Eve or Lilith: Who Was Adam's First Wife?

Ever heard the name Lilith? There is such a story that the woman God created in Genesis 1:27 was called Lilith while the woman He created in Genesis 2:22 was Eve.

Well, interestingly, this conjecture has no Biblical origin. It is rooted in pagan origins.

This belief is in a way sponsored by the belief that the creation story of man in Genesis 1 is entirely different from the creation story of man in Genesis 2.

If you have read the previous article, Was Adam Really the First Man?, you should have realized that Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of the book of Genesis are not different creation stories of different men but are both about one and the same man, Adam. Chapter 2:7–25 is a further expatiation of the creation of man summarized in Chapter 1:26–28. Chapter 2 tells us how the first woman came to be.

The fallacious story propagated about a supposed Lilith is that she was not submissive to Adam and, after a while, she abandoned him, and so God later decided to give him a more submissive woman who turned out to be Eve. It is even spuriously said that Lilith became the mother of demons.

Well, this is nothing to be surprised about. Since as early as the second century AD, there have been books (false gospels and others) made up in a bid to discredit original Bible stories. These books have origins rooted in different sects—Ebionites, Marcionites, Gnostics, and so forth—known for reworking original Bible stories as well as fabricating new ones.

The Cainites, a gnostic sect, were known for converting villains to heroes. They claim that Cain wasn't actually a bad person. They portray Judas Iscariot as a hero—that it was Jesus who persuaded Judas to betray Him and the other disciples stoned the latter to death, making him a heroic martyr.

First century Asia had become a hotbed for gnostic philosophers and this to a large extent prompted John the Apostle’s writings: his gospel, epistles and the book of Revelation—books that he wrote close to the end of the first century.

(For a better understanding of Gnosticism and the response of the apostles to it, listen to the series: The War of Faith: Examining the Church in the First Century AD.)

Gnostics believed that matter, including the physical world, is evil while spirit is good. They on this premise deny the incarnation of Jesus, claiming He did not come in the flesh.

Hence, we see John’s direct rebuttals:

John 1:14(NKJV)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

“And we beheld His glory,” meaning there were actual eyewitnesses of Jesus’ existence and activities in the flesh (as a man).

1 John 1:1–2(NKJV)

1 - That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life--

2 - the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us–

3 - that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

1 John 4:1–3(NKJV)

1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

2 - By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

3 - and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

2 John 1:7(NKJV)

For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

This claim of Gnostics opposes the gospel on which Christianity is established. The bodily death and bodily resurrection of Jesus are essential truths of Christian faith—the message in which salvation lies.

Like earlier stated, Gnostics were known to rework original Bible stories and also fabricate new ones, both to suit their philosophy. Little wonder Apostle John gave such a stern warning in his last book:

Revelation 22:18–19(NKJV)

18 - For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;

19 - and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

It's no surprise. When there is the original, in no time, the fake also strives to show face. Where the authentic thrives, the counterfeit also always desires to thrive.

This warning of the apostle still rings loud to many skeptics today.

There is no such thing as the concept of Lilith. It is only a fabrication by overzealous skeptics.

1 Timothy 2:13(NKJV)

For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

While Paul's argument here is really about who came first in God's order of creation, we see clearly that these were the only two in the picture all along, with Adam representing the man and Eve representing the woman.

Eve was Adam's first and only wife.

Let us learn to respect the sanctity of the Bible.

Victor Ibosiola © 2024