Genesis
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Genesis 3
Genesis 3
1Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which Jehovah God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of any tree of the garden?
1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Commentary · verse 1
2And the woman said unto the serpent, Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat: 3but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
2And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
3But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
Commentary · verses 2-4
This was a lie: This was a wrong WHAT. They would be separated from God's purpose for their lives...and they would feel it. Notice, it was not recorded in Genesis 1 that God stated not to touch the fruit. Whether Adam added this part or Eve added this herself, it was an example of how humans add to God's Word which dilutes the HOW/WHY and leads to deception. This was the first example of "man-made" religion.
5for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil.
5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
Commentary · verse 5
This was a fact: a right WHAT stated without a HOW or a WHY. A right WHAT with a wrong (or no) HOW and WHY is deception. The woman was left to supply her own HOW and WHY.
6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat.
6And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Commentary · verse 6
Eve came up with three comparative reasons why to eat the fruit. She ignored the one contrastive reason why not: loss of paradise. These three reasons will be referenced as warnings in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus' temptation by the devil in the desert (Matthew 4) covered these same three reasons. Also, 1 John 2:17 covered these same three reasons as proof a person loved the world instead of God.
Eve ate of the fruit first. It appeared Adam may have been with Eve during the exchange with the serpent because the phrase "with her" implied physically present.
7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
7And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Commentary · verse 7
The serpent's comment from verse 5 was factually correct! The day they ate of the fruit: their eyes would be opened and they were like God in that they knew good and evil. However, they immediately "died"...they were separated from God's purpose for their lives and they felt it. The knowledge of good and evil was the ability to look long term...to see effects. When Adam and Eve saw the effects of being naked, they responded. Notice the first half of this verse was a factual presentation of the events. The second half of this verse documented Adam and Eve's response. Previous to this moment, Adam and Eve took direction from God and lived in the moment. They did not make long term plans. The second half of this verse showed that Adam and Eve made a decision to operate in their own strength: to be a first cause apart from God. This is the verse where Adam and Eve decided to commit idolatry. In this verse, "fig-leaves" meant "large leaves." Adam and Eve felt God's covering before they ate of the tree. After they ate of the tree, they decided to continue to feel this covering in their own strength. Obviously, they weren't thinking clearly because it would be immediately obvious to God they had done something in their own strength.
Doctrines on this passage
8And they heard the voice of Jehovah God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Jehovah God amongst the trees of the garden.
8And they heard the voice 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 amongst the trees of the garden.
Commentary · verse 8
Man was in God's presence during this dispensation. The etymology of this verse alluded to God singing a song to Adam and Eve that involved a chorus in response from Adam and Eve. Here was another verse where Adam and Eve committed idolatry: rather than respond to God, Adam and Eve decided to hide themselves.
9And Jehovah God called unto the man, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Commentary · verses 9-10
God asked a question. Did God not know the answer?
11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
Commentary · verses 11-12
God asked two more questions. Did He not know the answer? Adam answered. However, Adam's response was to blame Eve instead of confess and repent. God did know the answers, however, God did not know Adam's response. Adam's response was to justify himself which was pride. Adam's response blamed God. Paul said the sin that caused us to lose Salvation came through Adam, not Eve (Romans 5:12). If this sin was the act of eating the fruit, then Paul was wrong. If the sin was justifying ourselves and blaming God and others, then it came through Adam. Genesis 3:12 was the original sin, all sin originates from pride: justifying ourselves and blaming others.
13And Jehovah God said unto the woman, What is this thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Commentary · verse 13
God asked Eve a question. She had an opportunity to confess and repent. She did the same sin as Adam. She justified herself and blamed the serpent.
Doctrines on this passage
14And Jehovah God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, cursed art thou above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Commentary · verse 14
God did not ask the serpent a question. God did not give the serpent an opportunity to confess and repent. The serpent was given legal right to eat the "dust" in our lives. Dust represented "sin" and "flesh."
15and I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Commentary · verse 15
Genesis 3:15 was the first Messianic prophecy:
Jesus will "bruise" the serpent's head. The serpent was a follower of Satan.
The serpent (followers of Satan) will "bruise" Jesus' heel. Jesus is a follower of God the Father, born of a woman ("her seed"). It will not be a fatal wound as Jesus is victorious even in death.
This is all connected to Christ's death (bruised heel) for the sin of man and in Christ's defeat (bruised head) of the Antichrist.
16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy conception; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in toil shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 18thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 19in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.
17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Commentary · verses 16-19
Adam sinned against Eve. Eve sinned against Adam. The serpent sinned against Eve. The previous verses represented God's judgment of sin between beings. This was a Reward judgment. The judgments pronounced were in direct response to the sins committed against each other.
Commentary · verse 19
Notice, Adam was still dressing and tending to vegetation, however it was now by physical effort. Was it possible Adam's two occupations during the 1st Dispensation (dressing the garden and naming the animals) were both done by speaking?
20And the man called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.
20And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
Commentary · verses 20-21
The first animal sacrifice was done by God in order to clothe Adam and Eve.
22And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever— 23therefore Jehovah God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Commentary · verses 22-24
In the last chapter of the Bible (Revelation 22:2) it stated that in eternity the ability to repair (live) forever is in eating the fruit of the tree of life which produces a different fruit each month, twelve in all. If Adam and Eve had eaten of the tree of life, they would have been able to remain in their fallen state for as long as they were able to eat of the tree of life. God removed them from paradise and they lost the ability to live on earth forever. This was a Salvation judgment. This was in response to sinning against God. The 1st Dispensation ended with a Reward judgment and a Salvation judgment. In the next chapter, we will see the conditions of the 2nd Dispensation.
Doctrines on this passage
An important aspect of Adam's job was to guard the garden. Did Adam let the serpent into the Garden or was the serpent already in the Garden prior to these interactions? The serpent was more subtle (crafty) than any beast of the field. If God can create everything, then giving the animals the ability to speak is easier.
The serpent said unto the woman, "Yea, hath God said,..." The serpent's first recorded words were questioning Eve's understanding of God's Word. Eve's understanding of God's Word came from Adam. Paul made it clear the serpent was not the devil. It would be unjust for the devil to deal directly with a human in paradise. Eve was influenced by Adam who was influenced by God. Some sources stated the serpent was influenced by a fallen angel...who was influenced by the devil. That would be Just.