Am i my brother's keeper

This is a study of the words of Cain after he killed his brother. God asked him where is your brother and he said this to express his indifference. That is not my concern at all. Much of this study is to show that we are, in fact, our brothers keeper.

1. AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Genesis 4:9 9Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is
your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am
I my brother's keeper?"


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Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Care For Our Brethren
Genesis 4:9
J.F. Montgomery
How terrible this question to the murderer! He thought, perhaps, his act was
hidden, and strove to put it out of mind. Perhaps did not anticipate effect of
his stroke; but now brought face to face with his sin. "Where is Abel?" He
knew not. He knew where the body lay; but that was not Abel. Had sent him
whence he could not call him back. "Where is thy brother?" is God's word to
each of us. It expresses the great law that we are responsible for each other's
welfare. "Am I my brother's keeper?" some would ask. Assuredly yes. God
has knit men together so that all our life through we require each other's help;
and we cannot avoid influencing each other. And has created a bond of
brotherhood (cf. Acts 17:26), which follows from our calling him "Father."

2. What doing for good of mankind? Not to do good is to do harm; not to save is
to kill. Love of Christ works (Romans 10:1; 2 Corinthians 5:14).
I. WE ARE CALLED TO CARE FOR THOSE AFAR OFF. "Who is my
neighbor?" We might answer, Who is not thy neighbor? Everywhere our
brethren. Thousands passing away daily. Abel, a vapor, the character of
human life (Psalm 103:15). Whither are they going? And we know the way of
salvation. Light is given to no one for himself only (Matthew 5:13, 14). We are
to hold it forth; to be as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15). It is God's will
thus to spread his kingdom. Are we answering the call? Test yourselves (cf. 1
John 3:17). Deliver us from blood-guiltiness, O God. Thank God, the question
speaks to us of living men. There are fields still to be reaped. The heathen, our
brethren, claim a brother's help. How many varieties of Cain's answer: - You
cannot reclaim savages; you just make them hypocrites; we must look at home
first. And the lost masses at home are our brethren. Oh, it is in vain to help
them; they will drink; they hate religion; they only think what they can get
from those who visit them. Test these objections. Single out in thought one
soul; compare his case with yours. You have instruction, ordinances,
influences; and he the darkness of heathenism, or surroundings of vice. Yet
Christ died for that soul. Can you let it depart without some effort, or even
earnest prayer?
II. WE ARE CALLED TO CARE FOR THOSE AROUND US. For their
sake, watchfulness and self-restraint (cf. Romans 14:15). We teach more by
what we do than by what we say. The loving life teaches love; the selfish,
ungodliness. Inconsistencies of Christians hinder Christ's cause. What art
thou at home? Is thy life pointing heavenward? "None of us liveth to himself."
"Where is thy brother?" - M.

3. Biblical Illustrator
Am I my brother's keeper?
Genesis 4:9
Exaggerated individualism
J. Percival.
The feeling of our sonship to God in Christ is a topic which requires to be
constantly dwelt upon, because our conventional acceptance of such a
relationship is apt to be compatible with a life which has no real apprehension
of it.
I. Of the dangers which are partly rooted in our animal nature and partly
fostered and intensified by the drift of our time, the one likely to press most
heavily on us is that of exaggerated Individualism. Where this is not tempered
by an infusion of the religious spirit, we find it working with a disintegrating
power, and in various ways vitiating both our personal and social life.
II. Almost every advance of civilization which distinguishes our century has
tended to give this principle some new hold on the common life. There is no
corner of society, commercial or social, political or artistic, which it does not
invade. The volume of its force is intensified as wealth increases and easy
circumstances become more common. Our time is preeminently a time of
materialistic egoism.

4. III. The evolutionist, telling us of the growth of all our sentiments, taking us
back to germinal forms and then leading us upward through struggle and
survival, makes the ruling motive in every early life essentially egoistic. The
question arises, Where and how is this motive to change its character? Is this
last utterance to be still but an echo of the primeval question, "Am I my
brother's keeper?"
IV. But we cannot rest in this conclusion. There is no possibility of rest until
we have settled it with ourselves that our higher consciousness gives us touch
of the reality of the Divine and everlasting, when it declares that we are the
children of God, and if children, then heirs, joint heirs with Christ. This we
believe to be the last word for us on the mystery of our being and destiny.
(J. Percival.)

Brotherhood
A. Mursell.
The first time the relationship of brotherhood is brought before us in
Scripture does not present it in the most harmonious or endearing aspect, and
yet the very rivalry and resentment which were engendered by it give an
incidental sign of the closeness of the tie which it involves.
I. The brother tie is one whose visible and apparent closeness of necessity
diminishes under the common conditions of life.
II. Although it is a link whose visible association vanishes, it ought never to be
an association which fades out of the heart. There is always something wrong
when a relationship like this disappears behind maturer attachments.
III. Whether from the hearth of home or from the wider range of brotherhood
which the commonwealth supplies, the pattern and inspiration of true
brotherhood is found in Christ, the Elder Brother of us all.
(A. Mursell.)

5. The gospel of selfishness
Archbishop Thomson.
"Am I my brother's keeper?" This is the very gospel of selfishness, and a
murderer is its first preacher. The gospel of selfishness is, that a man must
take care of his own interests; and out of that universal self-seeking, provided
it be wise and restrained, will come the well-being of all.
I. This is an age of rights rather than of duties. It is very notable that there is
almost nothing about rights in the teaching of Christ. The Lord seeks to train
the spirit of His followers into doing and suffering aright. By preaching love
and duty, the gospel has been the lawgiver of nations, the friend of man, the
champion of his rights. Its teaching has been of God, of duty, and of love; and
wherever these ideas have come, freedom and earthly happiness and
cultivation have followed silently behind.
II. Our age needs to be reminded that in one sense each of us has the keeping
of his brethren confided to him, and that love is the law and the fulfilling of
the law. The rights of men to our love and consideration, rest upon an act of
Divine love. Their chartered right to our reverence is in these terms: That
God loved them, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for their sins; and the
Saviour set to it His seal, and signed it with His blood.
(Archbishop Thomson.)

Cain and Abel
E. S. Atwood, D. D.
I. LET EVERY CHRISTIAN FULLY AND WILLINGLY RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT HE IS HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER. There is an old
French proverb to the effect that "nobility has its obligations," the neglect to
remember and act upon which resulted in the rapine and blood of the French
Revolution. Position has its special responsibilities, which can not safely be
disregarded, and when one is fully convinced of the fact that he is "his
brother's keeper," he will be anxious to meet the liabilities of the situation.

6. And a right-minded person will not merely accept the fact under compulsion.
He will be glad that things are as they are. What wide ranges of usefulness are
open before him. What an opportunity he has to impress himself for good
upon multitudes around him, and even upon times remote. And that empire of
gracious influence is the lordliest and most satisfying of all sovereignties. How
the world loves to keep alive the names of single men who have made their
personality felt in helpful directions. Scores of Union generals deserved well of
their country, but Sheridan, riding "from Winchester twenty miles away,"
and turning disaster into victory by the simple power of his presence, receives
the applause of thousands who have forgotten the names of equally loyal
leaders. It is a great thing to have an efficient part in determining the destiny
of others, to have control of the rudder that may steer them away from
dangerous coasts and out into wide seas of prosperity.
II. EVERY CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO MAKE THE DISCHARGE OF HIS
DUTY AS HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER A MATTER OF CONSTANT
THOUGHT AND PRAYER. It is not enough merely to accept our
responsibility as an article of creed, and then lay it away on the shelf as a
matter proved and concluded. How will this thing, if I do it, or leave it
undone, affect others? is a question that ought to be asked and answered all
the time. And especially ought we to take counsel of God, not as to how little
we can consistently d ,, but as to how much we can possibly do in this
direction.
III. IN MATTERS OF DOUBT, A CHRISTIAN SHOULD LEAN TO THE
SAFE SIDE. It was a rule of President Edwards never to do anything about
whose influence he had a question unless he was equally in doubt as to
whether the not doing it might not have as bad, or a worse, effect. That is a
hard rule to follow, but it is certainly a safe one. Men will never be turned
away from God and religion because we deny ourselves what seem to us
legitimate pleasures for fear of the evil influence we may exert. That very
sacrifice will evidence a genuineness and depth of conviction which is the
strongest of all arguments to the truth and worth of religion.
(E. S. Atwood, D. D.)

7. Earthly relationship the medium of spiritual influence
Homilist.
I. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVE THE DUTY OF
SPIRITUAL CARE. Relation, taken in its widest sense, if not the ground of all
moral obligation, is certainly intimately connected therewith. No man can be a
parent, a son, or a master, without being specially bound to care for his own.
Men have to provide for their households in earthly things, and ought to in
spiritual. In proportion to the closeness of the relationship is the force of the
obligation.
II. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS AFFORD PECULIAR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THIS DUTY. God has
constituted the varied relationships of life for purpose of promoting the moral
good of man. Opportunity and power should be voluntarily used. Families
have little thought of the opportunity they have of bringing each other to
Jesus.
III. THAT ACCORDING AS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST OR OF
SELFISHNESS IS POSSESSED, WILL THIS DUTY BE FULFILLED OR
NEGLECTED. Sin, whose essence is selfishness, is a severing principle. But
Christ's spirit is a spirit of love. We must come to Christ ourselves to get the
incentive to this duty.
IV. THAT CONCERNING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS DUTY AN
ACCOUNT WILL BE REQUIRED. And the Lord said unto Cain, etc. Vain
will be excuse. God will speak. So will conscience.
V. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS, A CCORDING TO THE MANNER
IN WHICH THEY ARE USED, BECOME AN ETERNAL BLESSING OR
BANE.
(Homilist.)

8. The word of Cain
E. Bersier, D. D.
All men, the poor, the ignorant, the fallen, the heathen, are our brethren. Such
is the Christian notion of humanity. We are, therefore, the keepers of our
brethren. Man is two fold; he has a body and a soul. Thence for us a two-fold
mission: we are called to alleviate the miseries of the body, and to save souls.
Jesus Christ has been brought into contact with both these forms of suffering.
Let us examine His conduct in reference to them.
I. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE BODY. Christ has come into contact with
them under their two most common forms — sickness and poverty. What He
has done for their victims all the gospel tells. We see Him ever surrounded by
the poor and the sick. He has a partiality for their society. With what tender
solicitude He treats them! And mark the results of this sublime teaching. The
faithful Church has always regarded the poor as the representatives of Christ.
II. That is what Christianity has done towards alleviating the miseries of the
body; but that is only a part of its mission. ABOVE THE BODY THERE IS
THE SOUL. The soul is man eternal. If we must sympathize with the
temporal interests of our fellow men, what shall it be when their souls are in
question? But if I have understood what is my soul, if I have felt that it
constitutes my dignity, my greatness, and my true life, then will I endeavour
to awaken that life in others.
III. THIS MISSION, HOW DO WE FULFIL IT? What, in the first place,
shall we say of those who do not fulfil it at all? There are people who believe
they are saved and who have never loved. If selfishness has never prompted
you to utter the words of the text, have you never uttered them from
discouragement? There are times when the thought of all that ought to be
done pursues and paralyses us. Let us therefore learn of Christ. But I hear
your final objection: Yes, say you, we are ready to work, but on condition that
our labour shall produce some results. And then follows the sad story of those
vain efforts, of those humiliating failures, of those discouragements which
every Christian knows and might in his turn recount. To all these objections
let me again reply, "Look to Jesus!" Did He succeed on earth?

9. (E. Bersier, D. D.)

My brother's keeper
Homilist.
I. THAT GOD DOES HOLD MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY
AND WELFARE OF HIS FELLOW MEN.
1. For their temporal welfare.
2. For their moral condition.
3. For their religious well-being.
II. THAT THE WELL-DISPOSED ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY AND ACT UPON IT.
1. By attending to their bodily condition. Hospitals, almshouses, refuges, etc.
2. By caring for their souls.
(Homilist.)

The claims of a perishing world upon Christian zeal and liberality founded in
human fraternity
Sketches of Sermons.
I. THAT THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE ARE ONE FAMILY AND STAND
IN RELATION OF BRETHREN TO EACH OTHER. To prove this, it is
necessary only to remark two things —
1. God has made us all of one blood.
2. We have all proceeded from the same pair.
II. THAT IT IS OUR DUTY TO CARE FOR OUR BRETHREN.

10. 1. The law of consanguinity requires it. This law dictates affection and
sympathy.
2. The law of God requires it. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
3. Our common Christianity requires it. It enjoins love to God; but we cannot
love God without loving our brother also (1 John 4:20). It enjoins an imitation
of the example of Christ; but Christ so loved the world as to die for it. It
enjoins obedience to Christ; but He commands His gospel to be preached in
all the world.
III. THAT THOSE EVILS WHICH BEFALL OUR BRETHREN THROUGH
OUR INATTENTION ARE CHARGEABLE UPON US. To illustrate this let
me suppose a few cases.
1. That any of your brethren were compelled to perform a long and dangerous
voyage, and that they were total strangers to navigation, and without a single
chart or compass; and suppose that you abounded in charts and compasses,
and in skilful navigators; and that you refused to grant them either the one or
the other; and suppose these should all perish, to whom would their loss be
ascribed? To you. Or suppose —
2. That they were compelled to journey through a land of pits and precipices,
abounding in beasts of prey; and that they. were ignorant of the path to be
pursued, and knew not where the pits and precipices were, and had nothing
by which they could defend themselves from the beasts; and suppose you had
it in your power to furnish them with a guide and a sufficient defence, but did
not, and that they should in consequence perish; their blood would be upon
your head. Or suppose —
3. That they were dying of disease, without the knowledge of any remedy; and
suppose you were in possession of an infallible one, and that you withheld it;
their death would be at your door. In each case the consequences would be as
fatal as if you had by some positive act, as that of Cain, destroyed them.
IV. THAT WE HAVE BEEN SINFULLY INATTENTIVE TO THE
ETERNAL INTERESTS OF OUR BRETHREN GENERALLY, AND TO
THOSE OF THE HEATHEN PART OF THEM IN PARTICULAR.

11. (Sketches of Sermons.)

God's question and man's answer
J. Milne.
I. GOD'S QUESTION — "Where is Abel thy brother?" Has God a right to
expect this knowledge at our hands? He has; and that on many accounts.
1. For instance, there is the constitution of our nature. When man was
created, the whole race were involved in one parent, they all sprang from one
root; so that there was provision made for forming a family, and for brotherly
feeling among them. God, therefore, reasonably expects that we should all feel
a kindly interest and concern in one another's welfare.
2. We might argue the same from the covenant in which we were all wrapped
up, to stand or fall together; from the law, which requires us to love our
neighbour; and, above all, from the gospel. Has the great God loved me, pitied
me, been patient with me, and at a great, unspeakable cost saved me; and
shall I not be ready to deny myself and make sacrifices, in order to save and
bless my fellow men?
II. MAN'S ANSWER — "I know not; am I my brother's keeper?" Here is a
two-fold plea — the first, ignorance; the second, an insinuation that God has
no right to expect such knowledge at his hand.
1. Cain excused himself on the ground of ignorance. This is either true or
false.(1) If true, then he is guilty, because he has had abundant opportunity of
knowing, and ought to know. And so with yourselves. You know about your
neighbour's outward estate; should you not know about his spiritual
condition?(2) But Cain's plea, "I know not," was really false. He did know
where Abel was. And so you do know that many around you, perhaps closely
connected with you, are tempted, ensnared, perishing.
2. Cain denies that God has a right to expect that he should take trouble about
Abel. "Am I my brother's keeper? Have I anything to do with him, any
charge of him? Can he not take care of himself?" Is not this the feeling in

12. many hearts? You say, Am I that poor wretch's keeper? What have I to do
with him? He has no claim upon me. I have other work to do, other interests
to attend to. But look again, Is he thy brother; and has he no claim upon thee?
(J. Milne.)

The examination of Cain
H. Melvill, B. D.
The world was yet young, and there were no judicatories to take cognizance of
offences; therefore did God, who, though His creatures had rebelled against
Him, still hold in His hands the government of the world, come forth from His
solitude, and make "inquisition for blood." But why — omniscient as God
was, and, by His own after statement, thoroughly cognizant of the guilt of
Cain — why did He address the murderer with the question, "Where is Abel
thy brother?" in place of taxing him at once with the atrocious commission?
Assuredly there could have been no need to God of additional information: it
was in no sense the same as at a human tribunal, where questions are put that
facts may be elicited. And in following this course, God acted as He had done
on the only former occasion when He had sat, as it were, in judgment on
human offenders (see Genesis 3:9, 11, 13). But the method of question is again
employed, so soon as there is again a human offender to be tried. "The Lord
said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?" It can hardly be doubted that, in
all these instances, the gracious design of God was to afford the criminals
opportunity of confessing their crimes. You must be aware how, throughout
Scripture, there is attached the greatest importance to confession of sin, so
that its being forgiven is spoken of as though it depended upon nothing but its
being acknowledged. "If we confess our sins," says the evangelist, "God is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness." And did the crime, then, of Cain come within the range of
forgiveness? Supposing it to have been confessed, might it also have been
pardoned? The crime had been fearful; and we must believe that, in any case,
the moral Governor of the universe would have so treated the criminal as to
mark His sense of the atrociousness of that which he had done. But there is no

13. room for doubt that there was forgiveness even for Cain; even then there was
blood which spake better things than that of Abel, the blood of Him who, on
the cross, besought pardon for His murderers, and who, in thus showing that
His death made expiation even for its authors, showed also that there was no
human sin which its virtue would not reach. But if Cain might have been
pardoned, had he been but penitent, where was the contrite sinner who need
despair of the forgiveness of his sins? Ay, it is thus that the questions under
review might have served as a revelation, during the infancy of the world, of
the readiness of the Almighty to blot out our iniquities as a cloud, and as a
thick cloud our sins. But let us now observe the manner in which Cain acted,
whilst God was thus graciously endeavouring to lead him to repentance. If we
had not abundant evidence, in our own day — yea, in our own cases — of the
hardening power of sin, we might wonder at the effrontery which the
murderer displayed. Did he, could he, think that denial would avail anything
with God, so that, if he did not confess, he might keep his crime undetected? It
may be that it was not in mere insolence that Cain affirmed to God that he
knew nothing of Abel; he may have been so blinded by his sin as to lose all
discernment of the necessary attributes of God, so that he actually imagined
that not to confess would be almost to conceal. Under this point of view, his
instance ought to serve as a warning to us of the deadening power of wrong-
doing, informing us that there is no such ready way of benumbing the
understanding, or paralysing the reason, as the indulging passion, and
withstanding conscience. But Cain did more than assert ignorance of what
had happened to Abel: he taxed God with the unreasonableness of proposing
the question, as though it were a strange thing to suppose that he might
concern himself with his brother. "Am I my brother's keeper?" There were
then no brothers in the world but Cain and Abel; and he who could insolently
ask, "Am I my brother's keeper?" when that brother was missing, might have
been convicted, by those very words, of a fierceness which was equal to
murder, and an audacity which would deny it even to God. But we wish to
dwell for a moment on this question of Cain as virtually containing the excuse
which numbers in our own day would give, were God to come visibly down,
and make inquisition for blood. But we have how to consider to what God
appealed in the absence of confession from the murderer himself: He had
striven to induce Cain to acknowledge his guilt; but, failing in this, He must

14. seek elsewhere for evidence on which to convict him. And where did He find
this evidence? He made the inanimate creation rise up, as it were, against the
assassin, and dumb things became eloquent in demanding his condemnation.
"The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground." Who has
not read, who has not heard, how murderers, though they have succeeded in
hiding their guilt from their fellow men, have seemed to themselves
surrounded with witnesses and avengers, so that the sound of their own foot
tread has startled them as if it had been the piercing cry of an accuser, and the
rustling of every tree, and the murmur of every brook, has sounded like the
utterance of one clamorous for their punishment? It has been as nothing that
they have screened themselves from those around them, and are yet moving in
society with no suspicion attaching to them of their having done so foul a thing
as murder. They have felt as though, in the absence of all accusation from
beings of their own race, they had arrayed against themselves the whole
visible creation, sun and moon and stars and forests and waters growing vocal
that they might publish their crime. And I know not whether there may be
anything more in this than the mere goading and imaging of conscience;
whether the disquieted assassin, to whose troubled eye the form of his victim
is given back from every mirror in the universe, and on whose ear there falls
no sound which does not come like the dying man's shriek, or the thundering
call of the avenger of blood — whether he is simply to be considered as
haunted and hunted by his own evil thoughts, or whether he be indeed
subjected to some mysterious and terrible influences with which his crime has
impregnated and endowed the whole material system. I cannot help feeling,
when I consider the language of our text, as though there might be more than
the mere phantasms of a diseased and distracted mind in those forms of fear,
and these sounds of wrath, which agitate so tremendously the yet
undiscovered murderer. It may be that, fashioned as man is out of the dust of
the earth, there are such links between him and the material creation that,
when the citadel of his life is rudely invaded, the murderous blow is felt
throughout the vast realm of nature; so that, though there be no truth in the
wild legend that, if the assassin enter the chamber where the victim is
stretched, the gaping wounds will bleed afresh, yet may earth, sea, air, have
sympathy with the dead, and form themselves into furies to hunt down his
destroyer. But it is not exclusively, nor even chiefly, as indicating a possible,

15. though inexplicable. Sympathy between material things and the victim of the
murderer, that we reckon the statement before us deserving of being carefully
pondered. Setting aside this sympathy, there is much that is very memorable
in the appeal of God to a voice from Abel's blood, when there were other
witnesses which might have been produced. Had not the soul of Abel entered
the separate state? was not his spirit with God? and might not the immortal
principle, violently detached as it had been from the body, have cried for
vengeance on the murderer? We read in the Book of Revelation of "the souls
of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they
held." And of those souls we are told that "they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth?" It may, therefore, be that the souls of
the dead cry for judgment upon those who have compassed their death: why,
then, might not the soul of Abel, rather than his blood, have been adduced by
God? Even had it been silent, surely its very presence in the invisible world
gave a more impressive testimony than the stream which had crimsoned the
ground. In answer to this, we are to consider, in the first place, that it did not
please God to vouchsafe any clear revelation of the invisible state, during the
earlier ages of the world. That Abel had fallen by the hand of his brother was
the most terrible of all possible proofs that the original transgression had
corrupted human nature to the core. But it would have done much — not
indeed to counterbalance this proof, but to soften the anguish which it could
not fail to produce — had there been any intimation that the death of the body
was not the death of the man, and that Cain had but removed Abel from a
scene of trouble to one of deep repose. This, however, was denied them: they
must struggle on through darkness, sustained only by a dim conjecture of life
and immortality. Indeed, indeed, I know not whether there be anything more
affecting in the history of our first parents. Oh, bless God, ye who have had to
sorrow over dead children, that ye live when life and immortality have been
brought to light by the gospel. Yours has not been the deep and desolate
bitterness of those on whom fell no shinings from futurity. Unto you have
come sweet whisperings from the invisible world, whisperings as of the one
whom you loved, telling you of a better land, where "the wicked cease from
troubling, and the weary are at rest." But alas for Adam and Eve! theirs was
grief, stern, dark, unmingled. But, indeed, there are better things to be said on

16. the fact that it was Abel's blood, and not his soul, which found a voice to
demand vengeance on the murderer. We know not how Abel, the first martyr,
died. Oh, I cannot but think that in God's reference to the blood of Abel as the
only accuser there was a designed and beautiful lesson as to the forgiveness of
injuries. You know that, in the gospel, our obtaining forgiveness from God is
made conditional on our forgiving those by whom we may be wronged. "For if
ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses." And was not the same truth taught, by example, if not by
word, from the earliest days, seeing that, when God would bring an accusing
voice against Cain, He could only find it in the dumb earth reeking with
blood, though the soul of Abel was before Him, and might have been thought
ready to give witness with an exceeding great and bitter cry? Abel forgave his
murderer, otherwise could he not have been forgiven of God; and we learn
that he forgave his murderer from the fact that it was only his blood which
cried aloud for vengeance. Thus is there something very instructive in the
absence of any voice but the voice from the ground. There is also matter for
deep thought in the fact that it was blood which sent up so penetrating a cry.
It was like telling the young world of the power which there would be in blood
to gain audience of the Most High. What was there in blood that it could give,
as it were, life to inanimate things, causing them to become vocal, so that the
very Godhead Himself was moved by the sound? The utterance, we think, did
but predict that when one, to whom Abel had had respect in presenting in
sacrifice the firstlings of his flock, should tall, as Abel fell, beneath the malice
of the wicked, there would go up item the shed blood a voice that would be
hearkened to in the heavenly courts, and prevail to the obtaining whatsoever
it should ask. Blessed be God that this blood does not plead for vengeance
alone. It does plead for vengeance on the obdurate, who, like Cain, resist the
invitation of God; but it pleads also for pardon of the murderers, so that it can
expiate the crime which it proves and attests.
(H. Melvill, B. D.)

Am I my brother's keeper

17. ? — The cool impudence of Cain is an indication of the state of heart which
led up to his murdering his brother; and it was also a part of the result of his
having committed that terrible crime. He would not have proceeded to the
cruel deed of bloodshed if he had not first cast off the fear of God and been
ready to defy his Maker. Having committed murder, the hardening influence
of sin upon Cain's mind must have been intense, and so at last he was able to
speak out to God's face what he felt within his heart, and to say, "Am I my
brother's keeper?" This goes a long way to explain what has puzzled some
persons, namely, the wonderful calmness with which great criminals will
appear in the dock. I remember to have heard it said of one who had
undoubtedly committed a very foul murder, that he looked like an innocent
man. He stood up before his accusers as calmly and quietly, they said, as an
innocent man could do. I remember feeling at the time that an innocent man
would probably not have been calm. The distress of mind occasioned to an
innocent man by being under such a charge would have prevented his having
the coolness which was displayed by the guilty individual. Instead of its being
any evidence of innocence that a man wears a brazen front when charged with
a great crime, it should by wise men be considered to be evidence against him.
Save us, O God, from having our hearts hammered to the hardness of steel by
sin; and daily keep us by Thy grace sensible and tender before Thee,
trembling at Thy word. The very same thing, no doubt, lies at the bottom of
objections to Bible truths. There are some who do not go to Scripture to take
out of it what is there, but seeing what is clearly revealed, they then begin to
question and judge and come to conclusions according to their notions of what
ought to have been there. Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
God? If He says it, it is so. Believe it. Now, let us look quietly at what Cain
said. He said to the Lord, "Am I my brother's keeper?" May the Holy Spirit
guide us in considering this question.
I. First it is to be noted that MAN IS NOT HIS BROTHER'S KEEPER IN
SOME SENSES. There is some little weight in what Cain says.
1. For instance, first, every man must bear his own responsibility for his own
acts before Almighty God. It is not possible for a man to shift from his own
shoulders to those of another his obligations to the Most High.

