Genesis 3:1–7, 14–19

Explore the Bible
Assistant Professor of Christian Ministries, University of Mobile

HUMANITY’S FALL

Genesis 3:1–7, 14–19

The arrival of a cunning serpent presents a challenge of immense importance to Adam and Eve. Their choice is to disregard God’s instructions, an act of willful rebellion that has terrible consequences for all of creation.

The Sham (1–5)

The speaking serpent is suddenly introduced into the story with little detail. Although the initial words of the serpent appear deceptively innocent, his subsequent contradiction of God leaves no doubt about the serpent’s motive. The Scripture does not indicate when or how the serpent became evil. While the text does not explicitly identify the serpent with Satan, such an identification is a legitimate inference and is clearly what the apostle John has in view in Revelation 12:9.

God had given Adam the command in Genesis 2:16–17 not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Within a matter of a few verses temptation to sin appears when God’s command is reduced to questions about God. Is God really holy? Does God really know what is right? Does He really want what is best for me? Faced with such questions, man and woman assert themselves not as the ones to be judged by God but as the ones who sit in judgment of God.

The serpent’s question focuses on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We may read the tree’s name and think, “What’s so wrong with knowing the difference between good and evil?” But the meaning of Scripture here goes beyond information about good and evil to the determination of good and evil. For the man and the woman to eat from this tree was to reject God as the One who determines good and evil and to assume this responsibility themselves. The temptation was to rebel against God’s authority and in the process make humans the arbiters of morality.

The Shame (6–7)

The woman yielded to the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and pride. Here we see the evolution of sin. First her look became lust. Second her desire became a decision. Third her choice became a chain (John 8:34). And fourth the sinner became a seducer.

Human disobedience had consequences. Immediately the man and the woman knew they had sinned. They experienced guilt, shame and fear. The first occurrence of works righteousness is seen in verse 7. They sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths, trying to hide from the Lord when He came looking for them. It is important to note that humanity never wins in a game of hide-and-seek with God.

The Shambles (14–19)

The consequences of their actions were devastating. Like a virus sin entered into all of creation and into the hearts of Adam and Eve. Sin, suffering and pain were passed from generation to generation, distorting creation from its original design. The peace and harmony, or “shalom,” of God’s creation was shattered. As a result of human rebellion we all have confrontations with sin (14–15), conflict with one another (16) and a clash with the environment (17–19).

Genesis 3:15 is known as the “Protoevangelium,” the first announcement of the gospel. God removed Adam and Eve from Eden as a result of their sin but left them with a promise that one of their descendants would someday rescue humanity from sin. Over the next centuries God prepared the way for the Savior of the world. The whole Bible ultimately points to this one person as the focal point of all human history. His purpose was “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10).