Genesis 3:1-11Lesson 6

This section plays a critical role in the development of

biblical theology. The information contained in these verses

is used by a multitude of differing purveyors to demonstrate

their particular viewpoint. As one of those critical places

there is tremendous interest from all sides. Some take this

section as reciting a very literal series of events while others

take this as a way to demonstrate in a very poetic fashion a

very complex set of issues. One of the difficulties with this

later point of view is that there appears to be very little

agreement among the varying factions as to the exact

message being conveyed in poetic fashion, which may

simply be part of the nature of poetry. This problem makes

this perspective less palatable, especially to traditional

evangelicals.

It should be noted that the “explicit characterization

of actors” in Hebrew narrative is rare and is probably an

indicator that the remarks conveyed here should be viewed

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very carefully.1

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild

animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the

woman, “Did God say, ‘You shall not eat from any tree in

the garden’?”

The serpent has throughout antiquity and into

modern times been a creature of mystery. In the ancient

world it was endowed with divine or semi-divine qualities,

it was venerated as a symbol of “health, fertility,

immortality, occult wisdom, chaotic evil…” and was often

worshipped. The serpent played a central role in the

mythology, “the religious symbolism,” of many of the cults

of the ancient Near East. Even in the midst of Israel, in

“popular compositions,” “the serpent,” a monster that had

come to represent primeval chaos, challenged even at its

own expense God’s creative power.2

Understanding of this background is essential in

understanding the demythologizing that is being

1 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1 in the Word Biblical Commentary series (Waco TX: Word Books, Publisher, 1987), p. 72.2 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, in The JPS Torah Commentary series (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989), p. 24.

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undertaken by the author of Genesis at this point. In the

context of Genesis the Serpent is characterized as simply

one of the creatures, made by Him. This character

demonstrates it creatureliness in a number of ways: 1. It is

sentenced without interrogation; 2. It does not utter a word

before God; 3. “All the days of your life” indicates the

mortality of this creature. It is not characterized as demonic

in this context and is not conceived here as the

personification of evil, but as a character that entices the

woman’s desire with extraordinary shrewdness.3

The identification of the serpent with Satan is not

encountered within Judaism before the 2nd century B.C.

when this connection is encountered for the first time in the

Wisdom of Solomon 2:24.4 This serpent very smoothly

maneuvers Eve into a theological discussion where he

distorts the command of God by the placement of emphasis

and questioning the motives of God. The serpent wants the

words of God to appear to be “harsh and restrictive.”5 It

3 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 24.4 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 24. Wisdom of Solomon 2:24 but through the devil’s envy

death entered the world, and those who belong to his company experience it. NRSV5 Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001), p. 91.

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appears that the Serpent is able to focus on a human

weakness, rather than focusing on all the blessings and

benefits of God the focus is placed upon the negative aspects

of the words of God meant to protect and preserve

relationship, and life.

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the

fruit of the trees in the garden;

In this verse the woman corrects the Serpent, but not

quite correctly, as she omits the word “every.” It is perhaps

the case that the woman is already falling victim to the

shrewdness of the Serpent in putting a somewhat negative

spin onto the words of God or she may just be

demonstrating a lack of precision.6

3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree

that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch

it, or you shall die.’ ”

In correcting the statement of the Serpent she either

unconsciously exaggerates the stringency of the prohibition

or is perhaps quoting a more stringent version given to her

6 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1, p. 73.

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by her husband. In either instance she appears to have

introduced into her own mind the idea that God is

unreasonably strict.7 She also adopts the serpent’s

description of the “Lord God” as simply “God.” These slight

alterations perhaps indicate that the woman has already

moved slightly away from the attitude of God toward the

attitude of the serpent. The generosity of God is not being

given full account and the focus is on the negative rather

than the positive.8

4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not die;

In this verse the Serpent emphatically contradicts the

very words of God given in 2:17. This is a bold way of

disarming her fears.9 It is perhaps one of those moments

when even today we might expect the quick and fatal

retribution of God. It is perhaps prophetic on the part of the

Serpent because indeed the man and the woman do not die

immediately: Adam reached the age of 930 years (5:5).10

There has been much speculation as to the meaning of the

7 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 24.8 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1, p. 73.9 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 25.10 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1, p. 73.

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phrase, “you will die,” and in many ways it is truly difficult

to understand why immediate death did not come with the

breaking of the prohibition.

There are a number of ways to interpret this verse: 1.

Literally and instantaneously; this interpretation appears to

be incorrect as instant death does not occur. 2. That they

are going to begin to die and ultimately die, this is what

happened, but only as a result of be excluded from the

Garden and access to the Tree of Life and not a direct result.

3. That in some sense what is being spoken of is some form

of spiritual death. Though at first this may not seem as

attractive as the other 2 it does appear to fit.

The relationship with God is broken and this is surely

more of a consequence than simple physical death and

would seem to fit with God’s great desire throughout

history to restore relationship with humanity. Death would

then indicate separation from God, which does have

additional consequences, one of which ultimately is physical

death, but it should be noted that death at 3:22ff. is

described more in terms of mercy rather than as

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punishment. As I noted at the beginning careful attention

should be given to the nature of the narrative here, as it is

complex and detailed.

It should also be noted that the literal and simple

explanation is what the Serpent uses to create doubt and

ultimately disobedience to God. Surely, this is a warning to

all people in all ages to be very careful in ascertaining what

God says.

5 for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be

opened, and you will be like divine beings, knowing

good and evil.”

