Philo, the 1st-century Jewish philosopher from Alexandria, grappled with this very question in his own way. In what we call "The Midrash of Philo," he argues that Adam must have been created with the ability to see. Why? Because everything else in creation, animals and plants alike, were brought into existence in their perfected forms. So, shouldn't Adam, the pinnacle of creation, also possess his most excellent parts, including, of course, his eyes?
Philo goes on to emphasize the verse where Adam names all the animals. It's a foundational story. And Philo asks a very logical question: How could Adam name them if he couldn't see them? It seems perfectly plain, doesn't it? He had to have beheld them first.
But then, Philo, ever the philosopher, throws us a curveball. Could Moses, in writing about "eyes," have been speaking metaphorically? Was he referring to the vision of the soul? You know, that inner sight that allows us to perceive good and evil, beauty and ugliness, and all the complexities of the world?
It’s a fascinating thought. Perhaps the physical eyes were secondary to the spiritual vision.
Philo doesn't stop there. He further dissects the idea of the "eye" by suggesting that it can represent counsel, the "warning of the understanding." In other words, the ability to reason and discern. But, he cautions, there's also another kind of "eye," one "devoid of sound reason," which he calls opinion.
Think about that for a moment. The ability to see and perceive is a gift, but it can also be clouded by our own preconceived notions and biases. It seems Philo is suggesting we need to be careful about what – and how – we see.
So, what did Adam see? Perhaps the answer lies not just in the physical act of seeing, but in the deeper questions of perception, understanding, and the constant battle between reason and opinion. Maybe the true miracle wasn't just that Adam had eyes, but that he had the potential to truly see the world around him, and within him.