MIT and LIT Study Group
Friday 27 February 2009
Genesis 3
Observation 1: Adam was there.
It is important to remember that Adam was with Eve throughout the fruit-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil (don't call it an apple!) debacle. He stood by whilst the serpent talked to his wife, he allowed her to take the fruit and eat it. And after she had done so, he joined in. Arguably, Adam's first sin was not eating fruit, but it was not protecting his wife from the serpent. We know this because God confronts Adam about the situation - He calls Adam, and confronts him about hiding and being naked - God asks Adam if he had eaten of the tree, not Eve - it was Adam's responsibility to protect his family, and he failed.
For women reading this, it's also to note that Eve shouldn't have jumped in and tried to lead the family - perhaps if she had consulted her husband rather than just marching ahead, then the story would have been very different. God curses woman later for this attitude 'and your desire shall be for your husband' - specifically, this refers to the husband's position rather than any other definition.
Observation 2: God's grace
God has given the man and the woman the freedom to choose their own destinies. He has provided warnings because actions do have consequences - we just decide in the moment when we sin, that the sin in front of us is more attractive than the fear of the consequence that lies ahead.
God gives warnings 'you will die' but when it comes down to it, He doesn't kill them - He shows mercy, but because they have sinned, there are consequences, and God can no longer walk with them - for He cannot be with sin. And so God curses the man and the woman as according to their roles - provider and child-bearer and He then throws them out of the garden. But in all this, He shows grace and mercy to them - God wants us to come back to Him in love - fear because of what He could do, but love because in spite of that, he is graceful, merciful and loving toward us.
It is important to remember that Adam was with Eve throughout the fruit-of-the-tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil (don't call it an apple!) debacle. He stood by whilst the serpent talked to his wife, he allowed her to take the fruit and eat it. And after she had done so, he joined in. Arguably, Adam's first sin was not eating fruit, but it was not protecting his wife from the serpent. We know this because God confronts Adam about the situation - He calls Adam, and confronts him about hiding and being naked - God asks Adam if he had eaten of the tree, not Eve - it was Adam's responsibility to protect his family, and he failed.
For women reading this, it's also to note that Eve shouldn't have jumped in and tried to lead the family - perhaps if she had consulted her husband rather than just marching ahead, then the story would have been very different. God curses woman later for this attitude 'and your desire shall be for your husband' - specifically, this refers to the husband's position rather than any other definition.
Observation 2: God's grace
God has given the man and the woman the freedom to choose their own destinies. He has provided warnings because actions do have consequences - we just decide in the moment when we sin, that the sin in front of us is more attractive than the fear of the consequence that lies ahead.
God gives warnings 'you will die' but when it comes down to it, He doesn't kill them - He shows mercy, but because they have sinned, there are consequences, and God can no longer walk with them - for He cannot be with sin. And so God curses the man and the woman as according to their roles - provider and child-bearer and He then throws them out of the garden. But in all this, He shows grace and mercy to them - God wants us to come back to Him in love - fear because of what He could do, but love because in spite of that, he is graceful, merciful and loving toward us.
posted by Nick Cowan at 01:08
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