The name is supposed to be derived from Adamah, "earth, or red earth," agreeing with the fact that "the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground." Gen. 2:7. He differed from all other creatures, because God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life by which he became a living soul. He differed also in being made after the image and likeness of God; he was God's representative on earth, and to him was given dominion over all other living things, and he gave them names. He was placed in the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it, showing that occupation was a good thing for man even in innocence. God said that it was not good for man to be alone, so He caused him to sleep, took from him a rib, and of this "builded" a woman. Adam called her Isha for she was taken out of Ish (man), the two being a type of Christ and the Church, in the closest union. (Eph. 5:31, 32.)
Adam and Eve were permitted to eat of all the trees of the garden except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If they ate of that tree, God said, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen. 2:17. Eve, beguiled by Satan, ate of that tree, and at her suggestion, though not deceived as Eve was, Adam also took of it. Their eyes were at once opened. They knew they were naked, and hid themselves from God. They were transgressors, had fallen from their state of innocence, and acquired a conscience, and with it the sense of their own evil and guilt. When questioned by God, Adam laid the blame on Eve, ungratefully saying, "the woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." The ground was then cursed for Adam's sake. In sorrow he would eat of it all his life; thorns and thistles would be produced, and in the sweat of his face he would eat bread.
God made for Adam and Eve coats of skins and clothed them, foreshadowing the need for a vicarious sacrifice, and the righteousness that could only come to them through death. They were driven from the garden, and cherubim with a flaming sword prevented them reentering, lest they should eat of the tree of life and live forever in their sin. Adam did not beget a son until after his fall; hence all mankind are alike fallen creatures. (Acts 17:26; Rom. 5:18,19; 1 Cor. 15:22.) Adam lived 930 years and begat sons and daughters. We have no details of the life of Adam as a fallen man. Viewed typically as head of a race, he stands in marked contrast to Christ, the last Adam.
In contrast to the first man, Adam, who was made a living soul, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, was a life-giving Spirit. The first was natural, the second spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthy; the second Man was out of heaven. (1 Cor. 15:45-47.) Everything committed to man having failed in Adam, Christ as the last Adam becomes the head of a new and redeemed race. He is the last Adam because there will be no other. Every man must come under one of these two headships: the first Adam, man, or the last Adam, Christ. (see 1 Cor. 15:22; Psa. 8:3-9; Heb. 2:6-9.)
Concise Bible Dictionary