We often think of Adam as simply the first man, made of dust. But some ancient traditions paint a far more…celestial picture. A picture of Adam as an angel.
Now, before you picture Adam with feathered wings, let's unpack this a little.
According to certain Jewish mystical texts, God didn’t just whip up Adam from the earth and call it a day. Oh no. He fashioned Adam from both invisible and visible substances, a blend of the earthly and the divine. And what was the plan? To make him an angel! Not just any angel, mind you, but one second in power to God, a being privy to divine wisdom. We find this idea in texts like 2 Enoch, where Adam is explicitly described as an angel.
Think about that for a moment. Adam, the first human, as an angelic being, sharing in God’s wisdom. It's a far cry from the simple image we often have.
But it doesn't stop there. This angelic Adam was also destined to be a king. A great and glorious king who would reign on earth. The texts emphasize that nothing on earth could compare to him, not among any of the creatures that already existed. He was unique, special. The top of the heap.
And here's where it gets even more interesting. God assigned Adam four special stars and even gave him Paradise itself! Can you imagine? God handed over the keys to the Garden of Eden and commanded Adam to gaze into the heavens, to observe the angels.
Why?
Perhaps to remind him of his own elevated status, his origins, his potential. Perhaps to show him the divine order of things. Or maybe, just maybe, to give him something to aspire to.
This idea of a heavenly Adam isn't unique. We see similar themes with other figures in Jewish tradition, like Enoch and Jacob, who are sometimes portrayed as demiurgic angels, beings who share in God's creative power. Schwartz in Tree of Souls notes that there was a similar tradition that elevated Adam to such heights.
It’s important to acknowledge, too, that this concept of Adam as an angel has echoes in Gnostic thought. Gnosticism, a complex religious movement, often explored the idea of humanity's divine spark trapped in a material world. This resonates with the idea of Adam, a being of light and wisdom, placed in the Garden.
So, what does it all mean? Why this emphasis on Adam's angelic nature? Perhaps it's a way of highlighting the immense potential within humanity. The idea that we are not just creatures of dust, but also beings with a connection to the divine. A spark of the celestial within us all.
Next time you think of Adam, remember this other story. The story of Adam the angel, the king, the one who gazed at the stars. Remember that, according to some, that potential still lives within us.