Hypocrites and Backsliders-009

Adam and Eve:

Part 3 - The Fall

mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur

("The world wants to be deceived, so let it be deceived.")

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Genesis 2 Exegesis

• "There are only four chapters in the Bible where Satan is not present, the first two and the last two."

• Elwell, Walter A.: Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids, Mich. : Baker Book House, 1996, c1989 (Baker Reference Library 3), S. Ge 3:1

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Genesis 2 Exegesis• "If Genesis 3 were not in the Bible, there would be

no Bible as we know it. Why? • Because the rest of Scripture documents the sad

consequences of Adam’s sin and explains what God in His grace has done to rescue us.

• By grasping the basic truths of this important chapter, you can better understand Paul’s discussion of justification in Romans 5, his teaching in 1 Timothy 2:8–15 about men and women in the church, and his explanation in 1 Corinthians 15 of the future resurrection."

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• "The record in Genesis 3 is not a myth. If the fall of man didn’t actually occur, then the Christian faith is built on fables, not fact, and Jesus Christ suffered needlessly on the cross. From Genesis 3 to Revelation 21, the Bible records the conflict between God and Satan, sin and righteousness, and pleads with sinners to repent to trust God." - Wiersbe

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Since holiness may be either active or passive ﾑ

positive virtue, or the absence of evil ﾑ the moral qualities of the first man were passive. He was innocent of wrong. There had been no opportunity to develop a tested moral character; yet no record asserts that he had not understood the difference between right and wrong. What might have been required morally of the first man and the measure of his obligation, depended largely upon the degree of his development as created.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• If, as some have claimed, he was only an infant in

his mental powers ﾑ being an infant with respect to days of his existence ﾑ then his moral responsibility is lowered to the vanishing point and the transgression by which he fell called for no judgment whatsoever. In the matter of his transgression, God treated Adam as being wholly accountable and this fact alone certifies the moral development which he sustained. God created a mature man.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• It is true that he could recall no past history, nor could he

marshal the value of accumulated experience; but these values were possessed to the degree required for maturity of action.

• Such was the character of the creative act of God. • No higher attestation of full-grown human excellence could

be found than is exhibited in the truth that man as created was well-pleasing to God and thus received into divine companionship.

• By so much the thought of immaturity or of irresponsibility is precluded; yet the holiness of the unfallen first man was passive in that it was innocence and untested character.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• The narrative is terse, its brevity aptly capturing the

inexpressible pain Adam would have felt as he told his children how his sin had brought death on their heads.

• This is the saddest chapter in human history, for it brought the greatest tragedy the world will ever see -- the crucifixion.

• We should keep in mind the picture chapter 2 painted of man's perfection, for then we can contrast the height from which the depravity of his sinful condition caused him to fall.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• Bearing this perfection in mind, too, dispels any concept of Adam and Eve being naive children in the Garden of Eden.

• We must be sure to do this, for to leave any suggestion that they were naive is to question God's justice in condemning the human race because of Adam's action.

• Satan took the form of a snake and tempted Eve to doubt God.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• The basis of this temptation was that which caused

his own fall; Isa 14:13-14 lists a crescendo of five "I wills" culminating in, "I will make myself like the Most High" (nasb).

• This is precisely how he tempted Eve; a desire to be like God.

• Eating the fruit was merely an expression of the sin which was outright rebellion, an assertion of independence from God.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• That is what all sin is; call it rebellion, disobedience, or self-

assertiveness, if you will, but the basis of all sin is independence from God.

• It is founded in pride, as was Satan's original sin, a pride that refuses to be subject to God's authority.

• We are now back to the purpose of creation: to answer the question, "Who has the right to rule - God or Satan?"

• Study the method Satan used in tempting Eve; he started by questioning God's word, "Has God said?"

• Notice how he distorted God's word thereafter by suggesting that God had prohibited "every" tree (to mix truth with falsehood is one of Satan's regular ploys).

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Only when Eve was following him down this

subtle path did he openly question God's veracity (v.4), backing his question with a sly attack on God's character (v.5).

• Eve was duped into trusting Satan. • Have you noticed how Jesus rebutted

Satan? • He used God's word and refused to allow

any debate on it (e.g., Luke 4:4, 8, 12).

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Consider and appropriate the advice of Psalm 119:11, for

Jesus modeled this method for resisting Satan.• Trace the course of this first temptation: first the question

as to whether it was really wrong, then dalliance with the temptation"see how good it looks! how good it will taste! what good benefits I will enjoy!

• I John 2:16 helps us understand sin, for it defines all sin as either:

• i) The lust of the flesh.• ii) The lust of the eyes.• iii) The boastful pride of life.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• This first temptation was a package deal; it included all

three categories -- trace them for yourself! • When Satan tempted Christ he again used all three:• i) Make stones into bread -- satisfy your flesh (Luke 4:3).

