Transcript Human Nature-009

Hypocrites and Backsliders009
Adam and Eve:
Part 3 - The Fall
mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur
("The world wants to be deceived, so let it be
deceived.")
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
LWBC
12-30-07
2
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."
LWBC
12-30-07
3
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
LWBC
12-30-07
4
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
5
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
6
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
7
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
8
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
9
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
10
Genesis 3 Exegesis
• That is what all sin is; call it rebellion, disobedience, or selfassertiveness, 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).
LWBC
12-30-07
11
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).
LWBC
12-30-07
12
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
13
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)
LWBC
12-30-07
14
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
15
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; 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. 10
And a river is going
out from Eden to water the garden, and from
thence it is parted, and hath become four chief
rivers;
LWBC
12-30-07
16
Genesis 3 Background
• 15
And 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; 17
and 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.'"
LWBC
12-30-07
17
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." 19
And 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. 20
And 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.
LWBC
12-30-07
18
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. 22
And
Jehovah God buildeth up the rib which He hath
taken out of the man into a woman, and bringeth
her in unto the man; 23
and 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; 24
therefore doth a man leave
his father and his mother, and hath cleaved unto
his wife, and they have become one flesh. 25
And
they are both of them naked, the man and his wife,
and they are not ashamed of themselves.
LWBC
12-30-07
19
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?" 2
And the woman saith unto the
serpent, "Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we
do eat, 3
and 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." 4
And the serpent saith
unto the woman, "Dying, ye do not die, 5
for 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."
LWBC
12-30-07
20
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; 7
and the eyes of them both are
opened, and they know that they are naked,
and they sew fig-leaves, and make to
themselves girdles.
LWBC
12-30-07
21
Genesis 3 Exegesis
• 8
And 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?' 10
and he
saith, ﾔThy sound I have heard in the
garden, and I am afraid, for I am naked, and
I hide myself.'
LWBC
12-30-07
22
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?' 12
and 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.' 13
And
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.'
LWBC
12-30-07
23
LWBC
12-30-07
24
LWBC
12-30-07
25
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;
15
and 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."
LWBC
12-30-07
26
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,
LWBC
12-30-07
27
Genesis 3 Exegesis
• 18
and thorn and bramble it doth bring forth
to thee, and thou hast eaten the herb of the
field; 19
by 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.'
LWBC
12-30-07
28
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,”
LWBC
12-30-07
29
Genesis 3 Exegesis
• 23
Jehovah God sendeth him forth from the
garden of Eden to serve the ground from
which he hath been taken; 24
yea, 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
LWBC
12-30-07
30
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
31
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.”
LWBC
12-30-07
32
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
33
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
LWBC
12-30-07
34
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 ….”
LWBC
12-30-07
35
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
36
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
37
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 …?”
LWBC
12-30-07
38
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 ….”
LWBC
12-30-07
39
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".
LWBC
12-30-07
40
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.
LWBC
12-30-07
41
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".
LWBC
12-30-07
42
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! ….”
LWBC
12-30-07
43
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.”
LWBC
12-30-07
44
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.”
LWBC
12-30-07
45
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.”
LWBC
12-30-07
46
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.”
LWBC
12-30-07
47