# Adam — Leviathan character guide

> Adam in Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes.

**Role:** supporting

**First appearance:** 0003-part-i-of-man

## Snapshot

The first man whose sin brought death into the world, invoked by Hobbes to separate mortality from guilt and worship from mere obedience.

## Who they are

Hobbes uses Adam's fall to argue that death entered the world by sin, yet God could justly have afflicted even a sinless Adam — a subtle move that keeps divine sovereignty grounded in nature, not merely in punishment. From Adam he pivots to the natural laws of equity, justice, and mercy, and to worship as cultivated honor rather than coerced ritual. Adam matters less as a fallen figure than as the first subject whose obedience defines what sovereignty means.

## Relationships

### [Jesus Christ](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/characters/jesus_christ)

_family_

Adam and Jesus Christ are linked as the first and second Adam, with Christ reversing the fall through his redemptive work.

### [Jesus Christ](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/characters/jesus_christ)

_family_

Adam and Jesus Christ are linked as the first and second Adam, with Christ reversing the fall through his redemptive work.

## In the story

### [XX: Of Dominion Paternal, and Despotical](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xx-of-dominion-paternal-and-despotical)

Cited in the allegory of the tree of knowledge to illustrate that subjects must not judge God's commandments.

### [Of the Kingdom of God by Nature](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxi-of-the-kingdom-of-god-by-nature)

Mentioned in the context that death entered the world by sin, but that God could justly afflict even without sin.

### [Of the Signification in Scripture of Kingdom of God, of Holy, Sacred, and Sacrament](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxv-of-the-signification-in-scripture-of-kingdom-of-god-of-holy-sacred-and-sacrament)

God reigned over Adam by voice and gave him the commandment to abstain from the tree of knowledge; Adam's disobedience led to the loss of eternal life.

### [XXXVIII: Of the Signification in Scripture of Eternal Life, Hell, Salvation, the World to Come, and Redemption](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xxxviii-of-the-signification-in-scripture-of-eternal-life-hell-salvation-the-world-to-come-and-redemption)

Adam's sin in Eden forfeited eternal life on earth for himself and his posterity, introducing mortality.

### [XLIII: Of What Is Necessary for a Man’s Reception Into the Kingdom of Heaven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/chapters/xliii-of-what-is-necessary-for-a-man-s-reception-into-the-kingdom-of-heaven)

Mentioned as the source of original disobedience requiring remission of sins.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/characters/adam
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/leviathan_se/characters