Evolution in the VERY beginning

This is a bit late, but I would like to toss in a complicating side note. As I understand this, a virus is not a living entity. It it reproduces by hijacking the mechanisms of living cells, but it does not carry on the process of metabolism.A virus is not killed, but it can be made inactive.Now if we throw the concept of what a virus is and how it works into the mix of how life originated, we may have a bit of a clue as to the transition between non life and life.

Yes, this is such an open and debatable point, it may well overwhelm the topic of the op.

My understanding of the non-living definition is that a virus does not metabolize. I read that replicating molecules have been found, but they clearly do not merit the definition of life.