18. 2. And again, no one can positively secure the salvation of another, nay, he
cannot even have a hope of the salvation of his friend, so long as that other
remains unbelieving.
3. And here let me say, in the next place, that those do very wrongly who enter
into any vows or promises for others in this matter, when they are quite
powerless.
4. It is proper here to say that the most earnest minister of Christ must not so
push the idea of his own personal responsibility to such an extreme as to make
himself unfit for his work through a morbid view of his position. If he has
faithfully preached the gospel, and his message is rejected, let him persevere
in hope, and not condemn himself.
II. So now, secondly, IN A HIGH DEGREE WE ARE, EACH ONE OF US,
OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER. We ought to regard ourselves in that light, and
it is a Cainish spirit which prompts us to think otherwise, and to wrap
ourselves up in hardheartedness and say, "It is no concern of mine how others
fare. Am I my brother's keeper?" Far from that spirit let us be.
1. For, first, common feelings of humanity should lead every Christian man to
feel an interest in the soul of every unsaved man.
2. A second argument is drawn from the fact that we have all of us, especially
those of us who are Christians, the power to do good to others. We have not
all the same ability, for we have not all the same gifts, or the same position,
but as the little maid that waited on Naaman's wife had opportunity to tell of
the prophet who could heal her master, so there is not a young Christian here
but what has some power to do good to others. Converted children can lisp the
name of Jesus to their sires and bless them. We have all some capacity for
doing good. Now, take it as an axiom that power to do good involves the duty
of doing good.
3. Another argument is very plainly drawn from our Lord's version of the
moral law. What is the second and great commandment according to Him?
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

19. 4. Yet again, without looking to other men's souls, we cannot keep the first of
the two great commands in which our Lord has summarised the moral law.
5. Once more. To the Christian man, perhaps, the most forcible reason will be
that the whole example of Jesus Christ, whom we call Master and Lord, lies in
the direction of our being the keeper of our brother; for what was Jesus' life
but entire unselfishness? What was said of Him at His death but that "He
saved others: Himself He could not save"?
6. Let the thought next rise in our minds that we are certainly ordained to the
office of brother keeper, because we shall be called to account about it. Cain
was called to account. "Where is Abel thy brother?"(1) Take first those who
are united to us by the ties of flesh, who come under the term "brethren,"
because they are born of the same parents, or are near of kin. Where is John?
Where is Thomas? Where is Henry thy brother? Unsaved? Without God?
What have you ever done for him? How much have you prayed for him? How
often have you spoken to him seriously about his state? What means have you
used for his instruction, persuasion, conviction? See to this, that ye begin at
once earnestly seeking the salvation of relatives.(2) But, beloved, we must
never end there, because brotherhood extends to all ranks, races, and
conditions; and according to each man's ability he will be held responsible
about the souls of others whom he never saw. Where is Abel thy brother?
Down in a back street in London. He is half-drunk already. Have you done
anything, friend, towards the reclaiming of the drunkard? Where is your
sister? — your sister who frequents the midnight streets? You shrink back
and say," She is no sister of mine." Ay, but God may require her blood at
your hands, if you thus leave her to perish. Have you ever done anything
towards reclaiming her? City merchant, where are the poor men that earned
your wealth?(3) One thing more upon this calling to account. The more needy,
the more destitute people are, the greater is their claim upon us; for according
to the account book — need I turn to the chapter? I think you recollect it —
they are the persons for whom we shall have mainly to give an account: "I was
an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no
drink; I was sick and in prison, and ye visited Me not; naked, and ye clothed
Me not."

20. 7. Now, I close this second head about our really being our brother's keeper
by saying this — that there are some of us who are our brother's keeper
voluntarily, but yet most solemnly, by the office that we hold. We are
ministers. O brother ministers, we are our brother's keepers.
III. IT WILL BE HIGH PRESUMPTION ON OUR PART IF, FROM THIS
NIGHT FORWARD, WE SHIRK DUTY OF BEING OUR BROTHER'S
KEEPER.
1. I will set it very briefly in a strong light. It will be denying the right of God
to make a law, and to call upon us to obey it, if we refuse to do as we are
bidden.
2. Notice, next, that you will be denying all claim on your part to the Divine
mercy; because if you will not render mercy to others, and if you deny
altogether your responsibility to others, you put yourself into the position of
saying, "I want nothing from another" — consequently, nothing from God.
Such mercy as you show, such mercy shall you have.
3. Indeed, there is this about it too — that your act is something like throwing
the blame of your own sin upon God if you leave men to perish. When Cain
said, "Am I my brother's keeper?" he meant, probably, "You are the
preserver of men. Why did You not preserve Abel? I am not his keeper."
Some throw on the sovereignty of God the weight which lies on their own
indolence.
4. And again, there is to my mind an utter ignoring of the whole plan of
salvation in that man who says, "I am not going to have any responsibility
about others," because the whole plan of salvation is based on substitution, on
the care of another for us, on the sacrifice of another for us; and the whole
spirit of it is self-sacrifice and love to others. If you say, "I will not love" —
well, the whole system goes together, and you renounce it all. If you will not
love, you cannot have love's benediction.
5. Last of all, it may turn out — it may turn out — that if we are not our
brother's keeper, we may be our brother's murderer. Have any of us been so
already?

21. ( C. H. Spurgeon.)

Responsibility for welfare of others
J. MacGilchrist.
I. That an enlightened regard to the spiritual and eternal interests of others is
recognized as a duty by nature and revelation, none of you, I trust, is disposed
to question. You have only to look into the law, written by the finger of God,
to know that six out of the ten requirements are based upon this very
principle. Nor must this interest in the well-being of others be confined to the
narrow circle of relatives and friends. How different is the world —
contracted, selfish, and reckless of the misery of others, inasmuch as it does
not regard the sufferings it may produce, provided its own imagined interests
are secured!
II. That all are furnished with means and opportunities less or more available
for the discharge of this duty. This duty, as enjoined on human beings,
presupposes many evils to be removed, many wants to be supplied, and much
suffering to be mitigated and relieved. And where is the individual to whom
God has not, in some degree, imparted the means of promoting this great end?
(J. MacGilchrist.)

Man his brother's keeper
J. M. Sherwood, D. D.
I. One of the most terrible effects of sin on humanity is the obliteration of the
sense of personal responsibility.
II. The tendencies of infidel science in our day are strongly in the line of this
perverse and morally stultifying effect of depravity.

22. III. The family institution was ordained as the first and fundamental
condition of society, in order to imbed the idea of responsibility in the very
foundation and structure of society.
IV. The strongest tendencies of the times are antagonistic to the sense of
personal responsibility.
V. Jesus came into the world to restore and enthrone again in the human
mind and conscience the great doctrine of strict individual accountability to
God on high.
(J. M. Sherwood, D. D.)

Man, the keeper of man
F. W. Naylor, B. A.
The person who first asked this question was a man whose heart was, at the
time, filled with evil passions, and his hands stained with a brother's blood. It
was Cain. Yes, thou guilty Cain, thou art thy brother's keeper. He was given
thee to love. He was given thee that thou mightest do him good.
1. "Am I my brother's keeper?" each one should say to himself. It is
answered, "Yes, you are." But how? Take the following as some of the
instances in which your brother has a claim upon your kindly offices. You are
your brother's keeper, inasmuch as you are bound by ties, both of humanity
and religion, to care for him, and to do him all the good you can. The
humblest and the poorest can, in some way or other, help forward every
agency for good, in the prosperity of which they take a hearty interest. Money
may be given — if ever such a trifle, it betokens the mind of the giver. Trouble
may be given — wherever pains are bestowed with a good intent, God will
return some fruit. And the most destitute can always give prayer — when this
comes from a fervent heart, it does great things. In your private sphere you
can do much for your brother's good. You can show him little acts of
kindness: you can relieve some of his smaller wants: you can help him in one
or more of those numberless ways which readily suggest themselves to a

23. benevolent disposition. You are your brother's keeper in the exercise of your
influence. Every man has influence. The good man has influence, and the bad
man has influence. The rich man has influence, and the poor man has
influence. The aged person has influence, and the veriest child has influence.
2. But we will pass on to notice, secondly, the good results which may
reasonably be expected to follow a more general and more conscientious
observance of this Christian duty. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."
A little moral, godly principle constantly manifested before the eyes of those
with whom you mix, could not fail of diffusing itself, even though it should be
your manner of life rather than your words that indicated your possession of
it. Your brother would be made to feel that you are his keeper, although he
might not openly acknowledge you to be so. You would be the best of
preachers, the best of patriots, the best of philanthropists; and many whom
your silent influence had won would be sure, at the judgment day, to rise up
with you and confess their obligation.
(F. W. Naylor, B. A.)

Social duties
W. W. Champney.
Such was the answer of the first Deist, the first infidel, and the first murderer,
to God's inquiry, "Where is thy brother?" It was not only a lie (for the father
of Cain was a liar from the beginning), but it was a daring jest upon his
brother's employment. "Am I his shepherd? Am I answerable for his life? Am
I to take care of him as he does of his sheep?" Such is infidelity. It is sin that
makes the infidel. He does not believe, not because he cannot, but because he
will not. He may talk of morality, and sport himself in his own deceiving,
when, like Cain, he says he can worship God as well with the flowers of the
field and the fruits of the earth as through the blood of atonement; but when
we cut into the core of his heart, we shall find the worm of all rottenness still
there, the love of self — we shall find that the only principle of true morality is
wanting, the love of God and our brother — we shall find the very element of

24. murder there, the dislike of God and those who love and are like Him. And is
not the truth he denied and the principle he rejected this: that man is
answerable for his brother's life and his brother's soul. as far as his positive
acts can injure, or his neglect destroy? I will not stay to prove this. Cain's
rejection of it is a proof. Parents, how nearly does this principle affect you in
your important relation! — the very relation in which God Himself is pleased
to place Himself with regard to His own obedient people, His redeemed ones
from earth; for while the angels are called "the sons of God," "the Father
hath bestowed on us" this wonderful love, "that we should be called the sons
of God" also; and His Spirit — the Spirit of His Son — teaches us to cry,
"Abba, Father." God has made you parents. Beings who can never die are
entrusted to your care. Your children's character is greatly in your hands.
Their eternal destiny hangs on your discharge of duty. Watch for their souls
as those who must give account. Masters and mistresses, the principle of
which we have spoken bears powerfully on your relation.
(W. W. Champney.)

Five questions
W. Jay.
1. The first question is this: Is there no one who stands related to you as a
brother? —
(1)By kindred.
(2)By religion.
(3)By civil community.
(4)By the common claims of nature.Have we not all, says Malachi, "one
father," Adam? and have we not all one mother, Eve? Have we not all the
same animal wants? Are we not all exposed to the same infirmities and
diseases? Are we not all capable of the same improvements? Are we not all to
turn to the same dust? Are we not all heirs of the same immortality? Are we

25. not all redeemed by the same blood of the Lamb? Nothing, therefore, that is
human should ever be deemed or felt alien with regard to you.
2. The second question: If you were asked, Where is thy brother? what would
truth compel you now to answer? We know what truth would have
constrained Cain to answer — "Oh! I hated him, I envied him; I drew him
into a field, and I murdered him; and he lies there dead." What would you
say, if you spoke truth, in answer to this question, Where is thy brother?
Perhaps you would be constrained to say, "Living a few doors off from the
subject of want and indigence and hunger, and I having all this world's goods,
and more than heart could wish, I never send him any supplies." Or perhaps
you would say, "I have calumniated, I have run down his religion; I have
called him a hypocrite, or an enthusiast, or a mercenary." Or perhaps you
would say, "Oh! I have poisoned his mind with error"; or, "I have seduced
him by my wicked example." Or perhaps you would say, "He hath sinned,
and instead of reproving him, I have 'suffered sin upon him'"; "Hellas been a
stranger to the advantages of religion, while I was well acquainted with it; and
I have never gone to him and said, 'Oh! taste and see that the Lord is good;
blessed is the man that trusteth in Him'"; "Oh! he is ignorant, and I have not
been trying to enlighten him." Where is he? Why, living in such and such a
dark village, where they are perishing for lack of knowledge; or living in the
sister island, enslaved by a vile superstition.
3. The third question: Will not your conduct towards your fellow creatures be
inquired into as well as Cain's? Can you imagine that you are to live as you
please even with regard to your fellow creatures? Is not God your Governor
as well as your Maker? Are you not God's subjects as well as God's creatures?
4. The fourth question: If you are guilty, will not your guilt be followed by
punishment? Why should God deal with Cain, and suffer you to escape?
5. The last question we have to ask is, If you are guilty and exposed to all this,
what should be your concern now? Should it be to seek to deny or to palliate
your transgressions? Should you not rather confess your sin, and exclaim with
Joseph's brethren, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother"?
(W. Jay.)

26. Cain's answer
A. Fuller.
1. The falsehood of it — "I know not." We feel astonished that a man can dare
to lie in the presence of his Maker; yet how many lies are uttered before Him
by formalists and hypocrites 1
2. The insolence of it — "Am I my brother's keeper?" This man had no fear
of God before his eyes; and where this is wanting, regard to man will be
wanting also. Even natural affection will be swallowed up in selfishness.
(A. Fuller.)

Human brotherhood
J. E. Smallow.
Man is ever a questioner. Man even questions God. But there are different
kinds of questioners, as there are of questions. There are docile questioners,
there are defiant questioners. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
1. Human sin says mournfully, "Yes." See how this was confirmed by Cain's
vile action. If you have a right (assumed) to sin against a man, you have a
right to love him. If he comes into your life and sphere, all reasonable law
claims for him blessing rather than blows.
2. Human sorrow says pathetically, "Yes." We have a common heritage of
sorrow.
3. Human joy says hopefully, "Yes!" We cannot tell how much of the joy of
life depends upon others.
4. Human success says triumphantly, "Yes!" No such thing as independence.
We only succeed so far as our fellow man will let us succeed.

27. 5. Human philanthropy says benevolently, "Yes." Look at the development of
philanthropy!
6. Human conscience says righteously, "Yes!" Conscience is the voice of God
within us. But no "quiet conscience" for him who denies that he is his
"brother's keeper."
(J. E. Smallow.)

Personal relations
H. W. Warren, D. D.
Am I my brother's keeper? The success or failure of this world turns on the
question, Is the law of self or the law of love adopted? The same is true of
individuals. Is it mutual help of all, or every man for himself against all? Is it
Ishmael, hand against every man, or Jesus, bearing others' burdens, that gives
the law of being? Man is constitutionally made to work for and with others.
He is full of sympathy, finds in union strength; hence families, railroads,
civilization. A thousand minister to the comfort of every breakfast table.
Mutual help is the law of angelic nature — they are ministering spirits. Christ
carries our sickness and our sins. God is love, and the whole outgoing of love
is service. Heaven, the greatest product of the universe, is the outcome of the
united effort of men, angels, and God. Cain tries the other way; he destroys
what differs from him, that his littleness need not appear, instead of joining
the great, and becoming a part of it. That act not only puts away the ideal,
destroys the possibility of its help, but also dwarfs him still more. Cain slays
himself more than Abel. Sin ravages him more than he can bear. An aristocrat
requires a thousand serfs to support him, but slavery harms the master more
than the slaves. The latter is simply arrested in his development, the former is
developed awry. He cannot see that all art, architecture, agriculture, and
literature perishes. So Cain sees not sin, thinks nothing of separation, asks not
for pardon, but says, I am punished more than I can bear. He goes from God;
all his own nobility is murdered, all his possibility of aspiration after God lies
slain. Of the two, the one to be envied is Abel. It is better to have our bodies

28. slain by others, than to slay our own souls. In every relation of life, to
servants, workmen, neighbours, households, our nation, all nations, envy must
be banished, lest we dwarf ourselves; murder in every degree must be
spurned, lest we murder ourselves; love and mutual help must be exercised;
for thereby we greaten ourselves.
(H. W. Warren, D. D.)

Care for the fallen
A writer in one of the English reviews relates that during a conversation with
George Eliot, not long before her death, a vase toppled over on the
mantelpiece. The great writer quickly and unconsciously put out her hand to
stop its fall. "I hope," said she, replacing it, "that the time will come when we
shall instinctively hold up the man or woman who begins to fall as naturally
and unconsciously as we arrest a falling piece of furniture or an ornament."


STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
Genesis 4:9
Am I my brother’s keeper?
Exaggerated individualism
The feeling of our sonship to God in Christ is a topic which requires to be
constantly dwelt upon, because our conventional acceptance of such a
relationship is apt to be compatible with a life which has no real apprehension
of it.

I. Of the dangers which are partly rooted in our animal nature and partly
fostered and intensified by the drift of our time, the one likely to press most
heavily on us is that of exaggerated Individualism. Where this is not tempered

29. by an infusion of the religious spirit, we find it working with a disintegrating
power, and in various ways vitiating both our personal and social life.

II. Almost every advance of civilization which distinguishes our century has
tended to give this principle some new hold on the common life. There is no
corner of society, commercial or social, political or artistic, which it does not
invade. The volume of its force is intensified as wealth increases and easy
circumstances become more common. Our time is preeminently a time of
materialistic egoism.

III. The evolutionist, telling us of the growth of all our sentiments, taking us
back to germinal forms and then leading us upward through struggle and
survival, makes the ruling motive in every early life essentially egoistic. The
question arises, Where and how is this motive to change its character? Is this
last utterance to be still but an echo of the primeval question, “Am I my
brother’s keeper?”

IV. But we cannot rest in this conclusion. There is no possibility of rest until
we have settled it with ourselves that our higher consciousness gives us touch
of the reality of the Divine and everlasting, when it declares that we are the
children of God, and if children, then heirs, joint heirs with Christ. This we
believe to be the last word for us on the mystery of our being and destiny. (J.
Percival.)
Brotherhood
The first time the relationship of brotherhood is brought before us in
Scripture does not present it in the most harmonious or endearing aspect, and
yet the very rivalry and resentment which were engendered by it give an
incidental sign of the closeness of the tie which it involves.

30. I. The brother tie is one whose visible and apparent closeness of necessity
diminishes under the common conditions of life.

II. Although it is a link whose visible association vanishes, it ought never to be
an association which fades out of the heart. There is always something wrong
when a relationship like this disappears behind maturer attachments.

III. Whether from the hearth of home or from the wider range of brotherhood
which the commonwealth supplies, the pattern and inspiration of true
brotherhood is found in Christ, the Elder Brother of us all. (A. Mursell.)
The gospel of selfishness
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This is the very gospel of selfishness, and a
murderer is its first preacher. The gospel of selfishness is, that a man must
take care of his own interests; and out of that universal self-seeking, provided
it be wise and restrained, will come the well-being of all.

I. This is an age of rights rather than of duties. It is very notable that there is
almost nothing about rights in the teaching of Christ. The Lord seeks to train
the spirit of His followers into doing and suffering aright. By preaching love
and duty, the gospel has been the lawgiver of nations, the friend of man, the
champion of his rights. Its teaching has been of God, of duty, and of love; and
wherever these ideas have come, freedom and earthly happiness and
cultivation have followed silently behind.

II. Our age needs to be reminded that in one sense each of us has the keeping
of his brethren confided to him, and that love is the law and the fulfilling of
the law. The rights of men to our love and consideration, rest upon an act of
Divine love. Their chartered right to our reverence is in these terms: That

31. God loved them, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for their sins; and the
Saviour set to it His seal, and signed it with His blood. (Archbishop Thomson.)
Cain and Abel

I. LET EVERY CHRISTIAN FULLY AND WILLINGLY RECOGNIZE
THE FACT THAT HE IS HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER. There is an old
French proverb to the effect that “nobility has its obligations,” the neglect to
remember and act upon which resulted in the rapine and blood of the French
Revolution. Position has its special responsibilities, which can not safely be
disregarded, and when one is fully convinced of the fact that he is “his
brother’s keeper,” he will be anxious to meet the liabilities of the situation.
And a right-minded person will not merely accept the fact under compulsion.
He will be glad that things are as they are. What wide ranges of usefulness are
open before him. What an opportunity he has to impress himself for good
upon multitudes around him, and even upon times remote. And that empire of
gracious influence is the lordliest and most satisfying of all sovereignties. How
the world loves to keep alive the names of single men who have made their
personality felt in helpful directions. Scores of Union generals deserved well of
their country, but Sheridan, riding “from Winchester twenty miles away,”
and turning disaster into victory by the simple power of his presence, receives
the applause of thousands who have forgotten the names of equally loyal
leaders. It is a great thing to have an efficient part in determining the destiny
of others, to have control of the rudder that may steer them away from
dangerous coasts and out into wide seas of prosperity.

II. EVERY CHRISTIAN OUGHT TO MAKE THE DISCHARGE OF HIS
DUTY AS HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER A MATTER OF CONSTANT
THOUGHT AND PRAYER. It is not enough merely to accept our
responsibility as an article of creed, and then lay it away on the shelf as a
matter proved and concluded. How will this thing, if I do it, or leave it
undone, affect others? is a question that ought to be asked and answered all
the time. And especially ought we to take counsel of God, not as to how little

32. we can consistently d ,, but as to how much we can possibly do in this
direction.

III. IN MATTERS OF DOUBT, A CHRISTIAN SHOULD LEAN TO THE
SAFE SIDE. It was a rule of President Edwards never to do anything about
whose influence he had a question unless he was equally in doubt as to
whether the not doing it might not have as bad, or a worse, effect. That is a
hard rule to follow, but it is certainly a safe one. Men will never be turned
away from God and religion because we deny ourselves what seem to us
legitimate pleasures for fear of the evil influence we may exert. That very
sacrifice will evidence a genuineness and depth of conviction which is the
strongest of all arguments to the truth and worth of religion. (E. S.Atwood, D.
D.)
Earthly relationship the medium of spiritual influence

I. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS INVOLVE THE DUTY OF
SPIRITUAL CARE. Relation, taken in its widest sense, if not the ground of all
moral obligation, is certainly intimately connected therewith. No man can be a
parent, a son, or a master, without being specially bound to care for his own.
Men have to provide for their households in earthly things, and ought to in
spiritual. In proportion to the closeness of the relationship is the force of the
obligation.

II. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS AFFORD PECULIAR
OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THIS DUTY. God has
constituted the varied relationships of life for purpose of promoting the moral
good of man. Opportunity and power should be voluntarily used. Families
have little thought of the opportunity they have of bringing each other to
Jesus.

33. III. THAT ACCORDING AS THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST OR OF
SELFISHNESS IS POSSESSED, WILL THIS DUTY BE FULFILLED OR
NEGLECTED. Sin, whose essence is selfishness, is a severing principle. But
Christ’s spirit is a spirit of love. We must come to Christ ourselves to get the
incentive to this duty.

IV. THAT CONCERNING THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS DUTY AN
ACCOUNT WILL BE REQUIRED. And the Lord said unto Cain, etc. Vain
will be excuse. God will speak. So will conscience.

V. THAT EARTHLY RELATIONSHIPS, ACCORDING TO THE MANNER
IN WHICH THEY ARE USED, BECOME AN ETERNAL BLESSING OR
BANE. (Homilist.)
The word of Cain
All men, the poor, the ignorant, the fallen, the heathen, are our brethren. Such
is the Christian notion of humanity. We are, therefore, the keepers of our
brethren. Man is two fold; he has a body and a soul. Thence for us a two-fold
mission: we are called to alleviate the miseries of the body, and to save souls.
Jesus Christ has been brought into contact with both these forms of suffering.
Let us examine His conduct in reference to them.

I. THE SUFFERINGS OF THE BODY. Christ has come into contact with
them under their two most common forms--sickness and poverty. What He
has done for their victims all the gospel tells. We see Him ever surrounded by
the poor and the sick. He has a partiality for their society. With what tender
solicitude He treats them! And mark the results of this sublime teaching. The
faithful Church has always regarded the poor as the representatives of Christ.

34. II. That is what Christianity has done towards alleviating the miseries of the
body; but that is only a part of its mission. ABOVE THE BODY THERE IS
THE SOUL. The soul is man eternal. If we must sympathize with the
temporal interests of our fellow men, what shall it be when their souls are in
question? But if I have understood what is my soul, if I have felt that it
constitutes my dignity, my greatness, and my true life, then will I endeavour
to awaken that life in others.

III. THIS MISSION, HOW DO WE FULFIL IT? What, in the first place,
shall we say of those who do not fulfil it at all? There are people who believe
they are saved and who have never loved. If selfishness has never prompted
you to utter the words of the text, have you never uttered them from
discouragement? There are times when the thought of all that ought to be
done pursues and paralyses us. Let us therefore learn of Christ. But I hear
your final objection: Yes, say you, we are ready to work, but on condition that
our labour shall produce some results. And then follows the sad story of those
vain efforts, of those humiliating failures, of those discouragements which
every Christian knows and might in his turn recount. To all these objections
let me again reply, “Look to Jesus!” Did He succeed on earth? (E. Bersier, D.
D.)
My brother’s keeper

I. THAT GOD DOES HOLD MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SAFETY
AND WELFARE OF HIS FELLOW MEN.
1. For their temporal welfare.
2. For their moral condition.
3. For their religious well-being.

35. II. THAT THE WELL-DISPOSED ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY AND ACT UPON IT.
1. By attending to their bodily condition. Hospitals, almshouses, refuges, etc.
2. By caring for their souls. (Homilist.)
The claims of a perishing world upon Christian zeal and liberality founded in
human fraternity

I. THAT THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE ARE ONE FAMILY AND STAND
IN RELATION OF BRETHREN TO EACH OTHER. To prove this, it is
necessary only to remark two things--
1. God has made us all of one blood.
2. We have all proceeded from the same pair.

