My dad would read the creation story to my sister and me
when we were young. I always hated this
part of the story because I didn't like tragic endings. I’d rather my dad read a different Bible
story because, let’s face it, this section of scripture doesn't show mankind at
his best. Thinking about it now, I
realize how naive I was - the stories don’t really get any better, and
selecting a story that shows man in a positive light would be difficult. In the Bible, mankind has a bright light
shown on him and we see him with all his blemishes, his bruises, and his
defects. Make no mistake, God is the
only hero in the story.
We've already seen God as creator, provider, and nurturer in
the first two chapters. The scene is set
with everything at peace, in its proper place.
But this is not how we experience the world. Finally we find out why.
In 3:1 Eve is tempted with a question. It starts with “Did God really say…” I think there is an implied sense of shock
with this statement. It’s as though the
real question is a statement such as: “Admit it, God keeps you in chains down
here,” or perhaps, “Does God really keep you locked up down here with nothing
to eat?” In any case, the “question” isn't
really a question at all. The serpent
probably isn't interested in the answer, but in the seed of doubt he is
planting. With that in mind, the
intended statement is: “God isn't really being good to you”.*
Verses 3:4 and 3:5 follow with 2 outright lies. I’ll rephrase them for emphasis. 3:4 – “God is lying to you, you won’t die”
and 3:5 – “God is oppressing you by withholding something good from you.”
So Eve eats the fruit and so does her husband. But, consider this question: When did they sin? I believe they sinned when they chose to trust
the serpent instead of God and what he said.
Also, look closely at the end of 3:6.
Eve didn't have to go far to give Adam some fruit. He was right there with her! (So, guys, stop
being so self-righteous toward the gals) Presumably, Adam was watching and
listening to the whole exchange and did nothing about it… Except disobey in the exact same way Eve did.
This brings us to verses 3:8-13. Or, as I like to call it, the “pass the blame”
section. Now that they've done something
wrong their first instinct is to turn on each other and God (“the woman YOU put
here with me” [my emphasis]). So we see
how their broken relationship with God has also driven a wedge of discord
between them.
In the next post, I’ll have a look at the fall out of this whole mess.
*Many people speculate about Eve’s response regarding
touching the fruit. Was she lying because
God did not say that in Genesis 2:17?
Had Adam misinformed her? Had the
statement in 2:17 been a brief summary of what God really said? I tend to think she might be lying (or been
misinformed) simply because it is the act of eating that causes the problem (as
seen in verses 3:6, 3:11, 3:12, and 3:13) and not the act of touching the fruit
(or so it seems to me). If this is true,
this lie might indicate a seed of bitterness already growing in the hearts of the
first couple. I imagine the serpent
being surprised to find that a seed had already put down roots and was sprouting. How fortunate for him; he wouldn't even have
to water or fertilize…
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