The oldest books of the Bible were written in 1400 BC. Yet the wisdom and advice contained therein remain to this day for us a valuable signpost. This proves the universality and timelessness of the Bible. The parable of Cain and Abel is probably known to everyone, regardless of their faith. The question is, however, whether everyone is able to interpret it correctly? Why did Cain kill Abel? What wisdom did he want to pass on to us? God with this story?
Cain was the firstborn son of the first people on Earth - Adam and Eve. He worked as a farmer. He had a younger brother named Abel, who in turn was a shepherd. One day the brothers went to offer sacrifices to God. Cain offered the crops of the field and Abel offered the firstlings of his flock and their fat. God was more pleased with Abel's offering. Saddened, Cain, driven by jealousy, killed his younger brother. As punishment, God sentenced him to eternal damnation ("thou shalt be a wanderer and a fugitive from the earth") and gave him a mark.
The story of Cain and Abel shows us what cruel acts envy and jealousy can lead to. This is the first case of murder described in the Bible. For us Catholics, it is a warning not to act rashly or get carried away by our emotions. Abel felt offended and as a result committed fratricide. God did not kill him as a punishment, but sentenced him to wander the earth in poverty. Cain was burdened with a stigma that would prevent him from finding peace for the rest of his life. The motif of the so-called Cain stigma still functions in culture today. It means that a person who has committed murder will never know inner peace; it will always weigh on him.