II. THAT IT IS OUR DUTY TO CARE FOR OUR BRETHREN.
1. The law of consanguinity requires it. This law dictates affection and
sympathy.
2. The law of God requires it. “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
3. Our common Christianity requires it. It enjoins love to God; but we cannot
love God without loving our brother also (1 John 4:20). It enjoins an imitation
of the example of Christ; but Christ so loved the world as to die for it. It
enjoins obedience to Christ; but He commands His gospel to be preached in
all the world.

III. THAT THOSE EVILS WHICH BEFALL OUR BRETHREN THROUGH
OUR INATTENTION ARE CHARGEABLE UPON US. To illustrate this let
me suppose a few cases.

36. 1. That any of your brethren were compelled to perform a long and dangerous
voyage, and that they were total strangers to navigation, and without a single
chart or compass; and suppose that you abounded in charts and compasses,
and in skilful navigators; and that you refused to grant them either the one or
the other; and suppose these should all perish, to whom would their loss be
ascribed? To you. Or suppose--
2. That they were compelled to journey through a land of pits and precipices,
abounding in beasts of prey; and that they were ignorant of the path to be
pursued, and knew not where the pits and precipices were, and had nothing
by which they could defend themselves from the beasts; and suppose you had
it in your power to furnish them with a guide and a sufficient defence, but did
not, and that they should in consequence perish; their blood would be upon
your head. Or suppose--
3. That they were dying of disease, without the knowledge of any remedy; and
suppose you were in possession of an infallible one, and that you withheld it;
their death would be at your door. In each case the consequences would be as
fatal as if you had by some positive act, as that of Cain, destroyed them.

IV. THAT WE HAVE BEEN SINFULLY INATTENTIVE TO THE
ETERNAL INTERESTS OF OUR BRETHREN GENERALLY, AND TO
THOSE OF THE HEATHEN PART OF THEM IN PARTICULAR.
(Sketches of Sermons.)
God’s question and man’s answer

I. GOD’S QUESTION--“Where is Abel thy brother?” Has God a right to
expect this knowledge at our hands? He has; and that on many accounts.
1. For instance, there is the constitution of our nature. When man was
created, the whole race were involved in one parent, they all sprang from one
root; so that there was provision made for forming a family, and for brotherly

37. feeling among them. God, therefore, reasonably expects that we should all feel
a kindly interest and concern in one another’s welfare.
2. We might argue the same from the covenant in which we were all wrapped
up, to stand or fall together; from the law, which requires us to love our
neighbour; and, above all, from the gospel. Has the great God loved me, pitied
me, been patient with me, and at a great, unspeakable cost saved me; and
shall I not be ready to deny myself and make sacrifices, in order to save and
bless my fellow men?

II. MAN’S ANSWER--“I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” Here is a
two-fold plea--the first, ignorance; the second, an insinuation that God has no
right to expect such knowledge at his hand.
1. Cain excused himself on the ground of ignorance. This is either true or
false.
2. Cain denies that God has a right to expect that he should take trouble about
Abel. “Am I my brother’s keeper? Have I anything to do with him, any
charge of him? Can he not take care of himself?” Is not this the feeling in
many hearts? You say, Am I that poor wretch’s keeper? What have I to do
with him? He has no claim upon me. I have other work to do, other interests
to attend to. But look again, Is he thy brother; and has he no claim upon thee?
(J. Milne.)
The examination of Cain
The world was yet young, and there were no judicatories to take cognizance of
offences; therefore did God, who, though His creatures had rebelled against
Him, still hold in His hands the government of the world, come forth from His
solitude, and make “inquisition for blood.” But why--omniscient as God was,
and, by His own after statement, thoroughly cognizant of the guilt of Cain--
why did He address the murderer with the question, “Where is Abel thy
brother?” in place of taxing him at once with the atrocious commission?
Assuredly there could have been no need to God of additional information: it
was in no sense the same as at a human tribunal, where questions are put that

38. facts may be elicited. And in following this course, God acted as He had done
on the only former occasion when He had sat, as it were, in judgment on
human offenders (see Genesis 3:9; Genesis 3:11; Genesis 3:13). But the
method of question is again employed, so soon as there is again a human
offender to be tried. “The Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?”
It can hardly be doubted that, in all these instances, the gracious design of
God was to afford the criminals opportunity of confessing their crimes. You
must be aware how, throughout Scripture, there is attached the greatest
importance to confession of sin, so that its being forgiven is spoken of as
though it depended upon nothing but its being acknowledged. “If we confess
our sins,” says the evangelist, “God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” And did the crime, then, of Cain
come within the range of forgiveness? Supposing it to have been confessed,
might it also have been pardoned? The crime had been fearful; and we must
believe that, in any case, the moral Governor of the universe would have so
treated the criminal as to mark His sense of the atrociousness of that which he
had done. But there is no room for doubt that there was forgiveness even for
Cain; even then there was blood which spake better things than that of Abel,
the blood of Him who, on the cross, besought pardon for His murderers, and
who, in thus showing that His death made expiation even for its authors,
showed also that there was no human sin which its virtue would not reach.
But if Cain might have been pardoned, had he been but penitent, where was
the contrite sinner who need despair of the forgiveness of his sins? Ay, it is
thus that the questions under review might have served as a revelation, during
the infancy of the world, of the readiness of the Almighty to blot out our
iniquities as a cloud, and as a thick cloud our sins. But let us now observe the
manner in which Cain acted, whilst God was thus graciously endeavouring to
lead him to repentance. If we had not abundant evidence, in our own day--
yea, in our own cases--of the hardening power of sin, we might wonder at the
effrontery which the murderer displayed. Did he, could he, think that denial
would avail anything with God, so that, if he did not confess, he might keep
his crime undetected? It may be that it was not in mere insolence that Cain
affirmed to God that he knew nothing of Abel; he may have been so blinded
by his sin as to lose all discernment of the necessary attributes of God, so that
he actually imagined that not to confess would be almost to conceal. Under

39. this point of view, his instance ought to serve as a warning to us of the
deadening power of wrong-doing, informing us that there is no such ready
way of benumbing the understanding, or paralysing the reason, as the
indulging passion, and withstanding conscience. But Cain did more than
assert ignorance of what had happened to Abel: he taxed God with the
unreasonableness of proposing the question, as though it were a strange thing
to suppose that he might concern himself with his brother. “Am I my
brother’s keeper?” There were then no brothers in the world but Cain and
Abel; and he who could insolently ask, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” when
that brother was missing, might have been convicted, by those very words, of
a fierceness which was equal to murder, and an audacity which would deny it
even to God. But we wish to dwell for a moment on this question of Cain as
virtually containing the excuse which numbers in our own day would give,
were God to come visibly down, and make inquisition for blood. But we have
how to consider to what God appealed in the absence of confession from the
murderer himself: He had striven to induce Cain to acknowledge his guilt;
but, failing in this, He must seek elsewhere for evidence on which to convict
him. And where did He find this evidence? He made the inanimate creation
rise up, as it were, against the assassin, and dumb things became eloquent in
demanding his condemnation. “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto
Me from the ground.” Who has not read, who has not heard, how murderers,
though they have succeeded in hiding their guilt from their fellow men, have
seemed to themselves surrounded with witnesses and avengers, so that the
sound of their own foot tread has startled them as if it had been the piercing
cry of an accuser, and the rustling of every tree, and the murmur of every
brook, has sounded like the utterance of one clamorous for their punishment?
It has been as nothing that they have screened themselves from those around
them, and are yet moving in society with no suspicion attaching to them of
their having done so foul a thing as murder. They have felt as though, in the
absence of all accusation from beings of their own race, they had arrayed
against themselves the whole visible creation, sun and moon and stars and
forests and waters growing vocal that they might publish their crime. And I
know not whether there may be anything more in this than the mere goading
and imaging of conscience; whether the disquieted assassin, to whose troubled
eye the form of his victim is given back from every mirror in the universe, and

40. on whose ear there falls no sound which does not come like the dying man’s
shriek, or the thundering call of the avenger of blood--whether he is simply to
be considered as haunted and hunted by his own evil thoughts, or whether he
be indeed subjected to some mysterious and terrible influences with which his
crime has impregnated and endowed the whole material system. I cannot help
feeling, when I consider the language of our text, as though there might be
more than the mere phantasms of a diseased and distracted mind in those
forms of fear, and these sounds of wrath, which agitate so tremendously the
yet undiscovered murderer. It may be that, fashioned as man is out of the dust
of the earth, there are such links between him and the material creation that,
when the citadel of his life is rudely invaded, the murderous blow is felt
throughout the vast realm of nature; so that, though there be no truth in the
wild legend that, if the assassin enter the chamber where the victim is
stretched, the gaping wounds will bleed afresh, yet may earth, sea, air, have
sympathy with the dead, and form themselves into furies to hunt down his
destroyer. But it is not exclusively, nor even chiefly, as indicating a possible,
though inexplicable. Sympathy between material things and the victim of the
murderer, that we reckon the statement before us deserving of being carefully
pondered. Setting aside this sympathy, there is much that is very memorable
in the appeal of God to a voice from Abel’s blood, when there were other
witnesses which might have been produced. Had not the soul of Abel entered
the separate state? was not his spirit with God? and might not the immortal
principle, violently detached as it had been from the body, have cried for
vengeance on the murderer? We read in the Book of Revelation of “the souls
of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which they
held.” And of those souls we are told that “they cried with a loud voice,
saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost Thou not judge and avenge our
blood on them that dwell on the earth?” It may, therefore, be that the souls of
the dead cry for judgment upon those who have compassed their death: why,
then, might not the soul of Abel, rather than his blood, have been adduced by
God? Even had it been silent, surely its very presence in the invisible world
gave a more impressive testimony than the stream which had crimsoned the
ground. In answer to this, we are to consider, in the first place, that it did not
please God to vouchsafe any clear revelation of the invisible state, during the
earlier ages of the world. That Abel had fallen by the hand of his brother was

41. the most terrible of all possible proofs that the original transgression had
corrupted human nature to the core. But it would have done much--not
indeed to counterbalance this proof, but to soften the anguish which it could
not fail to produce--had there been any intimation that the death of the body
was not the death of the man, and that Cain had but removed Abel from a
scene of trouble to one of deep repose. This, however, was denied them: they
must struggle on through darkness, sustained only by a dim conjecture of life
and immortality. Indeed, indeed, I know not whether there be anything more
affecting in the history of our first parents. Oh, bless God, ye who have had to
sorrow over dead children, that ye live when life and immortality have been
brought to light by the gospel. Yours has not been the deep and desolate
bitterness of those on whom fell no shinings from futurity. Unto you have
come sweet whisperings from the invisible world, whisperings as of the one
whom you loved, telling you of a better land, where “the wicked cease from
troubling, and the weary are at rest.” But alas for Adam and Eve! theirs was
grief, stern, dark, unmingled. But, indeed, there are better things to be said on
the fact that it was Abel’s blood, and not his soul, which found a voice to
demand vengeance on the murderer. We know not how Abel, the first martyr,
died. Oh, I cannot but think that in God’s reference to the blood of Abel as the
only accuser there was a designed and beautiful lesson as to the forgiveness of
injuries. You know that, in the gospel, our obtaining forgiveness from God is
made conditional on our forgiving those by whom we may be wronged. “For if
ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive
your trespasses.” And was not the same truth taught, by example, if not by
word, from the earliest days, seeing that, when God would bring an accusing
voice against Cain, He could only find it in the dumb earth reeking with
blood, though the soul of Abel was before Him, and might have been thought
ready to give witness with an exceeding great and bitter cry? Abel forgave his
murderer, otherwise could he not have been forgiven of God; and we learn
that he forgave his murderer from the fact that it was only his blood which
cried aloud for vengeance. Thus is there something very instructive in the
absence of any voice but the voice from the ground. There is also matter for
deep thought in the fact that it was blood which sent up so penetrating a cry.
It was like telling the young world of the power which there would be in blood

42. to gain audience of the Most High. What was there in blood that it could give,
as it were, life to inanimate things, causing them to become vocal, so that the
very Godhead Himself was moved by the sound? The utterance, we think, did
but predict that when one, to whom Abel had had respect in presenting in
sacrifice the firstlings of his flock, should tall, as Abel fell, beneath the malice
of the wicked, there would go up item the shed blood a voice that would be
hearkened to in the heavenly courts, and prevail to the obtaining whatsoever
it should ask. Blessed be God that this blood does not plead for vengeance
alone. It does plead for vengeance on the obdurate, who, like Cain, resist the
invitation of God; but it pleads also for pardon of the murderers, so that it can
expiate the crime which it proves and attests. (H. Melvill, B. D.)

Am I my brother’s keeper?
The cool impudence of Cain is an indication of the state of heart which led up
to his murdering his brother; and it was also a part of the result of his having
committed that terrible crime. He would not have proceeded to the cruel deed
of bloodshed if he had not first cast off the fear of God and been ready to defy
his Maker. Having committed murder, the hardening influence of sin upon
Cain’s mind must have been intense, and so at last he was able to speak out to
God’s face what he felt within his heart, and to say, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” This goes a long way to explain what has puzzled some persons,
namely, the wonderful calmness with which great criminals will appear in the
dock. I remember to have heard it said of one who had undoubtedly
committed a very foul murder, that he looked like an innocent man. He stood
up before his accusers as calmly and quietly, they said, as an innocent man
could do. I remember feeling at the time that an innocent man would
probably not have been calm. The distress of mind occasioned to an innocent
man by being under such a charge would have prevented his having the
coolness which was displayed by the guilty individual. Instead of its being any
evidence of innocence that a man wears a brazen front when charged with a
great crime, it should by wise men be considered to be evidence against him.
Save us, O God, from having our hearts hammered to the hardness of steel by
sin; and daily keep us by Thy grace sensible and tender before Thee,

43. trembling at Thy word. The very same thing, no doubt, lies at the bottom of
objections to Bible truths. There are some who do not go to Scripture to take
out of it what is there, but seeing what is clearly revealed, they then begin to
question and judge and come to conclusions according to their notions of what
ought to have been there. Nay, but, O man, who art thou that repliest against
God? If He says it, it is so. Believe it. Now, let us look quietly at what Cain
said. He said to the Lord, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” May the Holy Spirit
guide us in considering this question.

I. First it is to be noted that MAN IS NOT HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER IN
SOME SENSES. There is some little weight in what Cain says.
1. For instance, first, every man must bear his own responsibility for his own
acts before Almighty God. It is not possible for a man to shift from his own
shoulders to those of another his obligations to the Most High.
2. And again, no one can positively secure the salvation of another, nay, he
cannot even have a hope of the salvation of his friend, so long as that other
remains unbelieving.
3. And here let me say, in the next place, that those do very wrongly who enter
into any vows or promises for others in this matter, when they are quite
powerless.
4. It is proper here to say that the most earnest minister of Christ must not so
push the idea of his own personal responsibility to such an extreme as to make
himself unfit for his work through a morbid view of his position. If he has
faithfully preached the gospel, and his message is rejected, let him persevere
in hope, and not condemn himself.

II. So now, secondly, IN A HIGH DEGREE WE ARE, EACH ONE OF US,
OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER. We ought to regard ourselves in that light, and
it is a Cainish spirit which prompts us to think otherwise, and to wrap

44. ourselves up in hardheartedness and say, “It is no concern of mine how others
fare. Am I my brother’s keeper?” Far from that spirit let us be.
1. For, first, common feelings of humanity should lead every Christian man to
feel an interest in the soul of every unsaved man.
2. A second argument is drawn from the fact that we have all of us, especially
those of us who are Christians, the power to do good to others. We have not
all the same ability, for we have not all the same gifts, or the same position,
but as the little maid that waited on Naaman’s wife had opportunity to tell of
the prophet who could heal her master, so there is not a young Christian here
but what has some power to do good to others. Converted children can lisp the
name of Jesus to their sires and bless them. We have all some capacity for
doing good. Now, take it as an axiom that power to do good involves the duty
of doing good.
3. Another argument is very plainly drawn from our Lord’s version of the
moral law. What is the second and great commandment according to Him?
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”
4. Yet again, without looking to other men’s souls, we cannot keep the first of
the two great commands in which our Lord has summarised the moral law.
5. Once more. To the Christian man, perhaps, the most forcible reason will be
that the whole example of Jesus Christ, whom we call Master and Lord, lies in
the direction of our being the keeper of our brother; for what was Jesus’ life
but entire unselfishness? What was said of Him at His death but that “He
saved others: Himself He could not save”?
6. Let the thought next rise in our minds that we are certainly ordained to the
office of brother keeper, because we shall be called to account about it. Cain
was called to account. “Where is Abel thy brother?”
7. Now, I close this second head about our really being our brother’s keeper
by saying this--that there are some of us who are our brother’s keeper
voluntarily, but yet most solemnly, by the office that we hold. We are
ministers. O brother ministers, we are our brother’s keepers.

45. III. IT WILL BE HIGH PRESUMPTION ON OUR PART IF, FROM THIS
NIGHT FORWARD, WE SHIRK DUTY OF BEING OUR BROTHER’S
KEEPER.
1. I will set it very briefly in a strong light. It will be denying the right of God
to make a law, and to call upon us to obey it, if we refuse to do as we are
bidden.
2. Notice, next, that you will be denying all claim on your part to the Divine
mercy; because if you will not render mercy to others, and if you deny
altogether your responsibility to others, you put yourself into the position of
saying, “I want nothing from another”--consequently, nothing from God.
Such mercy as you show, such mercy shall you have.
3. Indeed, there is this about it too--that your act is something like throwing
the blame of your own sin upon God if you leave men to perish. When Cain
said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he meant, probably, “You are the
preserver of men. Why did You not preserve Abel? I am not his keeper.”
Some throw on the sovereignty of God the weight which lies on their own
indolence.
4. And again, there is to my mind an utter ignoring of the whole plan of
salvation in that man who says, “I am not going to have any responsibility
about others,” because the whole plan of salvation is based on substitution, on
the care of another for us, on the sacrifice of another for us; and the whole
spirit of it is self-sacrifice and love to others. If you say, “I will not love”--well,
the whole system goes together, and you renounce it all. If you will not love,
you cannot have love’s benediction.
5. Last of all, it may turn out--it may turn out--that if we are not our brother’s
keeper, we may be our brother’s murderer. Have any of us been so already?
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Responsibility for welfare of others

46. I. That an enlightened regard to the spiritual and eternal interests of others is
recognized as a duty by nature and revelation, none of you, I trust, is disposed
to question. You have only to look into the law, written by the finger of God,
to know that six out of the ten requirements are based upon this very
principle. Nor must this interest in the well-being of others be confined to the
narrow circle of relatives and friends. How different is the world--contracted,
selfish, and reckless of the misery of others, inasmuch as it does not regard the
sufferings it may produce, provided its own imagined interests are secured!

II. That all are furnished with means and opportunities less or more available
for the discharge of this duty. This duty, as enjoined on human beings,
presupposes many evils to be removed, many wants to be supplied, and much
suffering to be mitigated and relieved. And where is the individual to whom
God has not, in some degree, imparted the means of promoting this great end?
(J. MacGilchrist.)
Man his brother’s keeper

I. One of the most terrible effects of sin on humanity is the obliteration of the
sense of personal responsibility.

II. The tendencies of infidel science in our day are strongly in the line of this
perverse and morally stultifying effect of depravity.

III. The family institution was ordained as the first and fundamental
condition of society, in order to imbed the idea of responsibility in the very
foundation and structure of society.

IV. The strongest tendencies of the times are antagonistic to the sense of
personal responsibility.

47. V. Jesus came into the world to restore and enthrone again in the human
mind and conscience the great doctrine of strict individual accountability to
God on high. (J. M. Sherwood, D. D.)
Man, the keeper of man
The person who first asked this question was a man whose heart was, at the
time, filled with evil passions, and his hands stained with a brother’s blood. It
was Cain. Yes, thou guilty Cain, thou art thy brother’s keeper. He was given
thee to love. He was given thee that thou mightest do him good.
1. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” each one should say to himself. It is
answered, “Yes, you are.” But how? Take the following as some of the
instances in which your brother has a claim upon your kindly offices. You are
your brother’s keeper, inasmuch as you are bound by ties, both of humanity
and religion, to care for him, and to do him all the good you can. The
humblest and the poorest can, in some way or other, help forward every
agency for good, in the prosperity of which they take a hearty interest. Money
may be given--if ever such a trifle, it betokens the mind of the giver. Trouble
may be given--wherever pains are bestowed with a good intent, God will
return some fruit. And the most destitute can always give prayer--when this
comes from a fervent heart, it does great things. In your private sphere you
can do much for your brother’s good. You can show him little acts of
kindness: you can relieve some of his smaller wants: you can help him in one
or more of those numberless ways which readily suggest themselves to a
benevolent disposition. You are your brother’s keeper in the exercise of your
influence. Every man has influence. The good man has influence, and the bad
man has influence. The rich man has influence, and the poor man has
influence. The aged person has influence, and the veriest child has influence.
2. But we will pass on to notice, secondly, the good results which may
reasonably be expected to follow a more general and more conscientious
observance of this Christian duty. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”
A little moral, godly principle constantly manifested before the eyes of those
with whom you mix, could not fail of diffusing itself, even though it should be

48. your manner of life rather than your words that indicated your possession of
it. Your brother would be made to feel that you are his keeper, although he
might not openly acknowledge you to be so. You would be the best of
preachers, the best of patriots, the best of philanthropists; and many whom
your silent influence had won would be sure, at the judgment day, to rise up
with you and confess their obligation. (F. W.Naylor, B. A.)
Social duties
Such was the answer of the first Deist, the first infidel, and the first murderer,
to God’s inquiry, “Where is thy brother?” It was not only a lie (for the father
of Cain was a liar from the beginning), but it was a daring jest upon his
brother’s employment. “Am I his shepherd? Am I answerable for his life? Am
I to take care of him as he does of his sheep?” Such is infidelity. It is sin that
makes the infidel. He does not believe, not because he cannot, but because he
will not. He may talk of morality, and sport himself in his own deceiving,
when, like Cain, he says he can worship God as well with the flowers of the
field and the fruits of the earth as through the blood of atonement; but when
we cut into the core of his heart, we shall find the worm of all rottenness still
there, the love of self--we shall find that the only principle of true morality is
wanting, the love of God and our brother--we shall find the very element of
murder there, the dislike of God and those who love and are like Him. And is
not the truth he denied and the principle he rejected this: that man is
answerable for his brother’s life and his brother’s soul as far as his positive
acts can injure, or his neglect destroy? I will not stay to prove this. Cain’s
rejection of it is a proof. Parents, how nearly does this principle affect you in
your important relation!--the very relation in which God Himself is pleased to
place Himself with regard to His own obedient people, His redeemed ones
from earth; for while the angels are called “the sons of God,” “the Father hath
bestowed on us” this wonderful love, “that we should be called the sons of
God” also; and His Spirit--the Spirit of His Son--teaches us to cry, “Abba,
Father.” God has made you parents. Beings who can never die are entrusted
to your care. Your children’s character is greatly in your hands. Their eternal
destiny hangs on your discharge of duty. Watch for their souls as those who
must give account. Masters and mistresses, the principle of which we have
spoken bears powerfully on your relation. (W. W.Champney.)

49. Five questions
1. The first question is this: Is there no one who stands related to you as a
brother?--
“Have we not all,” says Malachi, “one father,” Adam? and have we not all one
mother, Eve? Have we not all the same animal wants? Are we not all exposed
to the same infirmities and diseases? Are we not all capable of the same
improvements? Are we not all to turn to the same dust? Are we not all heirs of
the same immortality? Are we not all redeemed by the same blood of the
Lamb? Nothing, therefore, that is human should ever be deemed or felt alien
with regard to you.
2. The second question: If you were asked, Where is thy brother? what would
truth compel you now to answer? We know what truth would have
constrained Cain to answer--“Oh! I hated him, I envied him; I drew him into
a field, and I murdered him; and he lies there dead.” What would you say, if
you spoke truth, in answer to this question, Where is thy brother? Perhaps
you would be constrained to say, “Living a few doors off from the subject of
want and indigence and hunger, and I having all this world’s goods, and more
than heart could wish, I never send him any supplies.” Or perhaps you would
say, “I have calumniated, I have run down his religion; I have called him a
hypocrite, or an enthusiast, or a mercenary.” Or perhaps you would say, “Oh!
I have poisoned his mind with error”; or, “I have seduced him by my wicked
example.” Or perhaps you would say, “He hath sinned, and instead of
reproving him, I have ‘suffered sin upon him’”; “Hellas been a stranger to the
advantages of religion, while I was well acquainted with it; and I have never
gone to him and said, ‘Oh! taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the
man that trusteth in Him’”; “Oh! he is ignorant, and I have not been trying to
enlighten him.” Where is he? Why, living in such and such a dark village,
where they are perishing for lack of knowledge; or living in the sister island,
enslaved by a vile superstition.
3. The third question: Will not your conduct towards your fellow creatures be
inquired into as well as Cain’s? Can you imagine that you are to live as you
please even with regard to your fellow creatures? Is not God your

50. Governor as well as your Maker? Are you not God’s subjects as well as God’s
creatures?
4. The fourth question: If you are guilty, will not your guilt be followed by
punishment? Why should God deal with Cain, and suffer you to escape?
5. The last question we have to ask is, If you are guilty and exposed to all this,
what should be your concern now? Should it be to seek to deny or to palliate
your transgressions? Should you not rather confess your sin, and exclaim with
Joseph’s brethren, “We are verily guilty concerning our brother”? (W. Jay.)
Cain’s answer
1. The falsehood of it--“I know not.” We feel astonished that a man can dare
to lie in the presence of his Maker; yet how many lies are uttered before Him
by formalists and hypocrites 1
2. The insolence of it--“Am I my brother’s keeper?” This man had no fear of
God before his eyes; and where this is wanting, regard to man will be wanting
also. Even natural affection will be swallowed up in selfishness. (A. Fuller.)
Human brotherhood
Man is ever a questioner. Man even questions God. But there are different
kinds of questioners, as there are of questions. There are docile questioners,
there are defiant questioners. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
1. Human sin says mournfully, “Yes.” See how this was confirmed by Cain’s
vile action. If you have a right (assumed) to sin against a man, you have a
right to love him. If he comes into your life and sphere, all reasonable law
claims for him blessing rather than blows.
2. Human sorrow says pathetically, “Yes.” We have a common heritage of
sorrow.
3. Human joy says hopefully, “Yes!” We cannot tell how much of the joy of
life depends upon others.
4. Human success says triumphantly, “Yes!” No such thing as independence.
We only succeed so far as our fellow man will let us succeed.

