Q. Who is the serpent?
- We are not told specifically that the serpent is Satan, the text does not seem interested in revealing this information to us. All we know from this text is that the serpent is opposed to God.
- He is introduced not as a serpent, but as the serpent. This may indicate that the writer presupposed knowledge of the identity of the serpent.
- The serpent seems to act under the influence of a higher power. There is no tradition of magical talking animals among the Israelites. Even in the story of Balaam’s ass in Numbers, the text makes a point to tell us that God opened the ass’ mouth.
- The serpent also has knowledge of God’s command to Adam & Eve by using God’s exact language.
- The serpent represents an aberration to God’s design. Though a beast, he seeks to establish dominion over man. Though an animal, he speaks. Though a creature, he challenges the creator and disputes God’s word.
- The Old Testament introduces Satan in two places: Job & Zechariah. Neither connect him to the serpent.
- In the New Testament we do find references connecting the serpent to Satan. Though there are other references, the most explicit is Revelation 12:9 where the great dragon, the ancient serpent, the devil, and Satan are all said to be the same being.
Satan’s strategy
Q. What is Satan’s strategy?
1. The serpent does not mount a frontal assault, but instead asks a question. The question exaggerates God’s prohibition by asking if God had forbidden all the trees.
2. The serpent disputes the truth of God’s word and even quotes God perfectly doing it. The serpent denies there is penalty for sin and denies the possibility of death.
3. The serpent calls God’s motives into question. God has given man a kingdom and extended to them the promise of Sabbath rest upon successful completion of their assigned tasks. The serpent however focuses on the prohibition and convinces them that God is motivated by jealousy. God is a tyrant who is holding them back from their destiny. The serpent presents himself as one who really cares for them and wants them to reach their full potential.
4. The serpent’s attacks on two fronts: 1. Denies the truthfulness of God. 2. Denies the trustworthiness of God.
5. The serpent never tells Eve to eat the fruit. He simply leaves her to draw her own conclusions. It is left to Eve to stand in judgment of God and decide for herself His trustworthiness and truthfulness.
Q. Where do we find fault with Eve’s answers to Satan’s questions in 3:2-3?
We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden, but God said, you shall not eat of the
Tree in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it lest you die.
1. Minimizes God’s provision. If you read Genesis 2:16, God says the may freely eat of any tree in the garden.
2. Adds to the prohibition. Eve says they must not eat or touch the fruit.
3. She weakens the penalty. In Genesis 2:17, God said they would surely die. Eve says lest you die. The serpent brazenly adds back the surely in verse 3:4 when he directly challenges the truth of God’s word.
4. She distances herself from God. This is more subtle but the serpent uses the word Elohim to describe God rather than Yahweh. Eve continues to use Elohim throughout the narrative rather than Yahweh. Yahweh is the personal name for God, by using Elohim she is not viewing God relationally.
- Genesis 3:6 says “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 its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who with her and he ate.”
- Desire and delight are related to the word for covet.
1. Physical Needs
2. Aesthetics
3. Knowledge - moral autonomy
- Note the irony by comparing this verse to Genesis 2:9 “The Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.”
- After the fall we see Adam and Eve responding to God’s questioning by lies and deceptions, and the questioning of God’s motives. Humanity was made in the image of God but now they are resembling the serpent. There is a interesting pun as well. The serpent is described as arum or cunning. The result of Adam & Eve’s actions are that they realize that they are arumim or naked.
Parallel with temptation of Jesus
Q. How does Jesus respond to the three temptations?
- Jesus quotes scripture. Unlike Eve, Jesus adheres firmly to the word of God.
1. Deuteronomy 8:3. This is part of Moses' reminder that God provided manna in the wilderness.
2. Deuteronomy 6:16. This is when Moses reminded the people that they were upset with God at Massah and Meribah because they did not have any water. They demanded water from Moses and insinuated that God had brought them out of Egypt to die in the desert.
3. Deuteronomy 6:13 Moses reminds them of all God had done for them by freeing them from Egypt and bringing them to the promised land. Therefore, they are not to have any other gods.
- Jesus quotes each time from Deuteronomy. All of these quotations are a result of God’s provision for Israel’s failing in the wilderness. Jesus shows that unlike Israel, he is able to resist the temptations that Israel was unable to resist in the wilderness.
- Everything that Satan offers is something that Jesus would be given anyway. Jesus is content to wait on God’s direction and timing.
- Jesus also is able to resist the same temptation that Eve responded to in Genesis 3:6
1. Turning stone into loaves of bread (physical)
2. The cities of the world (aesthetic)
3. Throw himself down and let the angels save him (use God’s provisions for His own purpose.)
- In the book of I John, John warns against falling prey to the temptations of Satan and references Genesis 3 heavily. John tells us that we have an advocate in Jesus Christ. In verse 1 John 2:16 we are warned:
For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and the pride in life - is not from the Father but is from the world.
- We see again the same three temptations we face are the ones that Adam and Israel failed to resist but Jesus was able to. By Christ’s resistance Satan is defeated and according to 1 John 2:1 we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ.
- Hebrews 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin."
- This is contrast to the previous situation, where Satan was allowed into heaven to accuse Job & Joshua the Priest. As a result of Jesus’ defeat of Satan his position is changed. Jesus ascends to heaven as our advocate in place of Satan the accuser.
Luke 10:17-20 "The 72 returned with joy, saying 'Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name.' And he said to them, 'I saw fall like lightening from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you." Notice how Luke uses Psalms 91:13, the verse Satan stopped at when he quoted Psalms 91 to Jesus during the temptation.
- Now that strong man is bound as Mark & Matthew say, then his house can be plundered. Satan can no longer accuse the saints because of Christ’s sacrifice. The saints are now blameless and Satan no longer have a case as an accuser.
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