“Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, ESV). There is no tragedy greater than the one recorded in Genesis 3, for this chapter reveals how God’s “very good” creation left the light for darkness. It sets the stage for the horrific crimes perpetrated in chapter 4 and leads to the necessary step of destroying the world in chapter 6. On a personal level, this text reveals to us the template we’ve all followed as we, people created in God’s image, left Him to become “children of wrath” (Ephesians 2.3).
Yet, hope shines through even in the darkest of chapters, because He who formed us had already planned how He would redeem us: “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1 Peter 1:20–21, ESV)
The Tempter (vs. 1)
“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field…” We must confess that our knowledge of Satan is limited, base only on a few passages. Like many Biblical teachings, revelation regarding Satan was progressive over time. At the beginning the tempter is identified with the serpent, an identification that would continue in Scripture (see 2Cor. 11.3; Revelation 12.9; 20.2). The most likely interpretation of the passage is that Satan utilized the serpent for his tempting of Eve.
“How did Satan come into the world? That is a question upon which Scripture sheds little light. Biblical teaching compels Christians to assert that God is not the author of sin. Satan is a created being, for nothing is eternal save God himself. Satan, however, could not have been created evil. He must have fallen from his position as one of God’s chief angels (2 Pet 2:4; Jude 6; 1 Tim 3:6). Many commentators think that Isaiah 14:3–17 and Ezekiel 28:11–19 refer to the fall of Satan. In both cases, however, the text clearly indicates that the focus is on the proud ambitions and ultimate downfall of pagan monarchs, not Satan.” (James E. Smith)
The Temptation (vss. 1-5)
Satan’s tactics are on full display in this passage. His opening salvo in vs. 1 reveals two of his tactics: 1) “Did God actually say” invited Eve to question God’s revealed will and 2) the tempter blatantly distorted what God had said. From there the serpent would directly contradict God’s word (vs. 4) and then impugned God’s character and motive while appealing to Eve’s pride and vanity (vs. 5). “Additional points in Satan’s temptation strategy should be noted: (1) he attacked when Eve was alone; (2) he selected the ground carefully, waiting until the woman was in full view of the tree; (3) he employed ambiguous and obscure language; and (4) he pretended to be seeking only the best for his victim.” (James E. Smith)
The passage also indicates Eve’s willingness to be led astray. Her reply to the serpent, while correcting Satan’s falsehood, indicated a possible resentment. Note that she declared that not only had God forbidden them from eating, but also from touching the fruit lest they die (vs. 3, compare Genesis 2.17). “She minimized the garden privileges: ‘We may eat from the trees in the garden’ (cf. 2:16). She exaggerated the prohibition. To ‘do not eat’ she added ‘nor touch it’ (cf. 2:17). She watered down the warning. ‘In the day you eat of it you will surely die’ (2:17) became simply ‘you will die’ (3:3).” (James E. Smith)
The Transgression (vs. 6)
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14–15, ESV) Eve set the pattern for all sin that followed, valuing what her eyes saw, what her flesh craved and what her pride demanded more than respecting the will of God (see 1John 2.15-17). “The pattern of sin runs right through the act, for Eve listened to a creature instead of the Creator, followed her impressions against her instructions, and made self-fulfillment her goal.” (Derek Kidner)
If Eve ate first, why do the Scriptures declare that sin came through Adam (see Romans 5.12)? Paul’s words in 1Timothy 2.14 would seem to hold the answer: “Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived…” Eve was deceived by the serpent and fell prey to his temptation, whereas Adam was not deceived; he sinned willfully, knowing that he was transgressing the will of his Creator.
The Consequences (vss. 7-19, 22-24)
Sin’s consequences revealed themselves immediately, even before the Lord spoke to His wayward children: “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (vs. 7). As is the case with so many of Satan’s temptations, there was a kernel of truth (their eyes were opened, vs. 5), but the promise was a lie; rather than the promised enlightenment they received only shame. “Man saw the familiar world and spoilt it now in the seeing, projecting evil on to innocence (cf. Titus 1:15) and reacting to good with shame and flight.” (Derek Kidner). Their guilt led to feeble efforts to conceal their shame (vs. 7), to flee from the presence of God (vs. 8) and to deflect blame on others, including God Himself (vss. 12-13). Fellowship with God was lost, not to be fully restored until the new heavens and earth are revealed (see Revelation 22.4).