51. 5. Human philanthropy says benevolently, “Yes.” Look at the development of
philanthropy!
6. Human conscience says righteously, “Yes!” Conscience is the voice of God
within us. But no “quiet conscience” for him who denies that he is his
“brother’s keeper.” (J. E. Smallow.)
Personal relations
Am I my brother’s keeper? The success or failure of this world turns on the
question, Is the law of self or the law of love adopted? The same is true of
individuals. Is it mutual help of all, or every man for himself against all? Is it
Ishmael, hand against every man, or Jesus, bearing others’ burdens, that gives
the law of being? Man is constitutionally made to work for and with others.
He is full of sympathy, finds in union strength; hence families, railroads,
civilization. A thousand minister to the comfort of every breakfast table.
Mutual help is the law of angelic nature--they are ministering spirits. Christ
carries our sickness and our sins. God is love, and the whole outgoing of love
is service. Heaven, the greatest product of the universe, is the outcome of the
united effort of men, angels, and God. Cain tries the other way; he destroys
what differs from him, that his littleness need not appear, instead of joining
the great, and becoming a part of it. That act not only puts away the ideal,
destroys the possibility of its help, but also dwarfs him still more. Cain slays
himself more than Abel. Sin ravages him more than he can bear. An aristocrat
requires a thousand serfs to support him, but slavery harms the master more
than the slaves. The latter is simply arrested in his development, the former is
developed awry. He cannot see that all art, architecture, agriculture, and
literature perishes. So Cain sees not sin, thinks nothing of separation, asks not
for pardon, but says, I am punished more than I can bear. He goes from God;
all his own nobility is murdered, all his possibility of aspiration after God lies
slain. Of the two, the one to be envied is Abel. It is better to have our bodies
slain by others, than to slay our own souls. In every relation of life, to
servants, workmen, neighbours, households, our nation, all nations, envy must
be banished, lest we dwarf ourselves; murder in every degree must be
spurned, lest we murder ourselves; love and mutual help must be exercised;
for thereby we greaten ourselves. (H. W. Warren, D. D.)

52. Care for the fallen
A writer in one of the English reviews relates that during a conversation with
George Eliot, not long before her death, a vase toppled over on the
mantelpiece. The great writer quickly and unconsciously put out her hand to
stop its fall. “I hope,” said she, replacing it, “that the time will come when we
shall instinctively hold up the man or woman who begins to fall as naturally
and unconsciously as we arrest a falling piece of furniture or an ornament.”


Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
"And Jehovah said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: am I my brother's keeper?"
When the original parents were caught in their rebellion, they admitted it
reluctantly, but Cain told an outright lie about his sin, showing, as Willis
suggested, "the growing power of sin's grip over the human race."[18]
AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?
What a brutal and selfish response was this! All men are obligated to one
another, and no man has the right to seek his own selfish ends without regard
to what the effect may be upon others. Did not our Saviour teach us to pray,
"Our Father who art in heaven!" There is a community of interest in the
welfare of humanity that makes it incumbent upon all to be concerned and
thoughtful for the well-being and prosperity of others as well as themselves.
The utter depravity and selfishness of sin appear here in a very ugly light.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother?.... Perhaps this was
said to him the next time he came to offer, he not being with him: this question
is put, not as being ignorant where he was, but in order to bring Cain to a
conviction and confession of his sin, to touch his conscience with it, and fill it

53. with remorse for it; and, for the aggravation of it, observes the relation of
Abel to him, his brother:
and he said, I know not; which was a downright lie; for he must know where
he had left him or laid him: this shows him to be under the influence of Satan,
who was a liar, and the father of lies, as well as a murderer from the
beginning; and that he was so blinded by him, as to forget whom he was
speaking to; that he was the omniscient God, and knew the wickedness he had
done, and the falsehood he now delivered, and was capable of confronting him
with both, and of inflicting just punishment on him.
Am I my brother's keeper? which was very saucily and impudently spoken: it
is not only put by way of interrogation, but of admiration, as Jarchi observes,
as wondering at it, that God should put such a question to him, since he knew
he had not the charge of his brother, and his brother was at age to take care of
himself; and if not, it rather belonged to God and his providence to take care
of him, and not to him: so hardened was he in his iniquity, he had stretched
out his hand against his brother, and now he stretched it out against God, and
ran upon him, even on the thick bosses of his buckler.

Geneva Study Bible
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [is] Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: h [Am] I my brother's keeper?

(h) This is the nature of the reprobate when they are rebuke for their
hypocrisy, even to neglect God and outrage him.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
I know not — a falsehood. One sin leads to another.

54. Wesley's Explanatory Notes
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? — God knew him to
be guilty; yet he asks him, that he might draw from him a confession of his
crime; for those who would be justified before God, must accuse themselves.
And he said, I know not — Thus in Cain the devil was both a murderer, and a
liar from the beginning. Am I my Brother's keeper? - Sure he is old enough to
take care of himself, nor did I ever take charge of him. Art not thou his
keeper? If he be missing, on thee be the blame, and not on me, who never
undertook to keep him.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
9.Where is Abel ? They who suppose that the father made this inquiry of Cain
respecting his son Abel, enervate the whole force of the instruction which
Moses here intended to deliver; namely, that God, both by secret inspiration,
and by some extraordinary method, cited the parricide (242) to his tribunal,
as if he had thundered from heaven. For, what I have before said must be
firmly maintained that, as God now speaks until us through the Scriptures, so
he formerly manifested himself to the Fathers through oracles; and also in the
same meaner, revealed his judgements to the reprobate sons of the saints. So
the angel spoke to Agar in the wood, after she had fallen away from the
Church, (243) as we shall see in the eighth verse of the sixteenth chapter:
Genesis 16:8. It is indeed possible that God may have interrogated Cain by the
silent examinations of his conscience; and that he, in return, may have
answered, inwardly fretting, and murmuring. We must, however, conclude,
that he was examined, not barely by the external voice of man, but by a Divine
voice, so as to make him feel that he had to deal directly with God. As often,
then as the secret compunctions of conscience invite us to reflect upon our
sins, let us remember that God himself is speaking, with us. For that interior

55. sense by which we are convicted of sin is the peculiar judgement-seat of God,
where he exercises his jurisdiction. Let those, therefore, whose consciences
accuse them, beware lest, after the example of Cain, they confirm themselves
in obstinacy. For this is truly to kick against God, and to resist his Spirit;
when we repel those thoughts, which are nothing else than incentives to
repentance. But it is a fault too common, to add at length to former sins such
perverseness, that he who is compelled, whether he will or not, to feel sin in
his mind, shall yet refuse to yield to God. Hence it appears how great is the
depravity of the human mind; since, when convicted and condemned by our
own conscience, we still do not cease either to mock, or to rage against our
Judge. Prodigious was the stupor of Cain, who, having committed a crime so
great, ferociously rejected the reproof of God, from whose hand he was
nevertheless unable to escape. But the same thing daily happens to all the
wicked; every one of whom desires to be deemed ingenious in catching at
excuses. For the human heart is so entangled in winding labyrinths, that it is
easy for the wicked to add obstinate contempt of God to their crimes; not
because their contumacy is sufficiently firm to withstand the judgment of
God, (for, although they hide themselves in the deep recesses of which I have
spoken, they are, nevertheless, always secretly burned, as with a hot iron,) but
because, by a blind obstinacy they render themselves callous. Hence, the force
of the Divine judgment is clearly perceived; for it so pierces into the iron
hearts of the wicked, that they are inwardly compelled to be their own judges;
nor does it suffer them so to obliterate the sense of guilt which it has extorted,
as not to leave the trace or scar of the searing. Cain, in denying that he was
the keeper of his brother’s life, although, with ferocious rebellion, he attempts
violently to repel the judgment of God, yet thinks to escape by this cavil, that
he was not required to give an account of his murdered brother, because he
had received no express command to take care of him.

James Nisbet's Church Pulpit Commentary
THE UNBROTHERLY BROTHER
‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’

56. Genesis 4:9
Whether the story of Cain and Abel be literal history or profound allegory, it
conveys deep and abundant lessons. In the fact that, so headlong was man’s
collapse from his original innocence, of the first two born into the world the
elder grew up to be a murderer, and the younger his victim, we have a terrible
glimpse into that apostasy of man’s heart of which we see the bitter fruits in
every walk of life. All national history; all war; every prison and penitentiary;
all riot and sedition; the deadly struggles of capital and labour; anarchy and
revolution; all the records of crime, brutality, suicide, and internecine strife,
which crowd our newspapers from day to day—are but awful comments on
these few verses of the fourth chapter of Genesis, and indications of the
consequences which follow the neglect of their tremendous lessons.
The first murderer was the first liar (‘Where is thy brother?’ ‘I know not’);
he was also an egotist—‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’
I. Apart from other serious considerations, this last utterance of Cain’s
impresses a great principle, and a solemn duty.
We each of us ask in our words and in our lives, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’
God answers us—‘You are!’ The world, with all its might, answers—‘No! I
am not.’ Vast multitudes of merely nominal Christians, all the army of the
compromisers and conventionalists, while they say, or half say, with
reluctance, ‘Yes, I am my brother’s keeper,’ yet act and live in every respect
as if they were not. There is little practical difference between their conduct
and that of the godless world. Our Lord illustrated this in the parable of ‘The
two sons.’ If some, like the sneering lawyer, interpose an excuse, and ask,
‘Who is my brother?’ the answer is the same as Christ gave in the parable of
‘The good Samaritan.’ Yes, all men are our brothers; and when we injure
them, by lies, which cut like a sharp razor, by sneers, innuendoes, slander,
hatred, malice, and all uncharitableness, by want of thought or by want of
heart, by neglect or by absorbing selfishness, we are inheritors of the spirit of
the first murderer.
II. But let us confine our thoughts to those who most pressingly need our
services—to the great masses of the poor, the oppressed, the wretched, the

57. hungry, the lost, the outcast. Among them lies, in some form or other, a great
sphere of our duty, which, if we neglect, we neglect at our peril.
There is an almost shoreless sea of misery around us, which rolls up its dark
waves to our very doors; thousands live and die in the dim borderland of
destitution; little children wail, starve, and perish, and soak and blacken soul
and sense in our streets; there are thousands of unemployed, not all of whom
are lazy impostors; the Demon of Drink is the cause of daily horrors which
would disgrace Dahomey or Ashantee; these are facts patent to every eye.
Now God will work no miracle to mend these miseries. If we neglect them,
they will be left uncured, but He will hold us responsible for the neglect. To
the callous and slothful He will say—‘What hast thou done?’ and it will be
vain to answer—‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’
III. There are many ways of asking the question of Cain.
(a) There is that of coarse ignorance; of men steeped in greed, who say
outright that ‘the poor in the lump are bad.’
(b) There is that of the spirit which robs even charity of its compassionateness,
and makes a gift more odious than a blow.
(c) There is that of the spirit of indifferent despair; those who cry—‘What
good can we do?’ and ‘Of what earthly use is it?’; who find an excuse for
doing practically nothing by quoting the words of Deuteronomy: ‘The poor
shall never cease out of the land’; but (conveniently) forget the words which
follow (Deuteronomy 15:11). This despair of social problems is ignoble and
unchristian.
(d) There is that of unfaithfulness, domestic sloth (of narrow-mindedness and
narrow-heartedness); if such do not challenge God with the question—‘Am I
my brother’s keeper?’ they act as if they were not. There is a danger lest our
narrow domesticity should enervate many of our nobler instincts by teaching
indifference to the public weal as a sort of languid virtue. God has made us
citizens of His Kingdom. Many a man, in his affection and service to his
family, forgets that he belongs also to the collective being; that he cannot,
without guilt, sever himself from the needs of his parish, his nation, his race,

58. from the claims of the poor, the miserable, and the oppressed. If he is to do his
duty in this life, he must help, think for, sympathise with, give to, them. The
Christian must man the lifeboat to help life’s shipwrecked mariners; if he
cannot row, he must steer; if he cannot steer, he must help to launch; if he
have not strength to do that, then—
As one who stands upon the shore
And sees the lifeboat go to save,
And all too weak to take an oar,
I send a cheer across the wave.
At the very least, he must solace, shelter, and supply the needs of those
rescued from the wreck. The meanest position of all is to stand and criticise, to
say that the lifeboat is a bad one, or that it is being wrongly launched, or
wrongly manned. Worst and wickedest of all is to stand still and call those
fools and fanatics who are bearing the burden and heat of the day. The best
men suffer with those whom they see suffer. They cannot allay the storm, but
they would at least aid those who are doing more than themselves to rescue
the perishing. They would sympathise, help, and, at the lowest, give. It is love
which is the fulfilling of the Law. There is but one test with God of true
orthodoxy, of membership of the kingdom of Heaven. It is given in the last
utterance of Revelation by the beloved disciple. It sweeps away with one
breath nine-tenths of the fictions and falsities of artificial orthodoxy and
fanatical religionism. It is ‘He that doeth righteousness is righteous,’ and ‘He
that doeth righteousness is born of God.’ It is only by keeping the
commandments that we can enter into life.
—Dean Farrar.
Illustrations
(1) ‘Of the dangers which are partly rooted in our animal nature and partly
fostered and intensified by the drift of our time, the one likely to press most
heavily on us is that of exaggerated individualism. Where this is not tempered
by an infusion of the religious spirit, we find it working with a disintegrating

59. power, and in various ways vitiating both our personal and social life. Almost
every advance of civilisation which distinguishes our century has tended to
give this principle some new hold on the common life. There is no corner of
society, commercial or social, political or artistic, which it does not invade.’
(2) ‘No character in the Old Testament represents to us guilt and infamy so
readily as Cain; he is surpassed only by Judas in all the Bible. For to the heart
of man it is not incredible that at so short a distance from Paradise, or even at
the still shorter distance from Cain’s glad childhood, so foul a deed as this was
done. The heart of man knows its own deceitfulness, and how soon sin brings
forth death.
And besides all this, there is no possibility of understanding the punishment
that Cain had to endure if he were not a murderer in intention as well as fact.
“Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” Certainly He will never err on
the side of vengeance, for it is mercy, not vengeance, He is said to delight in. If
Cain receives his punishment, it may seem to him greater than he can bear,
but it is not greater than he deserves.’

John Trapp Complete Commentary
Genesis 4:9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where [is] Abel thy brother? And
he said, I know not: [Am] I my brother’s keeper?
Ver. 9. I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?] As if he had bid God, Go
look. Let us not think much to receive dogged answers and disdainful speeches
from profane persons. When they have learned to think better, they will speak
better. As till then, pity and pray for them. These churlish dogs will be
barking.

Sermon Bible Commentary
Genesis 4:9
The feeling of our sonship to God in Christ is a topic which requires to be
constantly dwelt upon, because our conventional acceptance of such a

60. relationship is apt to be compatible with a life which has no real apprehension
of it.
I. Of the dangers which are partly rooted in our animal nature and partly
fostered and intensified by the drift of our time, the one likely to press most
heavily on us is that of exaggerated individualism. Where this is not tempered
by an infusion of the religious spirit, we find it working with a disintegrating
power, and in various ways vitiating both our personal and social life.
II. Almost every advance of civilisation which distinguishes our century has
tended to give this principle some new hold on the common life. There is no
corner of society, commercial or social, political or artistic, which it does not
invade. The volume of its force is intensified as wealth increases and easy
circumstances become more common. Our time is preeminently a time of
materialistic egoism.
III. The evolutionist, telling us of the growth of all our sentiments, taking us
back to germinal forms and then leading us upward through struggle and
survival, makes the ruling motive in every early life essentially egoistic. The
question arises, Where and how is this motive to change its character? Is this
last utterance to be still but an echo of the primeval question, "Am I my
brother's keeper?" If this be the last word, we must repeat again, however
sadly— αρα χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέθανε.
IV. But we cannot rest in this conclusion. There is no possibility of rest until
we have settled it with ourselves that our higher consciousness gives us touch
of the reality of the Divine and everlasting, when it declares that we are the
children of God, and if children, then heirs, joint-heirs with Christ. This we
believe to be the last word for us on the mystery of our being and destiny.
J. Percival, Oxford Review and Undergraduates' Journal, Jan. 25th, 1883.
The first time the relationship of brotherhood is brought before us in
Scripture does not present it in the most harmonious or endearing aspect, and
yet the very rivalry and resentment which were engendered by it give an
incidental sign of the closeness of the tie which it involves.

61. I. The brother tie is one whose visible and apparent closeness of necessity
diminishes under the common conditions of life.
II. Although it is a link whose visible association vanishes, it ought never to be
an association which fades out of the heart. There is always something wrong
when a relationship like this disappears behind maturer attachments.
III. Whether from the hearth of home or from the wider range of brotherhood
which the commonwealth supplies, the pattern and inspiration of true
brotherhood is found in Christ, the Elder Brother of us all.
A. Mursell, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxii., p. 251.

"Am I my brother's keeper?" This is the very gospel of selfishness, and a
murderer is its first preacher. The gospel of selfishness is, that a man must
take care of his own interests; and out of that universal self-seeking, provided
it be wise and restrained, will come the well-being of all.
I. This is an age of rights rather than of duties. It is very notable that there is
almost nothing about rights in the teaching of Christ. The Lord seeks to train
the spirit of His followers into doing and suffering aright. But by preaching
love and duty, the Gospel has been the lawgiver of nations, the friend of man,
the champion of his rights. Its teaching has been of God, of duty, and of love;
and wherever these ideas have come, freedom and earthly happiness and
cultivation have followed silently behind.
II. Our age needs to be reminded that in one sense each of us has the keeping
of his brethren confided to him, and that love is the law and the fulfilling of
the law. The rights of men to our love, to our consideration, rest upon an act
of Divine love. Their chartered right to our reverence is in these terms: That
God loved them and sent His Son to be the propitiation for their sins, and the
Saviour set to it His seal and signed it with His blood.
Archbishop Thomson, Life in the Light of God's Word, p. 301.

62. References: Genesis 4:9.—J. Cumming, Church before the Flood, p. 186; H.
Alford, Sermons, p. 1; G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 277; Homiletic
Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 242; A. Hamilton, Sunday Magazine (1877), p. 660; J. D.
Kelly, Contemporary Pulpit, vol. iv., p. 243; T. Birkett Dover, A Lent Manual,
p. 5; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxiv., No. 1399; Bishop Harvey Goodwin, Parish
Sermons, vol. iv., p. 272; J. Sherman, Thursday Penny Pulpit, vol. ii., p. 25,
No. 39. Genesis 4:9, Genesis 4:10.—H. Melvill, Sermons on Less Prominent
Facts, p. 286. Genesis 4:10.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. viii., No. 461, and vol.
xii., No. 708. Genesis 4:13.—Parker, vol. i., p. 150. Genesis 4:15, Genesis
4:16.—R. S. Candlish, Book of Genesis, vol. i., pp. 86 and 108. Genesis 4:17.—
Homiletic Magazine, vol. vi., p. 268 Genesis 4:23, Genesis 4:24.—S. Cox,
Expositor's Notebook, p. 19; G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons, p. 380;
Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iii., p. 227.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Genesis 4:9. I know not: am I my brother's keeper?— There is no wonder,
that he, who from such vile motives could murder his brother, because his
own works were evil, and his brother's righteous, 1 John 3:12 should, with an
impudent sullenness, give the lie to his Maker. See the dreadful effects of the
fall immediately indicating themselves, to display which, was probably one
great reason of recording this history. Again, Abel, as Calmet observes,
unjustly murdered by his eldest brother, admirably denotes the violent death
of the Lord Jesus Christ by the hands of the Jews. St. Paul says, that the blood
of Jesus speaketh better things than that of Abel, Hebrews 12:24.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible
Where is Abel? Not that God was ignorant where he was, but partly to
convince him of his sin, and to lead him to repentance, and partly to instruct
judges to inquire into causes, and hear the accused speak for themselves,
before they pass sentence.

63. Thy brother, whom nature and near relation obliged thee to love and
preserve.
Am I my brother’s keeper? Why dost thou inquire of me concerning him who
is of age to look to himself? Is he such a stripling that he needs a guardian? Or
didst thou ever make me his guardian?

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
9. Where is Abel — God’s judgment with Cain, as with Adam, begins with the
searching WHERE? Comp. Genesis 3:9.
I know not — It is easy for a murderer to lie.
I my brother’s keeper — Am I his shepherd, to watch over him? A word of
daring impudence and defiance; a sort of retort on the Lord’s care of Abel.
“How is it that thou, who hadst delight in him, and didst show him such
favouritism, hast not watched over him!”

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments
Genesis 4:9. Where is Abel thy brother? — Not that God was ignorant where
he was, but he asks him that he might convince him of his crime, and bring
him to a confession of it; for those that would be justified before God, must
accuse themselves. And he said, I know not — Thus in Cain, the devil was
both a murderer and a liar from the beginning. Am I my brother’s keeper? —
Is he so young that he needs a guardian? Or didst thou assign any such office
to me? Surely he is old enough to take care of himself, nor did I ever take
charge of him.

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do
not know. Am I my brother’s shepherd (guardian).” ’

64. The question parallels the ‘where are you?’ of Genesis 3:9. Again God is
giving the man an opportunity to express his repentance. Cain’s reply
demonstrates how far he has fallen. Unlike Adam and Eve he does not run to
hide. He tries to brazen it out. ‘I do not know. Am I my brother’s guardian?’
There is little remorse and something surly and unfeeling in what he says and
the way he says it. The answer to his own question should, of course, be ‘yes’,
as all the readers would immediately accept. But his use of the term
‘guardian’ demonstrates his sense of guilt. Why should he think that his
brother needs a guardian?


Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I
know not: Am I my brother's keeper?
Where is Abel thy brother? When Cain saw the fatal result of his attack on his
brother, he would anxiously endeavour to conceal all traces of his crime by
burying the corpse somewhere under ground; and we can easily conceive of
him pretending ignorance of what had become of Abel, so far as to join in the
search that doubtless would be instituted regarding the missing relative. It
might be that a considerable time had elapsed ere the following scene took
place; and Cain had probably, in order to lull suspicion, been engaging in the
solemnities of religion at the established place of worship, when he was
challenged directly from the Shechinah itself.
I know not - `I have not ascertained' (Murphy). This was a direct and
unblushing falsehood, and hence, Cain is said to be of the wicked one (1 John
3:12), who was a liar and a murderer (John 8:44). What a difference between
Adam and Eve in their simple, trembling confession of the sin they had
committed, and the hardened audacity of their oldest son! One sin leads to
another; and a criminal, when accused, commonly tries to evade the
consequences of his guilt by denial. Thus acted Cain; but from the irreverent,
defiant tone he assumed, we may judge the extent of his inward apostasy from

65. God, and the spiritual blindness of his understanding, which deluded him into
the belief that he could escape the scrutiny of Omniscience.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(9) And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?—It is the beauty
of these early narratives that the dealings of the Deity with mankind are all
clothed in an anthropomorphic form, for the reasons of which see Note on
Genesis 2:7. It seems, then, that Cain at first went away, scarcely conscious of
the greatness of his crime. He had asserted his rights, had suppressed the
usurpation of his privileges by the younger son, and if he had used force it was
his brother’s fault for resisting him. So Jacob afterwards won the birthright
by subtilty, and would have paid the same fearful penalty but for timely flight,
and rich presents afterwards. But Cain could not quiet his conscience;
remorse tracked his footsteps; and when in the household Abel came not, and
the question was asked, Where is Abel? the voice of God repeated it in his own
heart, Where is Abel, thy brother!—brother still, and offspring of the same
womb, even if too prosperous. But the strong-willed man resists. What has he
to do with Abel? Is he “his brother’s keeper?”
END OF STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES


What does Genesis 4:9 mean? [⇑ See verse text ⇑]
Following Cain's murder of his brother Abel in a field, God comes to confront
Cain. As He did with Adam and Eve following their sin in the garden, God
begins with a question He already knows the answer to: Where is your
brother? God provides Cain the opportunity for confession. When God gave
this option to Adam, he reluctantly confessed to what he had done. This was
not ideal, but it at least reflected a willingness to obey God (Genesis 3:8–13).

66. Instead of taking this approach, Cain lies to God and remains defiant. He
brazenly claims not to know where Abel is. He then asks a question siblings
have been quoting to their mothers for generations: "Am I my brother's
keeper?" This not only represents dishonesty, but disrespect. Cain flippantly
rejected any responsibility for his murdered brother in a way which implies
it's wrong of God to even ask the question.

In modern language, Cain is essentially telling God, "Why is Abel my
problem?" https://www.bibleref.com/Genesis/4/Genesis-4-9.html


Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel? I don't know, he
replied. Am I my brother's keeper?
Genesis 4:9
Cain's insolent and arrogant response to God's question is a sign of his
inward, unacknowledged guilt. This is always the way of guilt—to disclaim
responsibility. Cain replies, My brother? What have I to do with my brother?
Am I my brother's keeper? Is it my responsibility to know where my brother
is? The hypocrisy of that is most evident. Though Cain could disclaim
responsibility for knowing where his brother was, he did not hesitate to
assume the greater responsibility of taking his brother's life.
We have heard much of the same thing in modern times. When Martin
Luther King, Jr., was murdered in 1968, many were saying these same things.
It's not our fault that Dr. King was killed. Why should we suffer for what
some fanatic did? It's not our responsibility. Soon some were saying, He ought
to have known this would happen. After all, if you stir up trouble, sooner or
later you will pay the price for it. No one can deny the logic and truth of a
statement like that. Yet it is very obviously incomplete. There is nothing in it
of facing responsibility and no honest answering of the terrible question from
Cain's lips, Am I my brother's keeper?