(Chemical and Sexual)• ii) Have all the possessions in the world-- lust of the eyes

(Luke 4:5). (Materialism)• iii) Jump off the temple -- boastful pride (Luke 4:9). (Pride of

Life -- Religion, Approbation and Power)

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Genesis 3 Background• Gen 2:7 And Jehovah God formeth the man -- dust

from the ground, and breatheth into his nostrils breath of life, and the man becometh a living creature. 8 And Jehovah God planteth a garden in Eden, at the east, and He setteth there the man whom He hath formed; 9 and Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

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Genesis 3 Background• 8 And Jehovah God planteth a garden in Eden, at

the east, and He setteth there the man whom He hath formed; 9and Jehovah God causeth to sprout from the ground every tree desirable for appearance, and good for food, and the tree of life in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. 10And a river is going out from Eden to water the garden, and from thence it is parted, and hath become four chief rivers;

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Genesis 3 Background

• 15And Jehovah God taketh the man, and causeth him to rest in the garden of Eden, to serve it, and to keep it. 16 And Jehovah God layeth a charge on the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden eating thou dost eat; 17and of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou dost not eat of it, for in the day of thine eating of it 'dying thou dost die.'"

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Genesis 3 Background• 18 And Jehovah God saith, "Not good for the man

to be alone, I do make to him an helper -- as his counterpart." 19And Jehovah God formeth from the ground every beast of the field, and every fowl of the heavens, and bringeth in unto the man, to see what he doth call it; and whatever the man calleth a living creature, that is its name. 20And the man calleth names to all the cattle, and to fowl of the heavens, and to every beast of the field; and to man hath not been found an helper -- as his counterpart.

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Genesis 3 Background• 21 And Jehovah God causeth a deep sleep to fall

upon the man, and he sleepeth, and He taketh one of his ribs, and closeth up flesh in its stead. 22And Jehovah God buildeth up the rib which He hath taken out of the man into a woman, and bringeth her in unto the man; 23and the man saith, “This is the proper step! bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh!' for this it is called Woman, for from a man hath this been taken; 24therefore doth a man leave his father and his mother, and hath cleaved unto his wife, and they have become one flesh. 25And they are both of them naked, the man and his wife, and they are not ashamed of themselves.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Chapter 3 1 Now the serpent hath been subtile

above every beast of the field which Jehovah God hath made, and he saith unto the woman, "Is it true that God hath said, Ye do not eat of every tree of the garden?" 2And the woman saith unto the serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we do eat, 3and of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath said, Ye do not eat of it, nor touch it, lest ye die." 4And the serpent saith unto the woman, "Dying, ye do not die, 5for God doth know that in the day of your eating of it your eyes have been opened, and ye have been as God, knowing good and evil."

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• 6 And the woman seeth that the tree is good for food, and that it is pleasant to the eyes, and the tree is desirable to make one wise, and she taketh of its fruit and eateth, and giveth also to her husband with her, and he doth eat; 7and the eyes of them both are opened, and they know that they are naked, and they sew fig-leaves, and make to themselves girdles.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• 8And they hear the sound of Jehovah God

walking up and down in the garden at the breeze of the day, and the man and his wife hide themselves from the face of Jehovah God in the midst of the trees of the garden. 9 And Jehovah God calleth unto the man, and saith to him, ﾔWhere art thou?' 10and he saith, ﾔ Thy sound I have heard in the garden, and I am afraid, for I am naked, and I hide myself.'

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• 11 And He saith, ﾔWho hath declared to

thee that thou art naked? of the tree of which I have commanded thee not to eat, hast thou eaten?' 12and the man saith, ﾔ The woman whom Thou didst place with me ﾑ she hath given to me of the tree ﾑ and I do eat.' 13And Jehovah God saith to the woman, ﾔWhat is this thou hast done?' and the woman saith, ﾔ The serpent hath caused me to forget ﾑand I do eat.'

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• 14 And Jehovah God saith unto the serpent, "Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all the cattle, and above every beast of the field: on thy belly dost thou go, and dust thou dost eat, all days of thy life; 15and enmity I put between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; he doth bruise theein the head, and thou dost bruise himin the heel."

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• 16 Unto the woman He said, "Multiplying I multiply

thy sorrow and thy conception, in sorrow dost thou bear children, and toward thy husband is thy desire, and he doth rule over thee.' 17 And to the man He said, "Because thou hast hearkened to the voice of thy wife, and dost eat of the tree concerning which I have charged thee, saying, Thou dost not eat of it, cursed is the ground on thine account; in sorrow thou dost eat of it all days of thy life,

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• 18and thorn and bramble it doth bring forth to thee, and thou hast eaten the herb of the field; 19by the sweat of thy face thou dost eat bread till thy return unto the ground, for out of it hast thou been taken, for dust thou art, and unto dust thou turnest back.'

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• 20 And the man calleth his wife's name Eve: for she hath been mother of all living. 21 And Jehovah God doth make to the man and to his wife coats of skin, and doth clothe them. 22 And Jehovah God saith, “Lo, the man was as one of Us, as to the knowledge of good and evil; and now, lest he send forth his hand, and have taken also of the tree of life, and eaten, and lived to the age,”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• 23Jehovah God sendeth him forth from the

garden of Eden to serve the ground from which he hath been taken; 24yea, he casteth out the man, and causeth to dwell at the east of the garden of Eden the cherubs and the flame of the sword which is turning itself round to guard the way of the tree of life.