The first hint of mercy is found in the Lord’s calling out to man (vs. 9). Salvation has always been initiated by God; man flees in rebellion and shame, but the Lord seeks to save (John 3.16). But actual salvation would not be accomplished until a later time (more on this later in the lesson). Now, the Lord God had to reveal the full consequences of their actions; He had to show what it meant for them to die on the day they transgressed His will. Note the following as you read vss. 14-19:
- Vs. 14, note that the serpent is cursed, but a curse is not uttered against woman or man. Man would suffer the results of his rebellion, not as a curse on him, but as the natural consequences of sin now separating man from God. More on this later.
- Vs. 15, the curse against the enemy was first seen in his instrument, the serpent (vs. 14). However, this verse reveals the ongoing conflict which would occur between Satan and the people of God, culminating in the victory over Satan. “Even though the surface reference is to the hatred between human beings and serpents, the deeper, more important significance is to the strife between the seed of woman, who is Christ, and Satan. At Christ’s death He brought to nothing the power of Satan (bruised his head, a mortal wound—Heb. 2:14). Though Jesus was slain by the forces of evil, it was according to the plan and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23). Death itself proved to be temporary because He was raised from the dead (hence a bruised heel—a blow from which He recovered). On this early day when Eve sinned, Satan won the victory. The promise is that One would come, a descendant of woman, who would win the battle against Satan that Eve lost that day.” (Bob Waldron)
- Vs. 16, this verse does not describe what God desired for the relationship between man and woman. His desire was given in Genesis 2.18-25 where the husband and wife were truly one. The consequence of sin and leaving God’s pattern would be strife between man and woman. God’s teaching, while appointing roles within the family also stresses the love and unity He looks for in the marriage relationship. His teachings are mean to guide us back to the relationship which existed in Eden (see Ephesians 5.22ff).
- Vss. 17-19, “He had eaten forbidden fruit; now the earth would refuse him necessary food. He had disobeyed God; now the earth over which he had been given dominion would disobey him.” (James E Smith)
- Vss. 22-24, this passage illuminates the nature of man’s punishment. The Lord God had warned that “in the day you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2.17). While man did not physically die on that day, the process of death with its associated toil and pain began at that time. And those came about because of the spiritual death which occurred because of sin (Romans 6.23; Isaiah 59.2). The very cursing of the ground would seem to be the result not of God changing it’s nature, but of the separation which would now exist between creation and Creature. Creation itself is longing for redemption (Romans 8.18-22).
Hope (vss. 15, 20-21)
As tragic as this chapter is, hope also shines throughout. God’s merciful and gracious character is highlighted in His calling out to man (vs. 9) and even in his provision of clothing for His creation (vs. 21). But of course the great hope is the one specified in vs. 15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”” (Genesis 3:15, ESV) Interestingly, the future redemption which would occur in Jesus is hinted out in other ways in this chapter:
- The sin involved “taking” and “eating” (vs. 6). Redemption would be commemorated by “taking” and “eating” (Matthew 26.26).
- Because of sin, man’s access to God and the garden was barred by a cherubim with a flaming sword (vs. 24). Significantly, cherubim were woven into the veil which separated the Most Holy place (Exodus 36.35), the veil which was rent in two at Jesus’ death (Matthew 27.51). Access to God has truly been regained (Hebrews 10.19-22).
A note about original sin…
Original sin is not a new doctrine, having been advocated by various teachers for many centuries. But it is not a Biblical doctrine. That’s not to say that Adam’s sin is just like any other sin; it isn’t. Adam’s sin fundamentally changed man’s relationship with God; a separation exists now which did not exist before and sin has only increased in our world. As Paul accurately stated, “sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned” (Romans 5.12).
However, Paul did NOT say that all became guilty of Adam’s sin. If he had, he would have contradicted what he’d already written (see Romans 2.6-11; 3.23; etc.). Furthermore, the notion of all being guilty of Adam’s sin would have been a foreign concept to Israel (the original audience for Genesis). They were promised blessings for obedience and warned of curses for disobedience (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). They were commanded to not sin (Exodus 20), but given ways to atone for sin (Leviticus 16). And when later in their history they blamed their ancestors for their own mistakes and resulting punishment, the Lord reminded them, “the soul who sins shall die” (Ezekiel 18.4).
“For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:17, ESV)
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