~~~~~Lesson: Genesis: Chapter 3

Two major points of this section:
1) The word "serpent" is actually a play on the original Hebrew for the word "naked" making an alliteration in the original text. Later tradition hold that the serpent is actually "Satan", earlier tradition simply credits the serpent as being a "mischievious creature" (see Jerome's biblical commentary for further details).

2) The second point is more relevatant to us today. The serpent promises that the fruit will open their eyes to good and evil.
The first thing they realize though is that they are naked, which brings shame to them (as they hasten to cover themselves).

Also, we are later taught that true wisdom is following God's will perfectly. And his will was quite clear that they were not to eat the fruit.

So, did the serpent lie??
If not, did man and woman gain wisdom by their act?

What do you think and why??

(The next post will also be related to this...we will discuss the concept of original sin.)

~Reading: Genesis: Chapter 3:1-7

(1-7) Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the Lord God had made. The serpent asked the woman, "Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?"

The woman answered the serpent: "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; it is only about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, 'You shall not eat it or even touch it, lest you die.'"

But the serpent said to the woman: "You certainly will not die! No, God knows well that the moment you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods who know what is good and what is bad."

The woman saw that the tree was good for food, pleasing to the eyes, and desirable for gaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.
then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves