Today, I am discussing a common misinterpretation of the Bible verse Genesis 4:9. In this verse, Cain asks God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” after killing Abel. Many people interpret this to mean we are supposed to watch over and be responsible for our brothers and sisters. However, in context, Cain was not implying he was supposed to keep track of Abel. Instead, he was responding defiantly and sarcastically to God’s question about Abel’s whereabouts.
I want to emphasize that we are not actually commanded in the Bible to be our brother’s keeper. While we are called to love others, we are not meant to police them. I caution against taking Bible verses out of context to support false doctrines. If something didn’t come from the Bible or heaven, we should question where it came from.
In summary, there is a warning against misusing Genesis 4:9 to claim the Bible says we must be our brother’s keeper. My argument is that scripture should be interpreted in context rather than making false assumptions. The core message is that we are to love others but not overstep our responsibilities towards them.
Bible Teachings