67. Two or three decades ago, Dr. Carl Henry wrote a book called The Uneasy
Conscience of Fundamentalism, which bothered many people when it first
came out. Dr. Henry pointed out that the isolationism that many Christians
adopt, which removes us from contact with non-Christians, has also
successfully removed us from grappling with some of the pressing social
questions of our hour. We have often been quite content to sing about going to
heaven but have shown very little concern for the sick and the poor, the
lonely, the old, and the miserable of our world. Isaiah 58 is a ringing
condemnation of such an attitude on the part of religious people. God is
infinitely concerned in this area of life, and those who bear His name dare not
neglect these areas. Let us be perfectly frank and admit that this is a
manifestation of Christian love that we evangelicals have tended greatly to
neglect.
The church was never intended to minister to only one segment of society but
is to include all people, all classes, all colors, without distinction. These
distinctions are to be ignored in the church. They must be; otherwise, we are
not being faithful to the one who called us and who Himself was the friend of
sinners of all kinds. We must be perfectly honest and admit that this has been
the weak spot of evangelical life, this failure to move out in obedience to God's
command to offer love, friendship, forgiveness, and grace to all people without
regard to class, color, background, or heredity.
Father, open my eyes that I might see the people around me as people whom
You created and whom You have placed in my path for a purpose. Teach me
that I am my brother's keeper.
https://www.raystedman.org/daily-devotions/genesis-1to11/am-i-my-
brothers-keeper


“MY BROTHER’S KEEPER”
Genesis 4.9

68. EXPOSITION:
1. From the book of Genesis, the first book of the Bible, the foundational
book of the Bible, the book of beginnings in the Bible, through the book of
Revelation, the final book of the Bible, the capstone book of the Bible, and the
climactic book of the Bible, runs a scarlet thread of redemption.
2. The thread is scarlet because redemption can only be purchased by blood.
The scarlet is a thread because the progress of God’s eternal purpose is
sometimes difficult to discern amidst the many details of history and the
interplay of personalities found in the Bible. But from beginning to end the
scarlet thread of redemption ties together God’s unfolding drama that has as
its focal point the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God,
which taketh away the sin of the world.[1]
3. Alongside the scarlet thread of redemption, through that portion of the
Bible that deals with man on earth before the end of the age, is what I have
chosen to label the revelation of mutual responsibility. It is the obvious
principle of mutual interdependence. It is the recognition that the Bible shows
mankind to not only be a race created by God to be dependent upon God, but
also the recognition that the Bible shows mankind to be a race created by God
to be interdependent upon each other.
4. Allow me to provide some examples:
a. When Eve was deceived by the enticement of the serpent she did not fulfill
her responsibility toward her husband, Adam. In short, she was not
dependable and let him down.
b. When Adam ate the forbidden fruit that was given to him by Eve, he not
only sinned against God and precipitated the Fall that has led to mankind’s
present misery, but he also betrayed Eve and generations yet unborn. Adam
let Eve down by not being the leader God created him to be and ruined us all.

69. c. When Abraham yielded to Sarah and sired Ishmael by Hagar he failed in
his duty toward both women, toward the son that was born from his sin, and
toward later generations. He let us all down.
d. How about David’s sin with Bathsheba? A terrible sin, that led to another
terrible sin. Not only did he give “great occasion to the enemies of the LORD
to blaspheme,” but he let down so many people who had depended on him.
5. I could go on and on, but for lack of time. The essence of the point that I
seek to make, the principle that I desire to focus your attention on, is found in
our text for today, Genesis 4.9. Please turn to that verse.
6. To provide you with context, to this point Adam and Eve have sinned
against God and have been expelled from the Garden of Eden. Despite the
great difficulties associated with living under the curse of sin God blessed the
first couple with many children, with our attention here directed toward the
first two, Cain and Abel.
7. After a conflict between the brothers results in Cain’s murder of Abel, a
potential that exists whenever two brothers become angry with each other and
resort to violence, the Bible records God’s confrontation of Cain.
8. Pause for just a moment here to consider. There can be no doubt that
God’s plan for people involves interdependency. Remember, God created Eve
for the specific purpose of helping Adam. So, the implied duties of leadership
benefiting her and the more obvious duties of being a help meet benefiting
him clearly show that from the beginning people were supposed to be
interdependent, because God Himself said, “It is not good that the man should
be alone.”[2]
9. Yet when confronted by God after the slaying of his brother, when
challenged to give an account of where his brother was, Cain replied, “Am I
my brother’s keeper?” The answer, of course, is yes. Yes, Cain, you are your
brother’s keeper.
10. Thousands of years later, the Lord Jesus Christ taught a parable to
illustrate the responsibility each of us has toward others. Turn to Luke
chapter 10 and begin reading verse 30 with me:

70. 30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to
Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he
saw him, he passed by on the other side.
32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on
him, and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when
he saw him, he had compassion on him,
34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and
set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave
them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou
spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that
fell among the thieves?
37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him,
Go, and do thou likewise.

11. In the apostle Paul’s ministry we find restatements of this principle:
a. In Romans 1.14-15, Paul states this obligation in the context of gospel
preaching: “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to
the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the
gospel to you that are at Rome also.”
b. As well, Galatians 6.10 speaks to this principle: “As we have therefore
opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
household of faith.”

71. 12. We also see Paul demonstrating this principle in action when he mobilized
the churches in Europe to take up an offering for the believers in Judea. Turn
to Second Corinthians 8.1-4 and read with me how important this duty,
obligation and responsibility was perceived by the Christians in Macedonia to
be toward people they would never set eyes on this side of heaven:
1 Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed
on the churches of Macedonia;
2 How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their
deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
3 For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were
willing of themselves;
4 Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take
upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

13. The question that Cain asked God so long ago was, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” That was in the days when there were only brothers and sisters in a
new world, but for his mother and father. His question could be paraphrased,
“Am I responsible for the welfare of other people?” Yes, you are.
14. In our Lord’s day the responsibility was clarified as being applicable to
one’s neighbors, with the good Samaritan rightly understanding that your
neighbor is that person who is near at hand and who needs your help. The
apostle Paul sharpened the focus even more clearly when he wrote, “As we
have therefore opportunity.”
15. It was John Donne (1573-1631) who wrote, “No man is an island, entire of
itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”[3] What did
he mean by what he wrote? In part, he meant what I have been pointing out,
that we are interdependent and in need of each other.
16. In a moment, after brother Isenberger comes to lead us in a song, I want to
speak to you about our interdependency and our duties, obligations and
responsibilities toward each other.

72. 17. Stand as brother Isenberger comes now to lead us.

INTRODUCTION:
1. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” That was Cain’s question to God when
asked where Abel was. You might paraphrase Cain’s question as “Is Abel my
responsibility?” The rest of the Bible is written, in part, to answer that
question.
2. Consider some fellow who lies beat up on the sidewalk. Do you have any
moral obligation toward that fellow lying there who was beaten and robbed?
Are you responsible to call 911, or to find out if the poor guy is even alive?
What if you saw the guy, but you had an important appointment to get to?
Would you feel the obligation to stop what you are doing, to disrupt your
schedule, to perhaps risk missing a wonderful business opportunity in order
to look after a helpless man?
3. Why don’t we turn the situation around? Suppose you are the one who
has suddenly been overcome by illness? There you are. Too weak to move,
too disoriented to cry out for help, your heart racing and gripped with the
fear that you might be dying. Now how do you feel about interdependency?
Would you want the guy walking by who is running late for an important
appointment to help you?
4. You see, things oftentimes seem very different when the shoe is on the
other foot, when you are the one who needs help rather than the one whose
help is needed. Cain asked if he was his brother’s keeper because he did not
want to be his brother’s keeper. And he did not want to be his brother’s
keeper because he had, moments before, become his brother’s killer, his
brother’s slayer, his brother’s murderer.
5. The sinful nature is such that people tend to ask such questions as Cain
asked, to challenge every man’s moral obligation to help those in need, when
they are in the very act of ignoring such moral obligations, or once the
decision has been made to engage in some type of selfishness that requires

73. ignoring whatever duties, obligations and responsibilities they might have
toward others.
6. Most of the time people just know that when you are walking in the desert
with a jug of water and you come upon someone who is thirsty you share your
water. When you are standing in line at a fast food joint and the nice elderly
woman in front of you discovers that she is a dollar short of being able to pay
for her meal you cheerfully and without prompting give her a dollar, even if it
means you come up a little short.
7. You are not trying to earn your way to heaven by doing such a good deed.
And you certainly have no expectation of any reward from the nice old lady
for doing her a good turn. No one you know is anywhere around, so you’re
not trying to impress your friends. So, why do you do it? There is an inborn
recognition that people need each other, that we are interdependent, that you
are your brother’s keeper.
8. To be sure, there are those with sufficiently seared consciences, with
incredibly hardened hearts, with a coldness to their souls, who would deny
this. They would selfishly ask, “Why should I help him? What’s in it for me?
Why do I have to get involved? It’s none of my business.” Oh, but it is your
business. You are your brother’s keeper.
9. Understand, the Bible does not advocate, as so many social activists these
days like to pretend, that you should compensate for some lazy person’s lack
of foresight and industry. It’s not your duty to pay someone else’s rent who
dropped out of high school and can’t hold a job. In other words, it is not your
job to pay someone else’s way or to live someone else’s life. In the long run,
that type of welfare mentality is quite the opposite of being your brother’s
keeper, since it eventually does him more harm than good.
10. So you see, there is some middle ground between socialism (where people
are taken care of and become lazy because they expect others to fulfill their
own life’s tasks) and the kind of individualism we find here in the United
States that reflects the attitude expressed by “I mind my own business and
expect others to mind their own business, and I don’t need nobody and don’t
like the idea of anyone needing my help.”

74. 11. We are interdependent. I plan on helping you when I have opportunity,
and would like to think that you plan on doing the same thing. Further, I plan
on raising my child and would appreciate your help from time to time should
you see something you think I need to know, and should I benefit from
hearing what you have to say. And when I see your kid with his friends in the
mall I will pass on to you the kind of information that I hope you will pass on
to me if the situations were reversed.
12. Do you see where I am coming from in all this? I am not an island. You
are not an island. Though I expect to take care of most of my business myself,
I know that there are times when I need help. And though you need to take
care of most of your business yourself, I know that there are times when you
will need my help. I am my brother’s keeper. God made us that way. Not
only are we all ultimately utterly dependent upon Him, but He has created
each one of us to be interdependent upon each other in various ways.
13. This morning, in the few minutes I have left, I want to apply this principle
of being your brother’s keeper:

1A. First, CONSIDER THE CHRISTIAN
Christian, you are your brother’s keeper. That means you have certain
duties, obligations and responsibilities toward other people that you are
particularly equipped to deal with as a Christian, and God’s Word is explicit
in showing what those duties, obligations and responsibilities happen to be:
1B. First, toward the lost.
1C. Lost people are spiritually helpless. Lost people are turned around
and confused in their thinking. Their perception and understanding of
spiritual things is confounded by their sin.
2C. The result, of course, is that they need to be reached with the gospel.
They need to be evangelized. They need to be talked to at work, invited to
church, encouraged to consider the claims of Christ, and earnestly prayed for.

75. 3C. Our understanding of human depravity convinces us that lost people
cannot save themselves, cannot find their own way out of the darkness, and
are incapable of making right decisions about which church to attend, what
books to read, whose preaching to listen to.
4C. This is why we are given the Great Commission. This is why we are
given the Word of God. This is why we go out as a church once a week to
corporately canvass and invite people to be our guests here at Calvary Road
Baptist Church.
5C. My friends, the entire purpose of Calvary Road Baptist Church, our
outreach and our missions thrust to the uttermost parts of the world, is to be
our brother’s keepers. That’s why you were here last night instead of
socializing. That’s why you were here last night instead of partying. That’s
why you were here instead of sitting at home watching television. You are
your brother’s keeper.
2B. But you are not only your lost brother’s keeper. You are also your
Christian brother’s keeper.
1C. Consider a Christian friend who is doing something wrong. Perhaps,
in a moment of stupidity, a believer does something that utterly ruins his
credibility as a spiritual and conscientious follower of Jesus Christ.
2C. What would you do if you became aware of such a thing? Would you
sit by and watch the Christian friend engage in testimony destroying folly
without comment, without objection, without feeling any sense of
responsibility? Of course not. You are your brother’s keeper.
3C. In Galatians 6.1 we read these words: “Brethren, if a man be
overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of
meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Do you know what
this verse means? It means that if you see a Christian do something he
shouldn’t do, you don’t just stand by and watch. You do something.
4C. Why do you think Paul withstood Simon Peter to the face when they
met in Antioch?[4] Remember what happened? Peter had acted one way
around Gentile Christians and another way around Jewish Christians. In

76. other words, he was acting like a two-faced hypocrite. He was not only
endangering his own testimony, but his actions were confusing and might
have caused people to misunderstand the purity of the gospel of salvation by
faith.
5C. So Paul couldn’t just sit by and do nothing. What kind of a lousy
friend would you have to be to do nothing? Paul, realizing that he was his
brother’s keeper, intervened and put a stop to what Peter was doing. He was
willing to risk his friendship with Peter to keep Peter from doing serious
damage to his own testimony and to the cause of Christ.
6C. Would to God we had more courageous Christians who faced up to
their duty to be their brother’s keepers. If Peter had been your friend, would
you have done anything? Or would you have stood silently by while he did
something foolish that he would have later regretted? My Christian friend, as
a child of God you have a duty to fulfill, toward those who are lost as well as
those who are already saved, because you are your brother’s keeper.

2A. As Well, CONSIDER THE NON-CHRISTIAN
A number of you here today are not believers in Jesus Christ, which is to say
that you are not converted. Duties, obligations and responsibilities toward
God and your fellow man are not the focus of your life. The Bible shows us
that the focus of your life is yourself. But consider these things:
1B. Just because you are not a Christian does not mean you are not your
brother’s keeper. After all, God confronted Cain about his brother Abel, and
Cain was not a Christian. Not being a Christian, Cain attempted to deny his
duty, his obligations, and his responsibilities, but to no avail. God still held
him responsible.
2B. The same is true with you. You are your brother’s keeper whether you
are a Christian or not. The problem is, while you are unsaved you cannot
possibly fulfill your duties, your obligations, and your responsibilities as your
brother’s keeper. Your life outside of Christ is focused primarily on yourself,
meaning you will pay little attention to the needs of others. Their needs,

77. particularly their great spiritual needs, will generally go unnoticed, or
unnoticed by you.
3B. Those of you who are unsaved men and women married to believers,
do you have any idea of the damage you do by continuing in your lost estate
and failing to be your brother’s keeper, which is to say failing to be the proper
spouse to your husband or wife? God only knows what might have resulted
from a union of two Christians. But instead, you are content for your
marriage to cripple along, one Christian married to one Hell-bound sinner,
never giving much thought to what God might have accomplished had you
come to Christ and begun to be your spouse’s keeper.
4B. What about you unsaved moms and dads? Ever think about your
children when the issue of being your brother’s keeper is before you? What
real chance do your children have with you dead in trespasses and sins? Of
what eternal benefit can you be to your children as one who is the enemy of
God, as all unsaved people are?
5B. And you brothers and sisters who are not saved. Have you no concern
for your little brother or your little sister, as the case may be? When that
sibling needs an example, where are you? As a Christian you could show
others in your family the greatness and glory of God, the goodness and
graciousness of the Savior, the sweetness and the sanctity of God’s Spirit. But
no, you are an example of laziness, an example of sneakiness, or perhaps an
example of selfishness. You are not much different than Cain, feeling no sense
of responsibility for your brother or sister, whatever the case may be.
6B. Now, I know that there are always unsaved people who are more
interested in the conversion of others than they are in their own conversion.
You would be surprised how many times unsaved people urge me to witness to
this person or to that person, all the while remaining lost themselves. That is
an attempt to be your brother’s keeper. But how can you keep your brother
while opposing God? How can you keep your brother while rejecting the
Savior? How can you keep your brother while grieving the Spirit?

78. CONCLUSION:
1. Make no mistake about the importance of being your brother’s keeper, my
friend. It is more important than you realize, because it is part of the fabric
from which you were woven by God. His plan for you and me, and for
everyone, includes being our brother’s keeper.
2. Are you your brother’s keeper? Of course you are. But the question is
not whether or not you are your brother’s keeper. The question is whether or
not you actually keep your brother, whether or not you look out for him,
whether or not his welfare is your concern and your corrective action.
3. Those of you who are not Christians are so very sad. How can you keep
your spouses, your children, your friends and relatives? How can you watch
over them and play a role in their ultimate welfare? The fact is, you cannot.
You can only fail in your responsibility to be your brother’s keeper because
you yourself are unconverted, as Cain was.
4. But you who are Christians can succeed as your brother’s keepers. Not if
you are cowardly. Not if you are timid. Not if you are distracted. But only if,
like Paul, you are willing to sacrifice a friendship to save a life’s testimony.
He put his friendship with Simon Peter on the line by confronting him as he
did, but it paid off in the long run. My prayer is that you who are Christians
will take seriously your duty to be your brother’s keeper.

[1] John 1.29
[2] Genesis 2.2.18
[3] Norton Anthology of English Literature. Fifth edition. W. W. Norton,
1962. Vol. 1, page 1107.
[4] Galatians 2.11
http://www.calvaryroadbaptist.church/sermons/00-
05/sermon__my_brothers_keeper_.htm

79. The Real Meaning of 'My Brother's Keeper'
By Matthew Eckel

This is such an elementary point that I fear making it will seem silly. On the
other hand, so many people seem so completely in the dark about it that it is
worth stating the obvious. Claiming to be "my brother's keeper," as President
Obama is so wont to spout, is an insult to the brother!

I suppose the confusion is perfectly understandable since most of us encounter
the phrase in its English translation and not the original Hebrew, and
numerous otherwise-well-meaning organizations have taken it as their motto.
See here, here, and here for examples. After all, Webster's Third New
International Dictionary defines "to keep" as "to watch over and defend esp.
from danger, harm, or loss." But Webster's also defines "to keep" as "to
restrain from departure" and "to retain or continue to have in one's
possession or power." So which meaning does "brother's keeper" have in its
original usage?

The phrase comes, of course, from Genesis, chapter 4 -- God's devastating
interrogation of Cain after Cain killed Abel out of rank jealousy. God asks
Cain innocently, "Where is your brother, Abel? [i]" Cain replies, "I don't
know," and asks, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Now, some of us grew up
aping that catchy margarine slogan, "it's not nice to fool Mother Nature," so
we can immediately recognize that it is probably not a great idea to try to
deceive the Creator of heaven and earth, especially just after you did
something He warned you not to do. God, of course, is not amused and curses
Cain, who ends up lamenting, "My punishment is more than I can bear."

80. But what was Cain actually saying when he uttered those words to God? The
Hebrew word used here for "keeper" means more than "protector" or
"defender"; it is more akin to "overseer" or "master," as in "keeping" sheep
(1 Samuel 17:20, 22); royal wardrobes (2 Kings 22:14); the king's forest
(Nehemiah 2:3, 3:29); gates (1 Chronicles 9:19); vineyards (Song of Solomon
1:6); and the temple threshold (Jeremiah 52:24) [ii]. Although these jobs are
foreign to most of us, we can get the sense of them by thinking "zookeeper" or
"doorkeeper."

Now, if you think that treating your brother like a dumb animal, a clothes
collection, a tree, a gate, a vine, or a doorway is charitable, then consider the
context -- Cain was wise-assing God! Cain wasn't responsibly pondering, "Am
I my brother's noble defender?" He was saying, "How the hell do I know
where he is? It's not in my job description to keep track of him!" It was meant
to shame God into replying, "On no, of course you aren't. I'm so sorry I
asked." Simply put, Cain's rhetorical sneer is not the query of a loving,
responsible brother, but the bald bluster of a brutal murderer.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2010/10/the_real_meaning_of_my_
brother.html


Question: "Am I my brother’s keeper?"

Answer: The phrase “my brother’s keeper” occurs in the context of the story
of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4:1-9. After the Lord God had expelled Adam
and Eve from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience, Cain killed his
brother Abel out of jealousy that God had found Abel’s sacrifice acceptable,
but He had rejected Cain’s. After the murder, the Lord, knowing full well
what had happened, asked Cain where Abel was. Cain’s response was "I do
not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

81. There is a grain of truth in this brazen lie, despite the surly response Cain
offers to the God who created him. While no one is the absolute “keeper” of
others in that we are not responsible for everyone’s safety when we are not
present, every man is his brother’s keeper in that we are not to commit violent
acts against them or allow others to do so if we can prevent it. This sort of
“keeping” is something God rightfully demands of everyone, on the grounds
of both justice and love. But Cain’s reply indicates a total lack of any kind of
feeling for another human being—not to mention the absence of brotherly
love—and the overriding presence of the kind of selfishness which kills
affection and gives rise to hatred.

So are Christians to be the keepers of other Christians? Yes, in two ways.
First we are not to commit acts of violence against one another. This includes
violence of the tongue in the form of gossip and “quarreling, jealousy,
outbursts of anger, factions, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder” (2
Corinthians 12:20). Second, we are to exhibit brotherly love toward our
brothers and sisters in Christ with a tender heart and a humble mind (1 Peter
3:8). In this way, we “keep” those for whom Christ gave His life.

One of the golden chapters of the Bible is 1 Corinthians 13. In this magnificent
portion of the Scriptures, we are reminded that love is even greater than faith
and hope. Chapter 13 comes on the heels of Paul’s explanation of how the
Body of Christ (the Church) is like the human body and is made up of many
members, all of whom are important to the function and well-being of the
Body. We are continually encouraged throughout the New Testament to love
one another (Hebrews 13:1; Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 4:9). Sometimes
love must correct, admonish or reprove (2 Thessalonians 3:13-15; Matthew
18:15). However, correction is always to be done in the spirit of love with the
goal of reconciliation.

82. Paul the apostle wrote to the church at Thessalonica, “And we urge you,
brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the
Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their
work's sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, brethren,
warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be
patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always
pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-
15).

So, as Christians, we are to be our brother’s keeper. As Paul wrote,
“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by
which one may edify (build up) another” (Romans 14:19).
https://www.gotquestions.org/brothers-keeper.html


MARK A. COPELAND
"AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?"

Genesis 4:9

INTRODUCTION

1. Perhaps one of the more thought-provoking questions in the Bible is
that one asked by Cain:
a. Cain had killed his brother because God had accepted Abel's
offering, but not his own - Gen 4:3-8

83. b. When the Lord inquired concerning Abel, Cain's response was:

"Am I my brother's keeper?" (Gen 4:9)

2. This is a question we would do well to ask ourselves today...
a. Are we our brother's keeper?
b. Do we have a responsibility to watch out for and care for one
another?

[When one turns to the New Testament, it becomes clear that the answer
is in the affirmative. In fact, there are many passages which
emphasize...]

I. OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO ONE ANOTHER

A. WE ARE TO "LOVE ONE ANOTHER"...
1. As commanded by Jesus - Jn 13:34-35; 15:12,17
2. As taught by Paul - Ro 13:8; 1Th 4:9
3. As instructed by Peter - 1Pe 1:22
4. As stressed by John - 1Jn 3:11 (note v.12), 23; 4:7,11-12;
2Jn 5
-- But how are we to express such love? Other passages can

84. provide the answer...

B. HOW WE SHOW OUR LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER...
1. We are to "receive one another" - Ro 15:7
2. We are to "edify another" - Ro 14:19
3. We are to "serve one another" - Ga 5:13
4. We are to "bear one another's burdens" - Ga 6:1-2
5. We are to be "forgiving one another" - Ep 4:32
6. We are to be "submitting to one another" - Ep 5:21
7. We are to "exhort one another" - He 3:12-13
8. We are to "consider one another" - He 10:24-25
9. We are to be "hospitable to one another" - 1Pe 4:8-10

[In light of such "one another" passages, is there any doubt that we
are to be our brother's keeper?

But how well are we doing? To stimulate our thinking and help us
re-examine how well we are fulfilling our obligations to one another,
consider the following questions...]

II. EVALUATING OUR ROLE AS OUR BROTHER'S KEEPER

85. A. WHEN ONE BECOMES A BROTHER...
1. Do we receive them into the family of God, or ignore them?
- Ro 15:7
a. Are they properly assimilated in the family life of the
congregation?
b. Do they remain on the fringe?
-- If we do not even know their names, we can be sure that we
are failing as our brother's keeper!
2. Do we edify them, or put stumblingblocks in their way?
- Ro 14:19
a. As individuals, are we "body-builders", encouraging the
members of the body?
b. Or are we like a cancer, weakening the members of the body
of Christ?
1) By our own example
2) By our words, attitudes, etc.
-- It was said of Philemon that he refreshed the hearts of the
brethren; do people say the same of us?
3. Do we submit to them, or arrogantly rule over them? - Ep 5:21
4. Do we serve them in love, or expect them to serve us?
- Ga 5:13
5. Do we demonstrate hospitality to them? - 1Pe 4:8-10

86. a. By visiting them in their need?
b. By inviting them into your home (or accepting invitations
to their home)?

B. WHEN A BROTHER IS OVERTAKEN IN A FAULT...
1. Do we even consider them? - He 10:24-25
a. Are we even aware of who they are?
b. Are we ignorant of their problems? If so, why?
1) Maybe it is because we don't assemble enough ourselves
2) We may "wonder about them", but that is not sufficient!
c. Do they drift away, with no one making an effort to reach
them?
2. Do we exhort them, lest they become hardened by sin? - He 3:
12-14
a. Or are we afraid to confront them, for fear of running them
away?
1) If we truly love them and approach them with humility,
they are not likely to run away
2) If they do, they are running away from God, not you!
b. Remember, such exhortation is to be daily! Perhaps we wait
too long...
3. Are we willing bear their burdens? - Ga 6:1-2

87. a. So as to help them overcome and become stronger
b. Or do we rather not be bothered?
4. Are we quick to forgive them when they repent? - Ep 4:32
a. Fear of not being forgiven and accepted back into the
family may keep some from repenting and returning to the
fold
b. Do we communicate a willingness to accept with open arms
and offer complete forgiveness?

CONCLUSION

1. How we answer such questions may reveal how well or poorly we are...
a. Fulfilling our responsibility to be our brother's keeper
b. Living up to the one responsibility we have that includes all
others: to love one another as Christ loved us - Jn 13:34-35

2. If we have failed to be our brother's keeper, we need to...
a. Repent of our lack of concern, our inactivity, or whatever has
hindered us
b. Confess our shortcomings in this area to God
c. Resolve to apply with zeal these "one another" passages!

88. Are you your brother's keeper? Are you even identified with a
congregation whereby you can be a working member who both cares for
those in the family, and be cared for by them?

