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- What did Paul tell the Romans about men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women?
- When did Christians first start calling Jesus “The Son of God” and “The Son of David”?
- Is “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,” a commandment or a blessing?
If you would like to see the Alexamenos graffito which Dr. Greaves talked about, click here
Sheldon Greaves
Dr. Sheldon Greaves received his Ph.D. in Ancient Near Eastern Studies with an emphasis in Hebrew Bible from UC Berkeley in 1996. He is a co-founder of Henley-Putnam University, a private university catering to the intelligence and counterterrorism communities. He has taught Old and New Testament and similar subjects at Stanford University. At present, Dr. Greaves leads seminars on biblical and related topics as Scholar-in-Residence at the Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan in Corvallis, Oregon. He is also the founder of Guerrilla Scholars (501(c)(3) status pending), a loose association of learners, thinkers, teachers, artists, and recovering academics that can best be described as, "a bunch of geeks who want to save the world."
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I really enjoy these podcasts. I would like to ask a question about what was said about God blessing Adam and Eve and told them to go forth and multiply and replenish. Dr. Greaves suggests that this is not a commandment but a blessing. So I am confused as to when God commands (in any form of scripture) and when God is just be laid back and relaxed. Part of my confusion comes from when Jesus said, “Quiet! Be still!” is that a blessing, a hope that the waters might take a chill pill, or a commandment? I am pretty sure you all have a podcast about this verse of scripture and I admit I have not listened to it, so please don’t crucify my comment. Thank you.
Thanks for the podcast; really enjoyed it, especially the point regarding multiplying and replenishing the earth as a blessing not a commandment; I went back and read the references in Genesis and it was very interesting to read it in that context. For LDS listeners however, D&C 132:63 states (while trying to overlook the weirdness of 132 regarding polygamy):
Doctrine and Covenants 132:63
63 But if one or either of the ten virgins, after she is espoused, shall be with another man, she has committed adultery, and shall be destroyed; for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth, according to my commandment, and to fulfil the promise which was given by my Father before the foundation of the world, and for their exaltation in the eternal worlds, that they may bear the souls of men; for herein is the work of my Father continued, that he may be glorified.
So how would we reconcile this verse with those in Genesis or if I were sharing the “blessing” perspective in Sunday School, someone would counter me with this verse, right?