unto four, of them that hate me;
So Yahweh passed before him, and proclaimed, - Yahweh, Yahweh, A God of compassion and favour, - Slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and faithfulness: Keeping lovingkindness to a thousand generations, Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, Though he leave not, utterly unpunished, Visiting the iniquity of fathers, Upon sons, And upon sons' sons, Unto a third and unto a fourth generation.
Keeping lovingkindness to a thousand generations, Forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, Though he leave not, utterly unpunished, Visiting the iniquity of fathers, Upon sons, And upon sons' sons, Unto a third and unto a fourth generation.
Speak unto the sons of Israel: When any man or woman, shall do aught of an human sin, in acting unfaithfully against Yahweh, - and that person shall become aware of his guilt,
And he said unto me, I pray thee, take thy stand by me, and put me to death, for the cramp hath seized me, - even for as long as my life shall be in me.
Remember, I pray thee, that, as clay, thou didst make me, and, unto dust, thou wilt cause me to return.
Man that is born of a woman, is of few days, and full of trouble:
What is a mortal, that he should be pure? or that righteous should be one born of a woman?
The spirit of GOD, hath made me, and, the inspiration of the Almighty, giveth me life.
A God to vindicate the righteous, - and yet a Got to be indignant throughout every day.
The impious hath said in his heart - There is no God! They have acted corruptly, they have done an abominable deed, there is none that doeth good.
So then he remembered, That, Flesh, they were, A Wind departing, that returneth not.
For, he, knoweth how we are formed, He is mindful that, dust, we are.
And the dust return to the earth, as it was, - and, the spirit, return unto God, who gave it.
I - I, am he that is ready, To wipe out thy transgressions for mine own sake, - And, thy sins, not remember.
Lo! as for all persons, mine they are, As the person of the father, so also the person of the son, mine they are, - The person that sinneth, the same shall die.
he made also, of one, every nation of men to dwell upon all the face of the earth, - marking out fitting opportunities, and the bounds of their dwelling place,
For there is being revealed an anger of God from heaven - against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who, the truth, in unrighteousness, do hold down; -
Who, indeed, are Israelites, whose are the sonship, and the glory, and the covenants, and the legislation, and the divine service, and the promises, Whose are the fathers, and of whom is the Christ - according to the flesh - he who is over all, God, blessed unto the ages. Amen.
Be looking at Israel after the flesh: - are not, they who eat the sacrifices, joint partakers with the altar?
Seeing therefore the children have received a fellowship of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took partnership in the same, - in order that, through death, - he might paralyse him that held the dominion of death, that is, the Adversary, -