I hope this study has stimulated your thinking about responsibilities
you have toward your brethren in Christ...


AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?

Dr. W.A. Criswell

Genesis 4:9

4-5-93 12:00 Noon





And as Charles McLaughlin said, this is the seventy-seventh year of our
heritage in presenting these noon day hours in tribute to our glorious Lord.
And this year I shall be speaking on “The Five Great Questions of the Bible”:
two from the Old Testament, three from the New. Tomorrow, What Shall I

89. Do With Jesus? The next day, Wednesday, What Must I Do to Be Saved?
The next day, Thursday, My God, My God, Why? And then on Friday, the
glorious, triumphant hope we have beyond death, If a Man Die, Shall He Live
Again? And the question today, Am I My Brother’s Keeper? In the fourth
chapter of the Book of Genesis:



Now Adam knew Eve his wife; she conceived, bore Cain, and said, I have
acquired a man from the Lord. Then she bore again, this time, his brother
Abel.

Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the
process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought a minchah—

a thanksgiving present—

of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his
flock and of their fat, the choicest portion. And the Lord respected Abel and
his minchah. But He did not respect Cain and his minchah, and Cain was
very angry, his countenance fell.

So the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? and why has your countenance
fallen? If you do right, will you not be accepted? and if you do not do right,
sin lies at the door—

of your life and of your heart—

90. Now Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were
in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, and slew him—

murdered him, killed him, the first murder—

Then the Lord said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? He said, I do not
know: Am I my brother’s keeper?

And God said, What have you done? the voice of your brother’s blood cries
out to Me from the ground.

[Genesis 4:1-10]



Isn’t that a story to begin the history of mankind and humanity? Cain
brought a minchah, a present to the Lord, and God saw beyond and into his
heart: he was filled with anger and jealousy and pride. I would think that his
minchah was like that of a producer at the fair, and he presents all of his
beautiful vegetables. Now there’s nothing wrong with a vegetable offering
unto God, you find it in the Book of Leviticus [Leviticus 2:1-16]. But what
was wrong was the heart that lay back of the minchah. God saw it when Cain
appeared before Him. Then all of us see it when, in anger and in jealousy and
pride, he slays his brother Abel [Hebrews 11:4].

91. In the eleventh chapter of the Book of Hebrews, verse 4, Abel is spoken of.
You see, he had a sensitivity to sin. And he brought an atoning sacrifice,
blood poured out for his soul. And when God looked upon it, the heart of the
Lord was moved, and God accepted the love and dedication and atoning
sacrifice of Abel. And that precipitated the awesome confrontation that
resulted in the murder of Abel.

So the Book says when Cain slew Abel the blood of that young man cried unto
God from the ground. And God confronted Cain and said, “Where is Abel,
your brother? For his blood cries to Me from the earth” [Genesis 4:8-10].
And Cain replied concerning the loss of the life of Abel, Cain replied, “Why
do You ask me? I’m not responsible. I don’t know where he is or anything
about him; why do You inquire of me?” And then, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” [Genesis 4:9]. And all heaven answers with a resounding, “Yes, you
are.”

Now I look upon this as an introduction to the whole Bible, to the whole Word
of God. Am I accountable for others? Is there soul responsibility and life
responsibility into which I was born? And all the days of my life, I am thus
accountable to God for others: I say that is an introduction to the whole Bible.

When you read Ezekiel, the entire third chapter of Ezekiel concerns that exact
thing. The Lord says to the prophet:



When I say to a lost man, Thou shall surely die; if you warn that lost man, and
he turn, you have delivered your soul. But if you fail to warn him, he shall die
in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hands.

92. [Ezekiel 3:18-19]



He will die lost. He will die judged. “But his lostness, and his judgment, and
his damnation, will I lay at your door” [Ezekiel 3:18]. I am accountable, God
says, for him.

You see that in the New Testament in the life of the apostle Paul. In the
twentieth chapter, he reviews his ministry and how he gave himself to the
cause of the gospel [Acts 20:18-25], and then concluded, “I ask you today to
bear witness with me, that I am pure from the blood of all men. I have been
faithful in my responsibility and God’s assignment to other” [Acts 20-:26-27].

Upon a day, one of my deacons here said, “Pastor, there’s a family moved next
door. And they’re not Christians; they’re not in any church. I thought
maybe you could come and visit them.” So I knocked at the door and was
graciously entreated. I met a father, a mother, a seventeen year-old daughter,
a fifteen year-old son, a twelve year-old son; I prayed with them, talked to
them. And they responded so graciously and said, “We’ll be at church next
Sunday.” They did not come.

After about three or four weeks, I went back and knocked at the door and
again was graciously entreated. Spoke with them, prayed with them. “We’ll
be there next Sunday,” they said. They were not present. And on Tuesday
night, about two o’clock in the morning, the telephone rang, and there was a
nurse from our Baptist hospital on the other line. She said, “Pastor, I
apologize for calling at such an unearthly hour, but there is a man here, and

93. his son has been stricken in a terrible automobile accident and is dying, and
he is by himself. And I thought maybe I would ask him, “Do you know
anybody in the city?” And he said, “Yes.” And he said he knew you. I
thought maybe you’d come and stand by his side when his boy dies.”

I dressed immediately, went to our hospital, up to a certain room; walked in,
and there stood this father over the bed of a fifteen year-old boy, crushed
from head to foot. Driving back into the city at a terrific speed, in an
automobile accident and now dying. I stood by the side of the father, and in
just a little while the nurse pulled a white sheet over the face of the boy and
said to the father, “Your boy is gone.” And she left, and me standing by his
side. The father reached down and pulled the sheet away from the face of the
dead lad, looked long and hard into his face, then lifted up his arms to heaven
and fell down by the side of the bed, crying, “O God, my boy is gone! And
what shall I say and what shall I do? O God, my boy is gone!”

After the memorial service—and I have one this afternoon. I live in that kind
of a world and have for sixty-six years—after the memorial service, the
following Sunday morning, down the aisle came that father, and that mother,
and a seventeen year-old girl, and a twelve year-old boy, giving their hearts to
the Lord and joining our dear church by baptism.

In those days I stood at the back, shaking hands with the people as they went
out. Everybody I shook hands with said, “Pastor, wasn’t that a glorious
sight? All the family—all of them, all four of them—coming to the Lord and
being baptized! Wasn’t that a glorious thing?” And I nodded in
acquiescence, “Yes, that was a beautiful thing, that was a glorious thing.”
You see, I didn’t tell them how actually I felt. When I saw that family seated
there on the front row, I said in my heart, that is the saddest sight I ever
looked upon. Because I didn’t tell them that there was a fifteen year-old boy
that belonged to the family. And in the great judgment day, when God calls

94. the roll in heaven, He will call the name of that father, and he’ll answer,
“Here.”

He will call the name of that mother, she’ll answer, “Here.”

Call the name of that seventeen year-old girl, she’ll answer, “Here.”

Call the name of that twelve year-old boy, and he’ll answer, “Here.”

And the Lord God will look into the face of that father and say, “And father is
that all?”

And he will reply, “No, Lord, there is another boy, a fifteen year-old son.”

And God shall ask him, “And where is he?”

And the father shall reply, “He lies in a Christless grave in Texas.”

There is a responsibility into which we are born and from which we cannot
escape. That father is responsible. That mother is responsible. We are
responsible; am I my brother’s keeper? Am I my son’s savior? The
instruments of salvation are in our hands.

God said to His chief apostle, I give unto thee the keys of the kingdom:
whatsoever thou shall bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven; whatever you

95. loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven [Matthew 16:19]. The keys of the
kingdom are in our hands.

James, the beloved pastor of the first church in Jerusalem closed his epistle,
“Whoever converts a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from
death. He shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins”
[James 5:20].

One of the strangest things I read in God’s Word is this, that the instruments
of God’s grace are mediated through human personality and human
character and human life. God made it that way. In the tenth chapter of the
Book of Acts, the angel says to Cornelius, “You send down to Joppa and
inquire for one Simon Peter who will come and tell thee words whereby thou
and thy house may be saved” [Acts 10:5-6]. Why didn’t the angel tell him?
Because no man ever knows the gospel except through the mediation of a
human personality.

In the ninth chapter of the Book of Acts, the Lord appears to Saul of Tarsus
and said, “You go into the city of Damascus, and there it will be told thee what
thou must do” [Acts 9:6]. Why didn’t Jesus tell him what to do? Because no
man comes into the knowledge of the grace of God except through human
personality.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. But how shall
they call on Him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe
in Him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a
preacher?

[Romans 10:13-14]

96. No soul is ever saved except through a soulwinner. No work for God is ever
done except through a worker. The instruments of God’s salvation are in our
hands.

I one time read when our Lord returned to heaven after the days of His flesh,
He was accosted by the angel Gabriel, and Gabriel said to Him, “Lord, how
many people know, down there in the earth, of Your sacrifice for their sins?”
And the Lord replied, “Gabriel, just a little handful.” And Gabriel says,
“Lord, how will the whole world know?” And the Lord replies, “Gabriel, I
depend upon their telling the world of this salvation.” And Gabriel says, “But
Lord, what if they do not do it? What if they fail?” And Jesus replies,
“Gabriel, I have no other plan.”

It is we, it is we; God and you make up the kingdom. God and you make up
the church, God and you make known the saving grace of our Lord. It is you
and you alone chosen for that responsibility, “My brother’s keeper.”

Remember the song that he sang?



Others, Lord, yes, others,

Let this my motto be.

97. What I shall do for others,

Is Lord, what I am doing for Thee.

[“Others,” Charles D. Meigs, 1917]



“Am I my brother’s keeper?” [Genesis 4:9]. My responsibility before God in
my house, in my family, with my children, where I work, as I walk in and out
before the world, my great assignment from heaven is that I witness to the
grace of God to others, “My brother’s keeper.” Now, may we stand together?

Precious Lord, what a responsibility You have placed upon us. You died for
our sins according to the Scriptures [1 Corinthians 15:3], was raised for our
justification according to the Scriptures [1 Corinthians 15:4; Romans 4:25],
and some day we shall stand in Thy presence according to the Scriptures [2
Corinthians 5:10]. But O God, what shall our story be? Grant it Master, it
may be one of faithfulness and devotion. As I have opportunity, let me say a
word for Jesus. God save the children in our homes. God bless this great
academy that sits here so reverently, listening to the Word of God. And Lord,
bless this great company of men and women, as in our daily life we walk in the
love and grace of Jesus, sharing it with others. In Thy precious name do we
pray.
https://wacriswell.com/sermons/1993/am-i-my-brother-s-keeper/

98. Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
by Erik Jones
Genesis 4:9
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do
not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?


After Cain’s murder of Abel, Cain tried to cover his sin by claiming ignorance
of Abel’s whereabouts. Cain knew exactly where Abel’s body was located. But
when God approached Cain and asked where his brother was, Cain
responded with this outright lie: “I do not know.”

This lie, told directly to God, is the first recorded human lie. Interestingly,
murder and lying are connected in John 8:44 as two central characteristics of
the character of Satan. This account shows us the common progression of sin.
Sin often begets further sin. In this case, Cain’s sin of murder led to his sin of
lying.
A similar progression can be found in the account of David’s adultery with
Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11). David’s sin of adultery was followed by lying and a
murder to cover up the adultery.
In contrast, Christians are to be known as truth tellers in all things (Ephesians
4:25).
After his lie, Cain further answered God with this sarcastic statement: “Am I
my brother’s keeper?” By saying this, Cain was essentially saying he was not
responsible for his brother’s well-being. This shows a calloused lack of love
and concern on Cain’s part. This was a result of his hatred and anger. Human

99. history has been marked by this core attitude of a lack of concern for the care
and well-being of others.
True Christians understand the error of Cain’s statement. Philippians 2:3-4
clearly expresses the attitude we are to have toward others: “In lowliness of
mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not
only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”
This outgoing concern toward other people is the result of a life driven by love
(Mark 12:31; Luke 6:27; 1 John 4:16).
https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/blog/am-i-my-brothers-keeper/


Our Brother’s Keeper - Genesis 4:9 (Wednesday NIght Reflection)

Since the beginning of Creation, there has always been the question of
whether or not we are responsible for our brother or sister. In the Fall, we
see, rather than taking responsibility for failing one another, Adam through
his wife under the bus saying, “God don’t look at me…it’s not my fault I ate
that fruit, that woman you gave me, she made me eat it,” never once owning
up the fact that he was right there with her and did nothing to discourage her
from taking a bit of the fruit. Then there was Eve, who rather than claiming
to have failed to look out for her husband, blamed the serpent. It was their
son, Cain, who was questioned by God about his brother Abel’s whereabouts,
who asked God (knowing that he had killed his brother), “Am I my brother’s
keeper—am I responsible for my brother?”
The resounding answer through the rest of Scripture is “Yes.”
That was the answer that led Joseph to care for his brothers when he became
Pharaoh’s right hand man, despite the fact that his brothers had previously
sold him into slavery.

100. That was the answer that led Moses to protect the Hebrew slave being beaten
by the Egyptian guard.
That was the answer that led Ruth to pledge her loyalty to Naomi.
That was the answer that led Jonathan to protect David from Saul.
That was the answer that led the prophets to pronounce God’s judgment on
Israel for neglecting the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner in their land.
That was the answer that led Jesus to confront the Pharisees and Scribes for
laying down all the laws, and not lifting one finger to help the people live into
them.
That was the answer that led James to write the passage we read last week,
questioning what good it is to tell someone who is hungry or cold to go and be
full and warm and do nothing to feed or clothe them.
That was the answer that led the author of Hebrews to write, “And let us
consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to
meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all
the more as you see the Day approaching.”
It is the answer that is underscored by Jesus and Paul over and over again.
Jesus redefined who we are to understand as our brother or sister, telling
those gathered with him one evening, as He was told that His mother and
siblings had arrived, that whoever sought to do the will of God was now
considered His brother, His sister, and His mother. Jesus if someone has
surrendered themselves over to the Will of God, then they are to be
understood as our brothers and sisters, regardless of what genetics run
through their veins. It means that being born an only child does not relieve us
of any responsibility, for there are no “only children” in the family of God, we
are all brothers and sisters in Christ.
This understanding of who are our brothers and sisters makes for interesting
conversations, at times, within confirmation classes. When we discuss
whether or not they are at the point of being willing to take those vows of faith
and membership, one of the things I point out is that when they do, they

101. become full members in the church. They are on the same playing field, the
same level as everyone else in the church, for they are all brothers and sisters.
Every once and a while I will get a youth will start to have a mischievous grin
come across their face and they ask, “you mean my mom and dad are now my
brothers and sisters and we’re equal?” I quickly respond, “while you are at
church, yes, but once you get home, they are still in charge.”
We are our brother’s keeper…we are our sister’s keeper…and understanding
Jesus’ redefinition of who our brothers and sisters are, we find that we are
responsible to and for one another.
In a previous appointment, there were two brothers who were part of our
choir. At one point, one of the brothers was unexpectedly missing. I asked
the brother who was there if his brother was okay or simply out of town. He
responded, “I don’t know, am I supposed to be my brother’s keeper?” When I
quickly responded, “Yes, according to Scripture, yes you are,” he seemed
stopped in his tracks. It became a running joke with those two brothers, and
if one of them were absent, I would preface my question with, “Since you are
to be your brother’s keeper, where is your brother tonight?” Interestingly
enough, as time went on, the two brothers tended to know a bit more about
one another and each other’s whereabouts…and if they didn’t, they would
often beat me to the question and ask, “Have you heard from my brother
today? I know he was having a test done.”
We are our brother’s and sister’s keeper. This means that I should be able to
go up to my sister, ___________, here and ask, “Do you know what is going on
with ___________? I haven’t seen him here in a few weeks and I was
wondering if he’s okay.” And because she is her brother’s keeper, she should
be able to say to me, “Our dear brother has been so sick, he caught that flu
bug, and he hasn’t been able to keep anything down other than soup”…or
“He’s okay, he’s been over to the Cape the last few weekends…it being
summerlike at all this October.”
Now don’t get me wrong. Being our brother’s keeper…being our sister’s
keeper…is not about being nosey. It is not about trying to get into their
business so we have something to spread around on the Island Gossip Hotline

102. (I don’t know that there is one, but every community I’ve ever been in has a
gossip hotline—everyone knows who to call if they want the latest dirt on their
next door neighbor whose car has not been at home each night come
bedtime.).
Being our brother’s or sister’s keeper is also not simply knowing what is going
on in the lives of our brothers and sisters. It is about knowing and caring and
valuing and acting on any needs.
It is about, as Paul tells the Romans, rejoicing when they rejoice and weeping
when they weep. It is about knowing that they got a promotion at work,
achieved a major goal in school, or received recognition in the community,
and rather than being jealous because we think we deserve it, we congratulate
them and rejoice with them. It is about knowing that a brother or sister has
experienced some type of loss, whether it be the death of a family member,
being laid off or fired from work, the breakup of a relationship, or the loss of
a pet, and not jumping in and telling them to “buck up, everything’s going to
be alright,” even though we know it will be—because they often know it will
be too, they just need someone to mourn with them.
Being our brother’s and sister’s keeper means that we hear the words of
James telling us that it is not just enough to know our brother or sister is
naked and cold or hungry and send them on their way…but that we are to
clothe and feed them.
It means that if we know that Brother ______ is so sick he hasn’t been able to
fix himself anything to eat…and living alone that means that he hasn’t had
much to eat…that we don’t simply say, “hope you’re feeling better soon, I’ll be
praying for you,” but that we also figure out what he likes to eat and can keep
down, and we prepare him a soup or some other kind of meal. It means if we
know that Sister _____________ has been had to take care of her sick husband
24/7 and hasn’t had a break to go to the grocery store or to shop for other
needs, that one, we offer to go shopping for them, or, better yet, we offer to
come sit with and take care of her husband so she can go shopping herself,
maybe even working in a break for a long slow lunch while she’s in town…not

103. only because she is our sister, but also because he is our brother, and we
should want to keep him company.
Hebrews tells us we are supposed to provoke one another, our brothers and
sisters, to good deeds…not because they earn them a spot in Heaven, but
because they reflect our appreciation for the grace God has poured into our
lives. That means that if they have a ministry idea, that we encourage them
and try to enable them to pull it off—as we saw Barry’s brothers and sisters
do as they saw him out putting the poles and board for the maze in place. It
means that we see that there are vacant spots on the van for our trip to
Goldsboro, so we take note of our brothers and sisters not only the list and
encourage them to sign up, or challenge them to at least bring supplies for
those going to take.
Paul pushes the understanding of what it means to be our brothers’ and
sisters’ keeper to even a more difficult level as he writes the Galatians. Paul
says, “if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the
Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness…Bear one another’s
burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ.”
Too often we see a brother or sister who have wandered from faithful living
and we go one or another direction, neither of which reflect a commitment to
be their “keeper.”
The first reaction is that we say to ourselves, or even others, “It’s none of my
business” or “I’m staying out of that, I’m not getting involved.” We talk like
we want to protect their privacy…when really the truth is that we are trying to
protect our own, because if we can speak into someone else’s sin, that gives
others permission to speak into our own. It means that we don’t want to get
into Brother _______ business about being at the Cape every weekend for the
last three weeks, because we don’t want anyone speaking into our lives when
we decide to do the same thing.
The second reaction is to pass judgment on the person. That reaction would
fall into the realm of learning that Sister __________ has been skipping out on
her husband when he has to go out of town on business…and thinking we are
being her keeper we go up to her and inform her that she is going to hell for

104. what she is doing and that she needs to cease and desist and that we’re going
to tell her husband to leave her, and that she better not dare set foot inside the
doors of this church again. Can anyone tell me the number of things wrong
with that approach to being our brother’s or sister’s keeper?
Paul say if anyone, if any of our brothers and sisters are found to be in a
transgression…if any are knowingly sinning…then we aren’t to mind our own
business and we aren’t to condemn and shun them…we are called to gently
seek to restore fellowship with them. We are called to come alongside them
and help them. We are called to encourage them to repent so that they might
find themselves back within our family. We are called to walk with them on
the journey back into full fellowship and restoration.
We are called to bear our brothers and sisters burdens…meaning that their
troubles become our own. Their hunger becomes our concern. Their thirst
becomes our concern. Their loneliness becomes our concern. Their
depression becomes our concern. Their addictions become our concern. And
these concerns become our responsibility…and as our brothers’ and sisters’
keepers, we sacrifice ourselves for the sake of meeting their needs…for in this
way we fulfill the law of Christ, who as our Keeper, offered His very life to
meet our need…our need for salvation…our need for acceptance…our need for
reconciliation…our need for love and restoration...and took the burden of our
sin as His own…
Thanks be to God that Christ is our Keeper and we are called to be our
brothers’ and sisters’ keepers.
In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
https://sermonsfrompastorlee.blogspot.com/2017/10/our-brothers-keeper-
genesis-49.html


Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

105. by

C. H. SPURGEON
(1834-1892)

© Copyright 2003 by Tony Capoccia. This updated file may be freely copied,
printed out, and distributed as
long as copyright and source statements remain intact, and that it is not sold.
All rights reserved.
Verses quoted, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE:
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
©1978 by the New York Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible
Publishers.

This sermon, preached by Tony Capoccia, is now available on Audio Cassette
or CD: www.gospelgems.com

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”--Genesis 4:9

Cain displayed a shameful tone of presumptuous impudence in his insulting
reply to the Lord God. If it had not been on record in the page of inspiration,
we might almost have doubted whether a man could speak so impudently
when actually conscious that God himself was addressing him. Men
blaspheme often in a most terrible fashion, but it is usually because they
forget God, and ignore his presence; but Cain was conscious that God was
speaking to him. He heard him say, “Where is your brother Abel?” and yet he
dared, with the coldest impertinence, to reply to God, “I don’t know. Am I my

106. brother’s keeper?” As much as to say— “Do you think that I have to keep
watch over him as he watches over his sheep? Am I also a shepherd as he was,
and am I to take as much care of him as he did of a crippled lamb?”

The unfriendly impudence of Cain is an indication of the state of his heart
which led up to his murdering his brother; and it was also partly a result of
his having committed that terrible crime. He would not have accomplished the
brutal deed of bloodshed if he had not first cast off the fear of God and been
ready to defy his Creator. Having committed murder, the hardening influence
of sin upon Cain’s mind must have been intense, and thus he was able to speak
to God’s face what he felt within his heart, and to say, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” This goes a long way to explain what has puzzled some persons,
namely, the amazing calmness with which great criminals will appear in
court.

I remember having heard it said of one who had undoubtedly committed a
very violent murder, that he looked like an innocent man. He stood up before
his accusers as calmly and quietly, they said, as an innocent man could do. I
remember feeling at the time that an innocent man would probably have not
been calm. The distress of mind felt by an innocent man for being under such
a charge would have prevented his having the coolness which was displayed
by the guilty individual. Instead of its being any evidence of innocence that a
man wears a shameless front when charged with a great crime, it should by
wise men be considered to be evidence against him. The guilty person may
seem to be dispassionate and unmoved because he had already been so
unfeeling as to dip his hand in blood.

Oh, dear friends, let us avoid sin, if only for the evil effect which it has upon
our minds. It is poison to the heart. It cripples the conscience, drugs it, puts it
to sleep; it intoxicates the judgment, and puts all the faculties as it were into a
state of drunkenness, so that we become capable of a hideous bravery, and a

107. blind impertinence, which makes us mad enough to dare insult God to his
face. Save us, O God, from having our hearts hammered to the hardness of
steel by sin; and daily keep us by your grace sensible and tender before you,
trembling at your word.

Now, let us note here, that while we so heavily condemn Cain we must
remember that we are not without guilt ourselves; because, if we look at it
without prejudice, every kind of excuse that we make to God is a very serious
case of presumption. When we are charged with any form of guilt, if we begin
denying it or providing extenuating circumstances, then we are guilty of the
sin of Cain as to impudence before God; and when there is any duty to be
performed, and we begin to shirk it, or try to make an apology for
disobedience, are we not forgetting in whose presence we stand? Does God
charge me with what I have committed, and shall I be so wicked as to attempt
a denial? Does he command me to perform a duty, and do I begin to hesitate,
question, and ask myself, “Shall I or shall I not?” Oh, bold rebellion! The
essence of treason lurks in every hesitancy to obey, and dwells in every
attempt to extenuate our fault when we have already disobeyed. You may
think Cain is a monster, because he should dare to face it out with God; yet
God is present everywhere, and every sin is perpetrated while he is watching
us. Against him do we sin, and in his presence we do evil; and when we begin
to apologize with excuses for doing wrong or hesitate concerning the duty
commanded, we are disobeying in the immediate presence of the Lord our
God. Since we have, doubtless, been found guilty, let us humbly confess it and
ask the Lord to give us great tenderness of conscience that from this day
forward we may fear the Lord, and never dare to stand up to question what
he has to say.

The very same thing, no doubt, lies at the bottom of objections to Bible truths.

108. There are some who go to the Scriptures not to take out of it what is there, but
seeing what is clearly revealed, they then begin to question and judge and
come to conclusions according to their notions of what ought to have been
there. Oh, brothers and sisters, who are we that we should speak against God?
If he says it, it is true. Believe it. But you say “I can’t understand it?” But, who
are you that you should understand everything? Can you hold the sea in the
hollow of your hand, or grasp the winds in your fist? O, worm of the dust, the
infinite must always be beyond you! There must always be some things about
the glorious Lord that are incomprehensible, and it is not for you to doubt
because you can’t understand, but rather humbly bow before the awesome
presence of he who has made you, and in whose hand your breath is. God save
us from the presumption which dares to say with Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord
that I should obey his voice?” and from the profane arrogance which replies to
the Lord in the spirit of Cain.

Now, let us look at what Cain said. He said to the Lord, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” May the Holy Spirit guide us in considering this question.

I. First it is to be noted that MAN IS NOT HIS BROTHER’S KEEPER IN
SOME SENSES.

There is some little truth in what Cain says. Generally some amount of truth
clings to every lie; and even in the greatest possible profanity there is, usually,
something or other of truth, though it is dangerously twisted and distorted. In
this atrocious question of Cain there is some little measure of reason. In some
senses no man is his brother’s keeper.

For instance, first, every man and woman must bear their own responsibility
for their own acts before Almighty God.

