Date of Award
Spring 2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Divinity (MDiv)
College
Barnett College of Ministry & Theology
Department
Department of Christian Ministries and Religion
Primary Advisor
Dr. Chris Palmer
Second Advisor
Dr. Mike Cuckler
Third Advisor
Dr. Daniel McNaughton
Abstract
The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 contains the first biblical account of one human killing another yet provides a markedly terse description of the murder itself. This suggests the author's primary concern was not the details of the killing, but the characters and events surrounding it. An analysis of early Jewish interpretations, Christian commentaries, and intra-biblical teachings reveals a common understanding that the author of Genesis 4 was predominantly focused on the character traits of Cain and the damage his heart of self-absorbed wickedness caused himself and those around him. The Genesis 4 narrative presents a God who hates the oppression and murder of the innocent, holds the guilty accountable, promises vengeance for the victims, and combines justice and mercy in his handling of evildoers. This study demonstrates that the Old Testament authors considered both the external lifestyles and internal heart postures of both the killer and the killed when making moral judgments about the ethicality of killing.
Recommended Citation
Kreiter, Henry, "THE FIRST MURDER: AN ANALYSIS OF GENESIS 4:1-16 TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ETHICS OF KILLING" (2026). Master of Divinity (MDiv). 4.
https://firescholars.seu.edu/mdiv/4