• Young, Robert: Young's Literal Translation. Oak Harbor : Logos Research Systems, 1997

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Genesis 3.1.• Now the serpent: Now does not refer to time; it is

the usual Hebrew connective used to introduce a new stage or episode in the sequence of story events.

• In some languages no marker is required here, while in others special particles indicate such a transition.

• In some languages the opening of a new episode or the introduction of a new participant in a narrative usually follows a particular pattern.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• This may require saying, for example, “This is the

story that begins with a snake. The snake was …” or “Now the story goes on beginning with a snake. The snake was ….”

• Some languages find it more natural to say, for example, “God made many animals and the most cunning one of all was the snake.”

• One example of following the usual pattern for introducing a new character into a story is “When God made all the animals, one of them was a really tricky one. He was more clever than all the other animals. That one was the snake.”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent

beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3

• The agent in the temptation is undoubtedly not a mere serpent, but an evil spirit under the form of a serpent.

• He possesses and abuses the powers of reason and speech.

• The serpent was probably by nature more subtle than any beast of the field; and on that account this form may have been selected by the tempter.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Who is this evil spirit?• He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the

devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• More "subtle," more discerning and sagacious

"than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made".

• The word is also used in a positive way in Pro 12.16, where it is translated “prudent” (rsv) and “smart” (tev).

• Here the word suggests guile or intent to deceive. • Most languages do not lack for terms to express

“deceitful cleverness”; however, some languages prefer to express the idea in figurative terms; for example…“The snake’s mouth was full of honey, more than any other ….”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• Wild creature is literally “beast of the field” as in 2.19, 20 and means “wild animal” in contrast to domesticated animal. tev translates it as “animal,” but the text has a term that describes it as “wild.”

• Lord God = (lit.) Jehovah Elohim; i.e., both God's names, thus stressing both His sovereignty and the fact that He is their personal God.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• The first term "LORD" is the covenant name

of God, YHWH, from the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exod. 3:14).

• The second term "God" is the Hebrew term Elohim which is the PLURAL form of the general term for God in the ancient Near East, El.

• The rabbis say that YHWH stands for God's covenant mercy while Elohim stands for God as creator.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• He said to the woman: Said is followed by a question, and so in English, as in many other languages, “asked” or “inquired” will be more natural.

• Did God say is introduced in Hebrew by an intensive particle that gives the sense “Is it really so that God said …?”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• The expression shows that the serpent sows

a seed of doubt regarding what God has said.

• In languages that naturally use a question form to express this, we may render “Is it actually so that God said …?” “Did God really say …?” or “Is it true that God said …?” If God did say …? is understood as a rhetorical question, some may find it natural to translate “God didn’t really say ….”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• God in the speech of the snake is ’elohim, as in chapter 1, and not Jehovah ’elohim.

• Only here and in the woman’s reply is ’elohim used.

• Elsewhere in Genesis, after the creation account is complete and Man appears only Jehovah ’elohim is used, "the Lord God".

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• You shall not eat of any tree of the garden: You is plural in Hebrew and so refers to the man and the woman, although it is likely that only the woman is being addressed.

• The snake is asking if the prohibition to eat applies to every tree, as the rsv rendering indicates.

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• This question may have to be restructured to say “Did God really say, ‘You both are to eat from no tree in the garden’?” or “… ‘both of you are to avoid eating from every tree in the garden’?”

• Note that Satan's question included Adam; and Eve should have immediately said, ”Adam and I are one, so I'll go get him and we three can talk about this".

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• Genesis 3.2.

• And the woman said to the serpent: said introduces a response and may be better translated “replied, answered.”

• And since the woman’s reply in fact denies what the snake is suggesting, in some languages it will be natural to begin the reply with “No! ….”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• We may eat: The sense is “We are permitted to eat,” “God said we could eat,” “God allows us to eat.”

• Of the fruit of the trees of the garden means “fruit of any tree” (tev), “fruit of every tree,” or “fruit of all the trees.”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Genesis 3.3.• “But God said: but shows the contrast or exception

to eating from any or all the trees. • The woman repeats the serpent’s use of ’elohim. • Neither shall you touch it: touch refers to coming

into physical contact with something. • God has not actually said this; these are the

woman’s own words. • Lest you die: that is, “so that you will not die” or “to

keep you from dying.”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis• Genesis 3.4. But the serpent said to the woman:

But introduces a contrast between the woman’s answer that eating the fruit would result in death, and the snake’s claim that that is not so.

• Dying you two will not die: You is second person plural in Hebrew, referring to the woman and the man.

• The construction of this phrase is literally “dying you two will not die,” which may be translated in English “It is not really so that you two will die,” or “Certainly, you two won’t die.”

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Genesis 3 Exegesis

• In this case again it will be natural in some languages to begin the speech with the word “No!”

• Two examples of this are, “No! You-two will not die,” and “No! That’s not true.

• You-two won’t ….”

• In one rendering the snake’s denial of the truth of what God has said is expressed as “God is telling a lie. You won’t die.”