109. It is not possible for a man or woman to shift from their own shoulders to
those of another their obligations to the Most High. Obedience to the law of
God must be personally rendered, or a person becomes guilty. No matter how
holy their father was, or how righteous their mother was, they themselves will
have to stand on their own feet and answer for themselves before the
judgment-seat of God. Each person who hears the gospel is responsible for
understanding it. No one else can believe the gospel for them, or repent for
them, or be born again for them, or become a Christian for them. They must
personally repent of sin, personally believe in Jesus Christ, personally be
converted, and personally live to the service and glory of God.

There have been idle attempts to shift the responsibility to a certain order of
men called priests, or clergymen, or ministers, according as the case may be;
but it cannot be done. Each man and woman must seek the Lord themselves—
each one must lay their load of sin at the foot of the cross, and personally
accept a personal Savior for themselves. You cannot do with the matters of
your soul as you do with the business of your estate, and employ a priest in the
same way as you engage a lawyer to represent you. There is only one
substitute and advocate who can plead for us, thus no earthly sponsor can
plead with heaven for us. God demands the heart, and with the heart men and
women must believe unto righteousness, and with their own heart, too, for no
one can take their place. Personal service is required by the great King, and
must be rendered on pain of eternal damnation. No one can be his brother’s
keeper in the sense of taking upon himself another man’s responsibilities.

And again, no one can positively secure the salvation of another; no, they
cannot even have a hope of the salvation of a friend, so long as that other
person remains unbelieving.

O unconverted people, we can pray for you, we can ask the Lord to renew you
by his Spirit, but we can do nothing with you ourselves, neither will our

110. prayers be answered until you yourselves make a confession of your sin, and
run to Christ for salvation. It is, no doubt, a very great blessing to have
friends who bear your names upon their hearts before God, but, oh, do not
have any confidence in other people’s prayers while you are prayerless
yourselves. We ought to be very thankful that other people can pray diligently
for us, but we shall never be saved if we remain unbelieving ourselves. Now,
since we cannot convert other people, we are not responsible to do what we
cannot do, and therefore we are not our brother’s keeper in the sense as to be
responsible for his acceptance or rejection of Jesus.

And here let me say, in the next place, that people do great harm who enter
into any vows or promises for others in this matter, when they themselves are
quite powerless.

To me it always remains a riddle, which I cannot explain except by the utter
heartlessness and godlessness of this age, that men and women are to be found
to come forward to solemnly promise concerning a little infant, as yet
unconscious, that it shall keep all God’s holy commandments and walk in
holiness all the days of its life, and shall renounce all the pleasures and
vanities of this present evil world. I dare not stop short of saying that it is a
frightful lie if you make any such promise. You go farther than that: you are
guilty of perjury before Almighty God. With what wrath he must look down
upon persons who in church, which they think to be sacred to his honor, in the
presence of those who wear vestments which are supposed to mark them out
as the special messengers of God, dare to say that they will do that which is
completely out of their power. You cannot do it, and you know it. You have,
perhaps, not renounced the pleasures and vanities of the world for yourselves;
certainly you have not kept all God’s holy commandments. How then can you
do it for another? If you stood up there, and promised before God that the
little infant should grow to be eight feet tall, that its hair should be of a yellow
color, and that its eyes should be green, you would be quite as much justified
in making such a vow as in promising that which is prescribed in the Prayer

111. Book concerning Infant Baptism, only there would be a touch of the ludicrous
about that; but in this there is nothing that I can see to smile about, but
everything to mourn over. It is sad that the human mind should be capable of
such a use of words that it should dare to pronounce a lie as an act of worship,
and then go calmly and quietly home as though everything had been done to
please God. No, you cannot be other people’s keepers. Do not, therefore, put
yourselves into the awful position of promising that you will be.

It is proper here to say that the most earnest minister of Christ must not so
push the idea of his own personal responsibility to such an extreme as to make
himself unfit for his work through a morbid view of his position.

If he has faithfully preached the gospel, and his message is rejected, let him
persevere in hope and not condemn himself. I remember years ago, when I
labored to feel the responsibility of men’s souls upon me, I became very
depressed in spirit, and the temptation arose out of it to give up the work in
despair. I believe that responsibility should be duly felt, neither do I wish to
say a word to excuse any who are unfaithful; but in my own case I saw that I
could harp on one chord of my nature till I destroyed my power to do good,
for I became so unhappy that the elasticity of my spirit departed from me.
Then I remembered that if I had put the gospel faithfully before you and
pressed it upon you, if you refused it I had nothing more to do with the matter
except to pray over it: if I earnestly entreated the Lord to send a blessing, and
tried again and again to plead and urge with your consciences that you would
be reconciled to God, and if still I failed, I remembered that I would not be
held responsible for not doing what I could not do, namely, turn hearts of
stone to flesh and awaken dead sinners to life. Our responsibility is heavy
enough without our exaggerating it; we are not men’s sponsors, and if they
reject our Savior, whom we faithfully preach, then their blood must be upon
their own heads. Our Lord did not always weep over Jerusalem, he sometimes
rejoiced in spirit: no one thought must exclusively occupy our minds or we
shall be good for nothing in the practical aspects of life. We are not the

112. keepers of other men’s souls in a boundless sense, there is a limit to our
responsibility and it is foolish to allow an excessive sensitivity to burden us
into semi-lunacy.

There is, however, a sense in which we are our brother’s keeper, and of that I
am now going to speak. You will bear my caveat in mind, and it will not
weaken the force of what I say, but it will increase its weight, because you will
feel that I have completely looked at the subject from all aspects.

II. So now, secondly, IN AN IMPORTANT SENSE WE ARE, EACH ONE
OF US, OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER.

We ought to regard ourselves in that light, and it is a Cainish spirit which
prompts us to think otherwise and to wrap ourselves up in hardheartedness
and say, “It is no concern of mine how
others fare. Am I my brother’s keeper?” Let us be far from that spirit.

For, first, common feelings of humanity should lead every Christian to feel an
interest in the soul of every unsaved person.

I say, “common humanity,” for we use the word “humanity” to signify
kindness. I trust among us the expression may be used that “common
humanity” leads us to desire the salvation of others. I am sure, my dear
friends, if you saw a man dying for lack of bread that you would wish to share
your crust with him. Will you let souls perish for lack of the bread of life
without pitying and helping them? If we saw a poor unfortunate person
shivering in the winter’s cold we would be ready to divide our clothing that we
might clothe him. Shall we see sinners without the robe of righteousness and
not be anxious to speak to them of him who can clothe them in pure white

113. linen? When a person life is in jeopardy because of an accident, we rush them
anywhere and use every means available that we may rescue them; and yet
this life is trivial compared with life eternal, and for us to be indifferent when
men and women are perishing—indifferent to the dreadful anguish and
torments which come upon unrepentant sinners throughout eternity, is to act
as if all brotherly compassion had fled from our hearts.

Christians, I charge you, even with so low a motive as this, because you are
men and women, and unbelieving men and women are your brothers and
sisters, born of the same stock, and living beneath the canopy of the one
eternal Father, therefore care for the souls of others and be, each one of you,
his brother’s and sister’s keeper.

A second argument is drawn from the fact that all of us, especially those of us
who are Christians, have the power to do good to others.

None of us have the same abilities, for none of us have the same gifts, or the
same position, but like the little girl, a captive from Israel, that served
Naaman’s wife, who had opportunity to tell of the prophet who could heal her
master, therefore every young Christian here has some power to do good to
others. Converted children can speak the name of Jesus to their fathers and
mothers and bless them.

We all have some capacity for doing good. Now, take it as a truism that power
to do good involves the duty of doing good. Wherever you are placed, if you
can bless a person, you are obligated to do so. To have the power and not to
use it is a sin. If you withhold your hand from that which you are able to do
for the good of your fellowman then you have broken the law of love. You do
not need a special call to tell a sinner about Jesus. You need no special call to
take a little child and tell it of the Savior’s love. You need no revelation by

114. angels from heaven to tell you that what has benefited you will benefit your
fellowmen. All your knowledge, all your experience, all that you possess that
grace has given you, demands a return in the form of service rendered to
others. The Jews were God’s elect nation—elect to keep the revelations of God
for all the nations; but they failed because they never cared about sharing
those great truths with the Gentiles, but believed that they had received them
for their own special benefit. The selfish spirit so grew on them that when
God’s grace to the heathen was mentioned it made them angry with rage.

And, you saved ones, you owe much to God, but do not think that you are
saved for your own special benefit alone. It is a great benefit to you, but grace
is bestowed on you like light, that you may give it to others who are in
darkness; bestowed on you as the bread that was given by our Lord to his
disciples, that they might share it among the multitude, that all might eat and
be filled. Think of this—that the power to do good involves the responsibility
to do it wherever that power exists; and so, as far as you have any ability, you
are by that very fact constituted as your brother’s keeper.

Another argument is very plainly drawn from our Lord’s version of the moral
law. What is the second and great commandment according to him? “You
shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Now since we have loved ourselves so much that through God’s grace we have
sought and found forgiveness of our sin, should we not love our neighbor so
much as to desire for them to know their sin and to seek forgiveness too? It
was right of us to secure our highest interests by laying hold of eternal life;
but if we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, should we give ourselves any
rest while multitudes are despising Christ and refusing salvation? No, my
brothers and sisters, we have never come up to the standard yet; but in
proportion as we do begin to love our neighbor as ourselves we shall certainly
feel that God has made us in a measure to be our brother’s keeper.

115. Yet again, without looking to other men’s souls we cannot keep the first of the
two great commands in which our Lord has summarized the moral law.

It says this: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with
all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

But we cannot possibly do this unless we have a love towards our brother’s
soul, for rightly does the apostle ask—“If a man does not love his brother
whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” It is all very
good to stand up and sing about your love to God and let the missionary
offering plate go by while your eyes are gazing into heaven, but if you do not
care for the heathens’ souls, how can you truly care for God? It is all very
pretty to be enamored with Christ and to have a sweet experience, or to think
you have, and yet poor miserable unbelievers all around us are dying without
the knowledge of the Savior, and you can let them die and let them sink into
hell without emotion. May God save us from such holiness. It is very pretty to
look at, like the gold colored paint on wooden trim, but there is no gold in it at
all. A loveless religion is good for nothing. He who does not love his fellowman
enough to desire their salvation, and aim at it with all his might, gives no
proof that he loves God at all. Think of these things, and weigh
my arguments with candor.

Once more. To the Christian perhaps the most forcible reason will be that the
whole example of Jesus Christ, whom we call Master and Lord, lies in the
direction of our being the keeper of our brother; for what was Jesus’ life but
one of complete unselfishness?

116. What was said of Jesus at his death but that “he saved others: but he could not
save himself”? The very fact that there is a Christ at all means that there was
one who cared for others, and that our Lord became a man, means that he
loved his enemies and came here to rescue those who rebelled against his
authority. If we are selfish—if we make our own eternal life to be the one end
of life, we are not Christians. We may call whom we please Master, but we are
not following Jesus Christ. You shed tears, do you? But do you weep over
Jerusalem? Tears for yourselves are poor things if there are never any for
others. You pray and agonize: but is your grief ever caused by bearing the
burden of other person’s souls? Oh, though we gave our bodies to be burned,
yet if we have no love for mankind it would profit us nothing. We may go a
long way, and apparently all the way, in the externals of the Christian
religion, but if the heart is never warm with a desire to benefit mankind, we
are still aliens to the commonwealth of which Jesus is the great head. I am
sure it is so. I do not speak my own mind, but the mind of Christ. If he were
here what would he say to any one who called himself his disciple and yet
never lifted his hand or moved his tongue to snatch the firebrand from the
flame or save the sinner from the error of his ways? It must be so, then: we
must be our brothers’ keepers.

Let the thought next rise in our minds that we are certainly ordained to the
office of brother-keeper because we shall be called to account about it.

Cain was called to account. “Where is your brother Abel?” I pray to God, dear
friends, and especially you, the young men of the College, who asked me to
speak about missions tonight, that you could now hear the Lord speaking to
you and saying, “Where is your brother Abel?”

Take first those who are united to us by the ties of the flesh, who fall under the
term, “brothers and sisters,” because they are born of the same parents, or are
near relatives. Where is John? Where is Thomas? Where is Henry, your

117. brother? Unsaved? Without God? What have you ever done for him? How
much have you prayed for him? How often have you spoken to him seriously
about his lost state? What means have you used for his instruction,
persuasion, conviction?

Dear sisters, I must not let you off. Where is your brother? You sisters have
very great power over brothers, more power than brothers have. Where, dear
mother—let me put the question very tenderly to you—where is your child,
your son, your daughter? Not where you wish, you say. But can you say if
your dear child were to perish that you are innocent of their blood? Father,
the boy grieves you; are you quite clear that you did not help to sow in him the
sins which are now your trial? Come, have you done all that could be done? If
in a week’s time you had to follow in mournful procession your son’s body to
the grave, are you quite innocent? Quite innocent of his blood? Relatives, I
put you all together, are you quite innocent of the blood of relatives? for the
day will come when the question will have to be put very plainly, “Where is
your brother Abel?” You cannot help it, I know, that such a one lives in sin,
and has remained an unbeliever. You cannot absolutely help it, but still have
you done all that you should have done towards the preventing of the sin by
leading that soul into the way of life and peace? I pause for a moment to let
that solemn question sink into every one. The proverb says, “Charity begins at
home,” and certainly Christian love ought to begin there. Are our own houses
swept clean? Our own children, and brothers, and sisters, and employees—
have we done as much as is possible with us to seek to win them to Christ? For
my part, I denounce the spirit which takes a Christian mother from her
children to be doing good everywhere except at home. I dread the zeal of those
who can run to many services but whose households are not cared for; yet
sometimes such is the case. I have known people very interested in the seven
trumpets and the seven seals of Revelation who have not been quite so
particular about the seven dear children that God has entrusted to them.
Leave it to somebody else to open up the Book of Revelation, and you look
after your own children. Pay attention where they are in the evenings! And
see to your girls, that they know, at least, the gospel; for indeed there are some

118. households where there is ignorance of the plan of salvation, albeit that the
parents profess to be Christians. Such things ought not to be. Where is your
brother Abel? Your son? Where is your daughter, your sister, your father,
your cousin? See to this, that you begin at once earnestly seeking the salvation
of relatives.

But, beloved, we must never end there, because brotherhood extends to all
ranks, races, and conditions; and according to each person’s ability we will be
held responsible about the souls of others whom we never saw. Where is your
brother Abel? Down a back street in the city. He is just now going into the bar
room. He is half drunk already. Have you done anything, friend, towards the
reclaiming of the drunkard? Where is your sister? Your sister who frequents
the midnight streets? You shrink back and say, “She is no sister of mine.”
True, but God may require her blood at your hands, if you leave her to perish.
Have you ever done anything towards reclaiming her? She has a tender heart
despite her sin. Sadly, many a Christian woman, many a Christian man who
comes across the path of such will draw themselves up with a kind of
Phariseeism, shake the dust off their feet, and feel as if they were
contaminated by their very presence. Yet Christians ought to love the erring
and the sinful, and if we do not we shall be called to account for it. If we have
an opportunity of doing good, even to the vilest, and do not use it, we shall not
be guiltless. Some of you who get rich in city then move out into the suburbs,
and I cannot blame you. Why shouldn’t you? But if you leave the heart of the
city, where the working people are, without any means of grace—if you are
content to hear the gospel yourselves and withdraw your wealth from
struggling churches among the poor, God will one day say to you, “Where is
your brother Abel?” City merchant, where are the poor men that enabled you
to become wealthy? Where are they, who after all were the bone and sinew
that made you rich, from whom you fled as though they were struck with the
plague, and whom you left to die in utter ignorance? Oh, see to this, you rich
men, you persons in responsible positions, lest the blood of the poor of the city
be demanded of your souls at the great day of accounting. Yes, but our cities
are not everywhere, nor is this country everything. Look if you can across sea

119. and land to India, where more humanity lives, and, sadly, die at this very hour
of famine. The day will come when God will say to Christians in our country,
“Where is your brother the Hindu? Where is your brother the Indian?” And
what answer will be given by the men who ought to be there and have the
ability to be there? What answer will be given by rich men who ought to help
to send missionaries there, but allow the millions to perish without a
knowledge of Christ, not lifting their hand to help? And further still lies
China, with its teeming millions upon millions who have never even heard the
sound of Jesus’ name. Their destiny we leave with God, but still we know that
to be ignorant of God and of his Christ is a frightful thing; and every man
who has light, unless his duty lies at home, should prepare himself and say in
God’s name, “I will not have the blood of India streaming down my clothes,
nor the blood of China pouring a curse upon my head.” The Lord grant to all
Christians to see their relation to mankind, and to act as a brother’s keeper to
all races.

One thing more upon this calling to account. The more needy, the more
destitute people are, the greater is their claim upon us;

For according to the account book—need I turn to the chapter? I think you
remember it—they are the persons for whom we shall have mainly to give an
account: “I was an hungry, and you gave me no food; I was thirsty, and you
gave me no drink; I was sick and in prison, and you did not visit me; naked,
and you did not clothed me.” These objects of charity were the most destitute
and poor of all, and the great question at the last day is about what was done
for them. So if there is a nation more ignorant than another, our call is there
first; and if there is a people more sunken and degraded than others, it is
concerning them that we shall have to give a special account.

120. Now, I close this second point about our really being our brother’s keeper by
saying this—that there are some of us who are our brother’s keeper
voluntarily, but yet most solemnly, by the office that we hold.

We are ministers. O brother ministers, we are our brother’s keepers. “If the
watchman doesn’t warn them they shall perish.” That is an awful sentence to
me—“They shall perish.” The next is not so awful sometimes to my heart, but
it is very dreadful—“But their blood will I require at the watchman’s hands.”
You cannot enter the Christian ministry without standing where you will need
almighty grace to keep you innocent of the blood of souls. Yes, and you
Sunday-school teachers, when you undertake to teach that class of children,
you enter under the most solemn responsibilities. I may add that all of you
who name the name of Jesus, by that very fact come into your measure of
responsibility; for Christ has said, not of ministers, nor of Sunday-school
teachers only, but of everyone, “You are the light of the world.” If you give no
light what shall be said of you? “You are the salt of the earth”; and if there is
no savor in you what will become of you but to be cast out and trodden under
foot of men?

III. Our time is almost used up. I wanted to say much more, but if I leave
those thoughts with you I shall be well content. However, I must speak awhile
on the third point, namely, that IT WILL BE HIGH PRESUMPTION ON
OUR PART IF, FROM THIS NIGHT FORWARD, WE SHIRK THE D UTY
OF BEING OUR BROTHER ’S KEEPER.

I will set it very briefly in a strong light. It will be denying the right of God to
make a law, and to call upon us to obey it, if we refuse to do as we are
commanded. God has so organized society that every person receiving light is
obligated to spread it, and if you decline the blessed service you will
practically deny the right of God to require such service of you. You will be
judging your Judge, and insulting your God. High treason lies in that.

121. Notice, next, that you will be denying all claim on your part to divine mercy;
because if you will not render mercy to others, and if you deny altogether your
responsibility to others, you put yourself into the position of saying, “I need
nothing from another”—consequently, nothing from God. Such mercy as you
show, such mercy shall you have. The question is not what will become of the
heathen if you do not teach them; the great question is what will become of
you if you do not do it? If you let sinners die, what will become of you? There
is the point. You put yourself out of the reach of mercy, because you yourself
refuse to render it. When you bow your knee in prayer you curse yourself, for
you ask God to forgive your debts as you forgive your debtors, and thus in
effect you ask him to deal with you as you are dealing with others. What
mercy, then, can you expect?

Indeed, there is this about it too—that it is something like throwing the blame
of your own sin upon God if you allow men and women to perish. When Cain
said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he meant, probably, “You are the preserver
of men. Why did you not preserve Abel? I am not his keeper.” Some throw on
the sovereignty of God the weight which lies on their own indolence. If one
soul perishes without being taught the gospel, you cannot fling the weight of
that fact upon divine sovereignty until the Christian church has done her
utmost to make the gospel known. If we had all done all that could be done—I
mean all of us who are believers—and yet souls perished, the blame would lie
with men themselves; but wherein we fall short, to that degree we are our
brother’s keeper, and we must not accuse the Lord.

And again, there is to my mind an utter ignoring of the whole plan of
salvation in that man who says, “I am not going to have any responsibility
about others,” because the whole plan of salvation is based on substitution, on
the care of another for us, on the sacrifice of another for us; and the whole
spirit of it is self-sacrifice and love to others. If you say, “I will not love”—well,
the whole system goes together and you, renounce it all, if you will not love,

122. therefore you cannot have love’s benediction. If you will not love you cannot
be saved by love; and if you believe that the Christian faith leaves you
unloving and selfish and yet takes you to heaven, you have made a mistake.
There is no such religion propagated by the word of God, for the religion of
Jesus teaches that since Christ has so loved us we are therefore to love one
another, and to love the ungodly so as to endeavor to bring them to the feet of
the Savior. God grant that these words may have a beneficial effect by the
Spirit of God applying them to your souls.

Last of all, it may turn out that if we are not our brother’s keeper we may be
our brother’s murderer. Have any of us been so already? When were you
converted? Will you kindly look back to your sins before conversion? He must
be a very happy man who did not before conversion commit sins which
injured others; and there are some persons whose lives before they turned to
Christ were frightfully blended with the career of others whom they have left
in the gall of bitterness to perish. I have seen bitter tears shed by men who
have led wicked lives when they have remembered others with whom they
sinned. “I am forgiven: I am saved,” one has said to me. “But what about that
poor girl? “ One man has been an infidel and he has led others into infidelity,
and he has been saved himself but he cannot bring those back again whom he
tutored in atheism. Before conversion you may have murdered many a soul.
Ought not this to stir you up to seek now, if possible, as much as lies with you,
to bring those to Christ whom once you led away, and to teach the living word
since once you taught the deadly word which ruined souls? Much solemn
thought ought to arise out of this. Pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to
work by you to the salvation of those whom your evil influence drew towards
the pit.

But what shall be said of our conduct since we have been converted? May we
not have helped to murder souls since then? I tell you a cold-hearted Christian
makes unbelievers think that Christianity is a lie. Inconsistent Christians—
and there are such—woe, woe that it should be so!—bad-tempered, covetous

123. people, sarcastic, snarling persons, who we hope may be the Lord’s people,
what shall we say of these? How little they are like their Master, they are the
propagators of death. I do believe that nobody is more mischievous than a
person who is barely a Christian, or almost a Christian, and continually shows
his wicked side to the world while yet he boasts of his holiness in Christ. He
disgusts the world with the name of Jesus. Perhaps some of you have
backslidden since your conversion and you have committed acts which have
made the enemy to blaspheme the name of Christ. I charge you by the love of
God repent of this iniquity. Look at what you have done. Look at how you
have led others astray. Oh see to it at once. You know that when David had
sinned with Bathsheba he repented and was forgiven, but he could never
make poor murdered Uriah live again. He was dead. You may have gone
astray and damaged a soul eternally, and you cannot undo the deed. Still, if
you cannot revive the slain, you can mourn over the crime. Awake, arise, you
sluggish Christians, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you to be from this day
forward your brother’s keepers to the utmost of your power.

And don’t you think that we may have been seriously injurious to others by
denying them the gospel?

If you want to murder a man, you need not stab him: rather just starve him.
If you want to destroy a man you need not teach him to drink or swear: just
keep back the gospel from him. Be in his company and never say a word for
Christ. Be where you ought to speak and be sinfully silent, then who knows
how much blood will be laid on your head. Don’t you think that to deny a cup
of cold water to a man and let him die of thirst is murder? To deny the gospel,
to have no word to say for Jesus—is this not soul-murder? God accounts it so.
“Well,” say some, “I can’t speak or preach.” No, but do you pray for the
conversion of others? Some people also have money entrusted to them: they
cannot go to India or China, which I have been speaking of, but many other
men are willing to go, and they ought to assist in sending them. I have men in
the College ready to go, but I have no money to send them. The Missionary

124. Society is in debt; they cannot send out all they would, and yet there are
people in this country with thousands of dollars that they will never need, and
yet the heathen may die and be lost before they will part with their gold. Is
there no crime in all of this? Does not the voice of your brother’s blood cry
unto God from the ground? I believe it does. You are not to do what you
cannot do, but what you can do; and surely there cannot be any question
about such a matter as this, because if you could once see persons in peril—if
you stood on the beach, and saw a good ship breaking up, if you were able to
hold an oar, you would want to be in the lifeboat. There is not a woman
among you but would be willing to spare her husband for such a task, or lend
her own hand to push the boat out to launch it upon the wave. For life—for
the precious life of our fellow men—we would do anything; but if we believe,
as we do, that there is a world to come and a terrible hell, and that there is no
way of salvation except by Jesus Christ, we ought to feel ten times a love for
the rescue of the souls of men from the wrath to come.

