Genesis 3:1-3, “Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
“And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree, which is amid the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
Rephrased, “The serpent was sly and intelligent compared to any other creature that the Lord God had made. He then asked the woman, “Did God really tell you that you weren’t allowed to eat from any tree here in the garden?””
“The woman warned the serpent that they were allowed to eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except for one in the very center. She reminded him that God had said if they touched it, they would die.”
It’s a classic story that has been told for centuries – a cunning Serpent deceiving Adam and Eve, tempting them with the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, which God had told them not to eat from. Their disobedience, driven by the Serpent’s deceit, leads to their banishment from the Garden of Eden. The story highlights Satan’s mission to break down the trust between God and man, introducing doubt by asking Eve “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?’” Even after finding their vulnerability and exploiting it, Satan cannot undo what God had set in motion. What happened in Eden still holds true today – humans have an inherent weakness that requires guidance and protection, lest they fall prey to darkness.
Genesis 3:4-5, “Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Rephrased, “The serpent then told the woman that death would not be her fate as God knew they would gain knowledge upon consuming the fruit. This knowledge would allow them to become like God, understanding what was right and wrong.”
Eve is introduced to us in the Garden of Eden when The Serpent, disguised as a creature of a mysterious yet powerful entity, infiltrates Adam and Eve’s world. Satan quickly finds their weakness – the temptation of knowledge – and with it, he deceptional misquotes God’s words, prompting Adam and Eve to eat from the tree that they are forbidden to eat from. In this way, man has been shown the ultimate deception and ultimate defeat to Satan; driven by his desire for knowledge.
Genesis 3:6-7, “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.”
Rephrased, “Upon sighting the tree, the woman observed its potential as a source of nourishment and found it to be aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, she knew it had the capacity to make her wise. Consequently, she took some of its fruit and consumed it. Furthermore, she offered some to her husband and he also ate it. At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they realized they were naked. To cover up, they stitched some fig leaves together to make garments.”
Satan’s deceitful question to Adam and Eve, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” led to Man’s defeat. It can be seen as a fateful example of how ignorance and doubt can lead people astray away from the protection offered by their Creator. Satan had cleverly taken advantage of Eve’s questionability and appealed to her curiosity in order to get her to satisfy her forbidden desire for knowledge.
While Adam and Eve could have eaten from any tree in the Garden, they were warned that there was one tree from which they could not eat-the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. By disobeying God’s commandment, Adam and Eve cast out of Eden itself a repercussion that are still affecting humanity today.
Genesis 3:8, “And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
Rephrased, “At the same time, they heard the Lord God walking in the garden during a pleasant time of day. As a result, Adam and his wife concealed themselves from God’s presence among the trees in the garden.”