The words of the Serpent indicate that the fruit will

deliver new mental powers to the person who eats of it and

these new mental powers will endow the person with the

ability to make decisions independently of God. The

indication is that the fruit will endow the eater with godlike

powers. The text here uses the term Elohim (God) two

times in this verse. The first of these is clearly indicative of

God and uses the singular verb while the second time

Elohim is used it is linked with a plural verb and seems to be

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indicative of divine beings such as angels.11

The notion that angelic beings possess this power is

also mentioned at 2 Samuel 14:17 (Your servant thought,

‘The word of my lord the king will set me at rest’; for my

lord the king is like the angel of God, discerning good

and evil. The LORD your God be with you!”) Initially the

serpent had pretended to be ignorant of the words of God,

but here he demonstrates his knowledge of the words of

God (2:17) and uses them to enhance the listeners

receptivity to his words.12

There is truth in the words of the Serpent that reflect

a cruel irony, humanity does indeed have its eyes opened

with the result that they are separated from God. Their

relationship with God is destroyed.13 The best lie is that

which contains a large measure of truth and may even be

totally true, but leave out information vital to making a well-

informed decision. This encounter demonstrates that the

words of the serpent seek to have the opposite affect, as do

11 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 25. Tractate Soferim 4:5(4) points out that the first usage of Elohim is sacred, the second non-sacred. This is a minor section of the Talmud.12 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 25. 13 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1, p. 74.

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the words of God. God seeks the good of humanity and

relationship with them, but the serpent defines the nature

of evil which seeks to inform in ways that bring harm and

destruction. The serpent does not tell outright lies, but

clearly is not providing information that is in the best

interests of humanity, but actually gives information that is

incomplete and ultimately brings great harm.

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for

food, and that it was desirable to give one insight, and

that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she

took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her

husband, who was with her, and he ate.

The woman redefines what is “good” in an ironic

twist. God used the term to state a reality rooted in His

knowledge and desire for the well-being of His creation.

The woman redefines the word “good” in terms of

utilitarian value such as egotism, greed and self-interest.14

Eve gives priority to pragmatic, aesthetic, sensual and

physical emphases rather than to that which will help

14 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 25.

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humanity and enhance relationship with God and even with

her husband.15

7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew

that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves

together and made loincloths for themselves.

Just as was foretold by the Serpent the eyes of both of

them were opened. Ironically their new power gives them

the realization of shame and a consciousness of their

nakedness. The fig tree has unusually large and strong

leaves. It is of note that it is indigenous to Israel and not to

Mesopotamia, this detail is of note since it reflects a West

Semitic not a Mesopotamian background. This plant was

not cultivated in Babylon. The loincloths reflect the couple’s

loss of innocence.16

8 They heard the sound (or voice) of the LORD God

walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze

(Ruach), and the man and his wife hid themselves from

the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the

garden.

15 Bruce K. Waltke, Genesis, pp. 91-92.16 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, pp. 25-26.

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What appears to have been a normal activity of the

Garden happens and something extraordinary takes place.

This verse emphasizes the very close relationship between

God and humanity. The verse that is so familiar to us is

much more complex that our English versions indicate. The

word for “sound” could also mean “voice.” The term for

breeze is also the same term that is used in 1:2 of the

“Spirit” of God hovering over the surface of the deep. The

couple hid themselves from the “face” of God, which is a

term that will be used throughout scripture to indicate the

very special presence of God. This is the place that through

the centuries mankind will seek to stand, but it is an allusive

place that is beyond the reach of humanity and here thay

hide from the one they most need.

9 But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him,

“Where are you?”

God calls to the man, some think because he was the

one who heard the pronouncement from God regarding the

prohibition. The question is a polite way of beginning a

conversation in the Near East not an indication that the

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hiding was actually working.17 This scene constitutes a

divine inquest into the proceedings with God in the place of

Judge. The order of proceedings appears again when God

curses the Serpent. In this inquest the divine creator and

Judge will elicit the sins of the various acts from the very

lips of those who have committed the deeds that will

destroy relationship with their creator.18

10 He said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden,

and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

The answer of the man has more than a hint of irony in

Hebrew. The words “I heard the sound of You,” can also be

translated “I obeyed You,” which of course is the opposite of

the truth.19 Fear has entered into the Garden and into the

heart of humanity because they can now see themselves, as

they are before God with their newly acquired knowledge.

Their desire for power has brought them to this point of

shame and fear. The proclamation of being “naked”

indicates guilt from the lips of the man though this

17 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 26.18 Gordon J. Wenham, Genesis 1-15, Vol. 1, p. 76.19 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 26.

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admission comes begrudgingly and perhaps even

ignorantly.

11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have

you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not

to eat?” 20

The awareness of nakedness discloses the radical

change that has taken place in the human condition.21 The

next question gets straight to the heart of the matter and

requires a straightforward answer.

Synopsis

In this section of scripture what is often, I believe

wrongly, what is described as “the fall” is described. More

accurately this section describes the breakdown of

relationship. Firstly, and foremost it describes the

breakdown of the relationship between God and the

pinnacle of His creation, humankind. Secondly, it describes

very poignantly the breakdown of relationship between the

man and the woman. Thirdly, it will be the point at which

20 The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. 1989 (Ge 3:1–11). Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.21 Nahum M. Sarna, Genesis, p. 26.

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mankind’s relationship with the other creations of God will

be broken.

It also will convey to us a great deal of theological

content regarding the proper interpretation of Scripture

and warnings about how easily it can be twisted and

distorted. The serpent seems to be able to play off the

insecurities and selfish tendency of humanity very

affectively. The desire for power and the desire to have

control of their own destiny lead to destruction. These

same tendencies are still very much alive in humanity today

and the lessons that can be learned from this text can prove

invaluable for both our relationships and our own internal

peace.

Hiding from God and hiding our shame does not lead

to a solution to either of these problems and in each case

God must be the source of any possible solution. Obedience

to God and the result of failing to obey God is also a them

that certainly is prevalent in this section.

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