If some are stirred by these words, my heart will greatly rejoice; and if you
are aroused then do not promise to make an effort in your own strength, but
pray to God about it. Commit yourself to God, and ask the divine Spirit to
lead you into ways of usefulness, that before you die you may have brought
some souls to Jesus; and to his name shall be the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen.
Added to Bible Bulletin Board's "Spurgeon Collection" by:
Tony Capoccia
Bible Bulletin Board


Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
Posted on February 4, 2013 by Jaime Bargan

125. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”—Genesis 4:9 (NIV)

How many times have you said, “So what? I don’t care!”?
Oh, please, don’t tell me that you don’t care about the question at all.
Let me ask the question in a different way. Suppose your parents confronted
and asked you about an incident involving your brother: “Where is your
brother?” Or, “why did this happen to your brother?” How would you answer
them? Would you answer the way Cain responded when he was asked by God
where his brother Abel was?
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
Cain answered with an outright lie! He said he did not know when in fact he
knew. Not only did Cain lie, he responded to God with an air of indifference
and arrogance in a rhetorical question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” What
does the question mean? And, what does it mean to ask God that question?
To understand the meaning or the question behind the question, it would help
to understand the meaning of the phrase “brother’s keeper” and the context
and implications of the question itself. When God asked Cain, “Where is your
brother?” God was referring to Abel, Cain’s biological brother. When Cain
responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he used the word brother according
to the semantics used by God. The word keeper may have its point of
reference to the nature of the work of Abel, a shepherd, who “kept flocks.”
(v.2b) Keeping the flocks may mean protecting or defending them from their
predators just like what David did. (1 Samuel 17:36) A keeper of the flocks
leads and guides the flocks. (Psalms 23:2-3) Even the nature of Cain’s work
involved “keeping.” Genesis 2:15 reads, ” Then the LORD God took the man
and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.” (NASB 1995
)[Emphasis added] The Hebrew word, shamar means “to keep, guard, keep
watch and ward, protect, save life.” Growing up, being an older brother Cain
must have been asked and expected by Adam and Eve to take care of his

126. younger brother, Abel. God was not the only one to ask Cain, “Where is your
brother?” Adam and Eve would have certainly asked Cain the same question.
In the context of the relationship between Cain and Abel, to be a brother’s
keeper means to be responsible for the welfare of a brother or other sibling.
Cain attempted to hide his wrongdoing—that of murdering Abel—by
indirectly claiming no responsibility over his brother. What does it mean to
ask God the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The tone of indifference in
the question was not just towards Abel but also towards God. Cain was not
just indifferent, he was indignant of God. Cain was accusing God, “Did you
make me responsible to take care of my brother?” Indirectly, Cain was telling
God in the face, “Am I responsible to you–to look after the welfare of my
brother?” Was he not? Chapter 4 of Genesis does not record God directly
commanding Cain to look after the welfare of his brother Abel. But, when
Cain asked God the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” he understood that
he should have been his brother’s keeper.
We could infer that God gave Cain the choice to be responsible. But he chose
not to be responsible. Instead of looking after the welfare of his brother, he
chose to satisfy his self-seeking desire for revenge over a “supposed injury”
that was his own making. (vv. 5-7)

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In a general sense, the term brother’s keeper does not just mean being
responsible for the welfare of a biological brother or another sibling, its scope
is extended to all the other human beings, regardless of race, cultural and
religious background. The commandments in the Scriptures are summed up
as follows: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as
yourself.” (Luke 10:27 Leviticus 19:18) When an expert of the law wanted to
be justified and asked, “And, who is my neighbour?” Jesus responded by
telling the story of a Jewish man on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho, who
was robbed, beat and left half dead on the road, and how a Samaritan showed
compassion on him. Because of disparity in beliefs and lineage the Jews and

127. Samaritans avoided associating with one another. (John 4:9) However, the
priest and the Levite, the supposed brothers of the Jewish man did not want to
be inconvenienced and so just bypassed their fellow country man. On the
other hand, the Samaritan laid aside the social and cultural taboo, took the
risk of putting himself in danger (the robbers may not have gone that far); he
did not even count the cost of helping—just to show compassion on the
miserable man. (Luke 10:30-35)
When Jesus asked the expert of the law which of the three men was a
neighbor to the man, who fell into the hands of the robbers, the expert of the
law answered rightly, “The one who had mercy on him.” (Luke 10: 36-37)
Jesus is our brother’s keeper. He is the good shepherd who laid down his life
for his sheep. (John 10:11) Jesus has given us an example to follow in serving
our brothers. (John 13:15)
The question now is not anymore unsympathetic, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” but it should be with a tone of resolve and conviction, “Am I being a
brother’s keeper?” When Jesus asked Peter thrice if Peter loves him, Peter
answered Jesus thrice also but felt hurt on the third time, “Yes, Lord, you
know that I love you.” Jesus appealed to Peter thrice also to feed and take care
of his lambs. (John 21: 15-17) Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my
commands.” (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3) How do we show that we are brothers’
keepers? There are many different ways.
Use your God-given gifts and calling to minister to and build the body of
Christ, the church. (Ephesians 4:11-13)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider
others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:3, 1 Corinthians 13)
Share practical help to others in need. (Matthew 25:34-40, James 2:15-17)
Put off falsehood and speak the truth in love. (Ephesians 4:15; 5:25)
Encourage one another daily. (Hebrews 3:13, 10:25) Speak to one another
with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. (Ephesians 5:19)
Do not use your freedom as a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Corinthians 8:9)

128. Confront, reconcile and bring back to God a sinning brother. (Matthew 18:15-
17, James 5:19)
Pray and intercede for others. (Philippians 4:6)
The list is not exhaustive. At the end of each day, as we recount the goodness
of the Lord and utter our prayers, it may be to our good to look back, reflect
and ask ourselves, “How have I become a brother’s keeper today?” At the start
of the new day, we should ask God for leading and enablement, “How should I
become a brother’s keeper today?” Asked in another way on a very important
and personal note, “Am I living out and sharing the gospel, the good news
about salvation, because I am a brother’s keeper?”


Am I My Brother’s Keeper?
February 27, 2019 by Jimmy Evans

“Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do
not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?’” (Genesis 4:9)
The story of Cain and Abel is a familiar one. The sons of Adam and Eve, they
were commanded by God to bring Him an acceptable offering.
In response, Abel brought an offering of his flocks, which was acceptable to
God. Cain brought an offering of his fields that was less than what God
required. God did not accept Cain’s offering.
Because God preferred Abel’s offering, Cain killed his brother.
When God tested him after the murder, Cain replied to God by famously
asking if he was his “brother’s keeper.” His actions and response revealed not
just a murderous heart toward his own family, but a selfish, immature, sinful
spirit.

129. Of course Cain was his brother’s keeper. We all should be. I am my
brother’s keeper. I am my children’s keeper. I am Karen’s keeper. I am
responsible for the members of my family, for my neighbors, and for my
fellow man.
The truth is this: God holds us responsible for how we treat people, especially
our family.
A successful marriage is marked by a sense of mutual concern for one
another. A man cares what is happening in the life of his wife. Likewise, a
woman cares about the details of her husband’s life. They “keep” each other.
They care for one another. Their lives are intimately intertwined.
This is also true in a successful family. Husbands and wives, parents and
children, brothers and sisters—they all look out for one another with an
attitude that says “if you’re not okay, I’m not okay.”


In a family, we protect each other and rally around the person who needs us.

But this attitude of caring extends even further. It should also flow outside the
home to people in our neighborhoods, our churches, and our cities.
The attitude that bonds families together and perpetuates a strong society is
one of mutual concern for our fellow man.
Jesus had much to say about this. His personal commandment to His Church
was to “…love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
Once, when a man quoted that commandment back to Jesus about loving your
neighbor as you love yourself, the man asked “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus
responded with the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-36).

130. In this story, Jesus expanded the definition of “neighbor” to anyone we
encounter in life who is in need and whom we have the resources to help. The
point of the story? God holds us responsible to help each other.
God takes the way we treat people personally. People we may judge as being
losers, weirdos, or unworthy of our care are the same people He loves. Ours is
a selfish, rejecting culture, but we must remember that God is pursuing the
same people we reject.
Yes, you are your brother’s keeper, your family’s keeper, your spouse’s
keeper—and God expects you to honor that responsibility. Do not forget this
truth!


AM I MY BROTHER’S (OR SISTER’S) KEEPER a sermon by Dr. David
Palmer, United Methodist Church of Kent, March 6, 2016 Based on Genesis
4:1-15; Matthew 5:43-47

The sermon this morning is a continuation of a sermon series entitled, “Ten
Truths that Change Life, during which we are considering central Biblical
truths that are life-changing when we truly receive them. Let us begin with a
moment of prayer . . . The first few chapters of the Bible lay out the human
condition. Genesis chapters one and two speak of how God created all things,
and created human beings “in the image of God,” meaning that we have the
capacity to know God and be in a relationship with God and share in the
creativity and the love of God. But Genesis chapter three (the story of Adam
and Eve in the Garden of Eden) speaks of the problem of sin—that we turn
from God and go our own way and so alienate ourselves from God and get
ourselves into all sorts of trouble. Genesis chapter four, which we heard a few
moments ago, proceeds to describe what then happens among human beings
as we continue in that condition of sin. There are two brothers, Cain and
Abel. They each bring an offering to God. Even in the condition of sin, human
beings are aware of God and sense a need to come to God. Abel, we are told,

131. “brought the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions” (which were considered
the best part of the meat). (Genesis 4:4) In other words, in the ancient view of
things, Abel brought to God the best out of what he had. Cain, we are told,
“brought an offering of the fruit of the ground.” (Genesis 4:3) In other words,
he brought something. “The Lord,” the story continues, “had regard for Abel
and his offering, but for Cain and his offering the Lord had no regard.”
(Genesis 4:4-5) God affirms the way that Abel has given his very best. At that,
the Scripture says, “Cain was very angry.” (Genesis 4:5) Last week we talked
about the perpetual human tendency to want to make ourselves great, and we
noted that as human beings seek to exalt themselves, they inevitably compare
themselves to one another and fall into envy. We observed that the story of
Cain and Abel is an example of exactly that—Cain could not stand to be a peg
lower than his brother Abel. God then seeks to counsel Cain, saying, “Why are
you angry? If you do well, you will be accepted. But when you do not do well,
sin is lurking at the door, seeking to control you, but you must master it.”
Genesis 4:6-7) God encourages Cain to not let anger control him, but to focus
on doing well, and all will be fine. But Cain gives in to sin; and the story
continues, “Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” (Genesis
4:8) God immediately confronts Cain, saying, “Where is your brother Abel?”
And Cain replies, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9)
Am I my brother’s (or sister’s) keeper? It is a question that looms large
throughout the whole Bible and all of history. In the story, Cain of course was
trying to escape responsibility for his act, but the larger attitude reflected in
that statement is, “I
2

am not responsible for anyone else; my job is to look out for me.” It is an
attitude that has been widespread throughout the human story. But to the
question, “Am I my brother’s (or sister’s) keeper,” Jesus gives a revolutionary
answer, as he not only teaches us to love our neighbor, but says in the Sermon
on the Mount, “Love your enemies . . . so that you may be children of your
Father in heaven, for God makes the sun rise on the good and bad, and sends
rain (that’s a good thing in Israel) on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

132. (Matthew 5:44-45) Quite in contrast to Cain, who despises and attacks his
brother, we are to be concerned about and show care not only to our family
but to all people—whether they are close to us or not, whether we like them or
not, whether they are worthy or not, because God has compassion and shows
care to all. We can see this message in dramatic fashion in the conclusion of
the story of Cain and Abel. In response to the murder of Abel, God banishes
Cain from the outskirts of the Garden of Eden. Cain laments his punishment,
saying, “Today You have driven me away from the soil . . .. I shall be a fugitive
on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.” (Genesis 4:15) At this
point, you likely think to yourself, “Now wait a minute, who else is there?”
We’ve got Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel; there’s nobody else out there.
What is he talking about?” This question was never raised by the ancient
Hebrew people who recounted this story for generations. They knew that the
question, “Who else was out there?” was a meaningless question; because they
understood that you are not supposed to read this as a literal, historical
account about two guys named Cain and Abel. If you try to read this story as
a literal historical account, you cannot make any sense out of the ending. But
in fact Cain and Abel are not two silly brothers who lived eons ago, who we
can dismiss as ancient primitives. Cain and Abel represent everyone. This is
the story of the whole human race, a story of people who fall into envy and
hatred and violence and fear. It is a story that keeps repeating itself in every
generation. And when the story speaks of God’s actions, it is portraying how
God deals in every age with people who act like Cain. So how does God deal
with the sinner, represented quite graphically by the figure of Cain? Cain has
murdered his brother, and he suffers consequences of his actions, as he is
forced into wandering—there are consequences to sin. Cain in the end really
deserves no mercy. But at the conclusion of the story, God gives mercy. God
places a mark on Cain to protect him, “so that no one who came upon him
would kill him.” This piece of the story reflects the culture of vengeance that
widely prevailed in the ancient world. If someone in the ancient world
committed a murder, the relatives of the victim would go out to find the
murderer in order to kill him. The story of Cain expresses this dynamic—that
human beings will want to avenge the blood of a victim and kill the perceived

133. perpetrator. We see this happening all the time in our world today—people
are constantly taking bloody vengeance for perceived wrongs.
3

But the story of Cain and Abel shows God taking two decisive actions in
response to human sinfulness. First, God shows Cain grace—undeserved
mercy. We talked about grace previously in this sermon series—that it is the
unmerited blessing of God—and it is well illustrated in the story of Cain. Cain
deserves nothing, but receives God’s care and protection. As Jesus said, “God
makes the sun shine and rains fall on the righteous and unrighteous.”
Secondly, God intervenes to stop the cycle of vengeance that human beings are
inclined to perpetuate. The mark on Cain is the sign that God calls for the
violence to stop. Thus the story dramatically illustrates how God responds to
our whole human condition in which we are lost in sin and caught up in envy
and hatred and violence— God acts with grace and acts to bring about peace.
These twin themes—laid out clearly at the start of the Bible in the story of
Cain and Abel—are carried further and brought to supreme fulfillment in
Jesus Christ. Jesus comes to all of us who are sinners—with grace. Though
like Cain we are not deserving, Jesus goes to the cross for us, to absorb the
consequences of all our sin, so that we can be forgiven. Cain had feared that
he would be cut off from the face of God; but in Jesus God shows us His
face—a face of mercy. And just as Cain at the end of the story received God’s
mark of protection, the New Testament in the book of Revelation says that as
we trust in Christ we receive the mark of Christ—we are placed under the
eternal protection of God. The mark on Cain was also God’s declaration that
human beings should stop the cycle of vengeance that has so plagued human
history. When Jesus later said, “Love your enemies,” it was God’s ultimate
declaration that we are to move away from vengeance—not only to stop
vengeance but to engage in active care for others. Jesus leads us way past the
usual human pattern of just loving our friends and our family (or at least the
family members we like). He moves us to extend God’s compassion to people
who are far removed from us and people we may really dislike. In contrast to
Cain, who wanted to take no responsibility for others, Jesus calls us to take

134. responsibility to exhibit grace and goodness toward all humanity. This
afternoon more than thirty of our youth will spend two hours at our church
making phone calls to ask people to contribute to this summer’s Mountain
T.O.P. mission. Do you enjoy calling people to ask them for money? You can
be sure that our teenagers would rather be doing something else on a Sunday
afternoon. But they are making phone calls this afternoon, and they are
spending a week this summer in rough conditions on a mountain in Tennessee,
because in answer to the question, “Am I my brother’s (or sister’s) keeper?”
they are saying yes. This summer they will reach out with grace and
compassion to people they do not know, and they will do so, no matter
whether the people that they meet are endearing or not. Last summer, my
daughter Rachel, who is passionately against any form of racism, was on a
Mountain T.O.P. team that went to work at the home of a man who flew a
large Confederate flag in front of his house. There’s an interesting scenario.
4

Do you work hard to help someone who appears to have values that you find
reprehensible? She worked to help him anyways. “God makes the sun shine
and the rains fall on the righteous and the unrighteous,” says Jesus. “If you
love only those who love you, what reward do you have? And if you greet only
your own kind, what more are you doing than anyone else?” (Matthew 5:45-
47) So Jesus moves us in precisely the opposite direction from the behavior
portrayed in the story of Cain and Abel. It is a life-changing truth, when we
realize not only how God is reaching to us, but how God is leading us to treat
others. In a world so often full of hatred, callousness, and apathy, Jesus leads
us to receive, and show, the infinite love of God to all.
http://www.kentmethodist.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Am-I-My-
Brothers-Keeper-print-version.pdf


Am I my brother's keeper?

135. Introduction:
In Genesis 4:9 the ancient brother, Cain, is asked by God, Where is your
brother, Abel? Cain replies, I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?
The text seems to imply that God believed that Cain was, indeed, his brother's
keeper, and he had a responsibility for him.
That is a revolutionary idea in our culture where it's every-man-for-himself.
One of Bev's coworkers told us about going to a restaurant where she saw a
family sitting at a table eating, each texting on their respective cell phones.
What an image. In the company of family members while encased in a cocoon
of privacy.
Am I my brother's keeper? Indeed!
Do I have any responsibility to acknowledge that the person sitting or
standing next to me exists?
Do I have any responsibility to meet the needs of the other? To consider what
they may be thinking or feeling at the moment?
Do I have any responsibility for the impact of my choices and actions on the
other?
Am I my brother's keeper?
What would we do if we discovered that Jesus painted a different reality?
How would that affect us if we had to change the way we think about our
place in the world and our relationship to it?
I. Created for Community:
Genesis is important theology because it gives us insight into what was going
on in the mind of God as the world was being created.
Among other things, we see a God that is communal. Even His name is in the
plural, Elohim.
As He creates He talks to Himself. Let US make mankind in OUR image.

136. And as He creates man, He realizes that man by himself is a lonely creature.
"It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his
partner," Genesis 2:18.
The person who wrote the book Ecclesiastes said this.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
10 For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and
falls and does not have another to help.
11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm
alone?
12 And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A
threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12.
God created us for community, and we have that hunger.
But we use bogus methods for achieving it.
In much the same way that the people of Babel tried to create a tower.
Misguided attempts at community.
So we text each other instead of opening our homes.
We keep things like alcohol (misused) between one another so that the real us
is not present.
II. The One Another Passages:
The Greek phrase translated one another is found in numerous places in the
New Testament. It is so common that it clearly identifies an ethos (character,
sentiment, moral nature, or guiding beliefs of a group).
The texts that use this one another idea visualize a community where people
exist for mutual benefit. For example:
Wash one another's feet, John 13:14.
People will know you are my disciples if you love one another, John 13:35.

137. We are members of one another, Romans 12:5.
Welcome one another, Romans 15:7.
Wait for one another, 1 Corinthians 11:33.
Bear one another's burdens, Galatians 6:2.
These passages describe:
Reciprocity.
Intentional behavior toward others.
Self-sacrifice.
Modeling the way Christ lived.
The idea of one another is in opposition to the ideas of neglect, indifference,
and hatred.
III. Barriers to One Another:
What Jesus models for us and called us to is difficult work. Very difficult.
It goes against the fabric of human nature to be this receptive and
unconditional toward others, especially those who may not be part of our
chosen circle/s.
Like when traveling through W.Texas and stopping at a Dairy Queen in a
small town. Like Mule Shoe, Texas. People stare at you. No one says,
"Welcome to our town." Group acceptance or rejection based on a thousand
things:
How you dress.
Whether you are of a particular political persuasion.
Whether you are liberal/conservative in any sense.
Whether you are hard or easy to be around.
Whether you have offended someone in the past.

138. In the case of DQ, what your license plate says.
Other things also affect our inclusion of others.
Selfishness about our homes. Not wanting to be hospitable. "My house is too
______."
Schedules. "I'm too busy." Also priorities. Selecting other things above this.
To think in the way of Jesus requires a radical reshuffling of our priorities.
Paul said this. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of
view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view.
How differently we know him now! 2 Corinthians 5:16.
Conclusion:
Cain asked God, Am I my brother's keeper? Without saying it, we know God
believes we are our brother's keeper.
However, our culture has grown increasingly apart. C.S. Lewis' vision of Hell
is of a place where people, when they quarrel, simply move out farther and
build a new house. There is no movement inward toward the center of society.
So what are the implications for us today? Indeed?
What if I make my life so frenetic I have no time for anyone? Especially my
fellow disciples.
What if I allow worldly pressure and values to govern the way I live my life?
What if, the worst idea of all, I find saying no to Christ easy because of my
topsy turvy values?
Jesus said that the chief thing that testifies to our discipleship is our love for
one another. Truly.
Dear God, help us to keep in proper order our relationships with one another.
Please keep us from allowing other desires and values to supercede our love,
first for you and then for one another. In Jesus' name I pray this. Amen.
https://sermons.faithlife.com/sermons/118424-am-i-my-brother's-keeper

139. Am I My Brothers’ Keeper? – A Poem
Posted on June 16, 2011
by Linda Kruschke
This poem is a bit out of the ordinary for Thankful Thursday, but I wrote it
because I am thankful for my sister who inspired it. She wrote a paper for a
college class she is taking, and she asked me to proofread it for her. It was a
great paper about the connectedness of our world and how we cannot simply
ignore the troubles of others because they live in a different neighborhood or a
different country. She started with part of Genesis 4:9, after Cain has killed
Abel and God asks where Abel is. Cain replies, “I don’t know. Am I my
brother’s keeper?” My sister didn’t have a conclusion to her paper yet when I
proofread it, and I suggested she use Matthew 25:40 as a great bookend
closing to the paper. She took my suggestion.
As I thought about my Thankful Thursday poem, I was going to write a poem
about sisters. In fact I wrote one, but it’s really not very good. Then I realized
that my sister would be more honored by a poem that highlighted something
she cares deeply about than by a fluff poem about sisters being awesome. You
can also check out her new blog titled Life as I know it . . . . She’s just getting
started and I’m sure she would be thankful for the encouragement.
10/4/11 Update: I posted a link to this poem at dVerse Poets Pub for Open
Link Night~Week 12. Check out the other cool poetry there.
So here’s my Thankful Thursday poem:
Am I My Brothers’ Keeper?
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Asked Cain, when questioned by God
It was a rhetorical question

140. Cain knew the answer
Or what he thought was the answer
It was “no” as far as he was concerned
Abel was dead
No need for keeping any more
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
We ask, as we walk by the homeless man
Standing in a doorway with his dog
Drinking our $4 latte
It’s a rhetorical question
We think we know the answer
It’s “no” as far as we’re concerned
It’s probably his fault he’s homeless
Why does he have a dog anyway?
Why doesn’t he get a job or
At least go to a shelter for help
Instead of begging
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
We ask, as we switch the channel
So we don’t have to see the ad
About children in Africa
Dying of diseases that are unheard of
In our cozy little town

141. It’s a rhetorical question
We think we know the answer
It’s “no” as far as we’re concerned
Organizations like World Vision or Unicef
Will take care of the dying children
It’s not our concern
We have Reality TV we need to watch
So we flip the channel again
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
We ask, as the collection plate passes by
As we sit in our pew at the back
Of the neighborhood church
It’s a rhetorical question
We think we know the answer
It’s “no” as far as we’re concerned
We drop in a $5 bill, that’ll do
The rich folks in the congregation
Can take up the slack
We need a new computer, and
A new car, maybe a new watch,
And the mortgage payment
On our 5 bedroom house is coming up due
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”

142. We ask, as we skim our Facebook
On our brand new computer and see
A wall post about sex trafficking of young girls
It’s a rhetorical question
We think we know the answer
It’s “no” as far as we’re concerned
We don’t engage is such activities
And there’s nothing we can do to stop it
It happens half way around the world
We’re much too busy with our own lives
Oh look, a new Facebook game to play
“Am I my brother’s keeper?”
It’s not a rhetorical question
It’s a real question
An important question
It’s a question Jesus has answered
The answer is “YES”
The King said, ‘I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one
of the least of these brothers of mine
you did for me.’
I am my brothers’ keeper

143. And my sisters’ keeper
We are all responsible for each other
We all need to love our neighbors
And keep our brothers from harm
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by
my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the
creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you
invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked
after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and
feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we
see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
Matthew 25:34-40 (NIV).
Linda Kruschke on life and death, faith and fearlessness, music and poetry


Twenty Questions: #2 Am I My Brother’s Keeper? (Gen. 4:9)
Leave a reply
Yesterday, we began our tour through twenty of the most important questions
in the Bible with the very first question God asked of a human being, “Where
are you?” Today, we continue with the very first question a human being
asked of God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” If yesterday’s question says a lot
about God’s nature, then surely today’s question says a lot about our human

144. nature. Cain has just become the world’s first murderer, killing his brother in
a premeditated act of jealous rage towards his divinely-favoured brother.
God, having forewarned him of the need to keep his anger in check, knowing
full well what has happened, afford Cain the opportunity to own up to his
crime. “Where is your brother?” he asks. But Cain, unaware of just how
transparent he is before God (just as his naked parents before him), denies all
knowledge, simply asking: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” Quite apart from the bare-faced lie he tells God
concerning the whereabouts of his brother, what is so disturbing about Cain’s
rather impudent question is his apparent attempt to divest himself of
responsibility for anyone but himself. Surely, this is the very essence of sin—
the selfish attempt to make the world orbit around us, to be gods of our own
small little universe. Martin Luther talked about sin as the heart turned in on
itself. Cain’s question seems to reflect exactly that. In his song ‘Keeper’,
singer/songwriter Luke Brawner suggests that what Cain means to ask is, “Is
he the garden I was made to tend?” In other words, “Looking after my
brother? Sorry God—not my problem.” I wonder, however, whether our
attitude towards others is often so very different. People in the Far East
working in sweat shops to bring me cheap jeans? Not my problem. Or is it?
To be a Christian is surely to take seriously our responsibility for our brothers
and sisters—for indeed, we are all children of the same Heavenly Father. “Am
I my brother’s keeper?” In a word, yes. It is intrinsic to our calling as
Christians that we ought to look out for the well-being of those around us (and
not just the ones we like). This is something John Wesley would have called
social holiness—our common responsibility under God to love and care for
one another. Worshipping God at church is not enough. To be involved with
God is necessarily to be involved with one another, for he in his grace is
involved with us. I am reminded of the words of John Donne’s famous poem:
No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe

145. is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.
Because we are all of one common Author we are bound to one another,
whether we like it or not. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Yes, I am. And what a
big privilege and responsibility that is. How different might the world be,
however, if we really believed that and acted as if it were so? Only in Christ
do we find the self-giving love which is able to bind us to each other as he has
bound himself to us.
https://stevenmharvey.wordpress.com/2014/09/09/twenty-questions-2-am-i-
my-brothers-keeper-gen-49/


I Am My Brother's Keeper . . .
by Deborah Ann Belka

I am my brother's keeper,
I help him to understand
that God wants him to put
his whole life in His hand.

I am my sister's keeper,

146. I help her to see the light
I encourage her to grow
and keep Jesus in her sight.

I am my neighbor's keeper,
I pray for their families needs
I support them to always listen
and follow where God leads.

I am my mother's keeper,
in her old age I help her out
I hold her hand when lonely
and keep away her doubt.

I am my father's keeper,
I lift to God his very soul
I pray every day and night
that God will make him whole.

I am my children's keeper,
I listen to their concerns
I pray as they become adults

147. God's will, they can discern.

The Lord is my keeper,
I pray to Him every day
to bring me anyone I can help
as I go about His way.
Genesis 4:9

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is
Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not
know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

This poem was a finalist in the April 2012 poetry contest