Genesis 3 reports the single most tragic story of all time. No other single event in human history has had such far reaching, penetrating, and catastrophic consequences. The Bible hinges, albeit disproportionally, on this chapter; different worlds exist before and after it.

The apostle Paul put it this way in Romans 5:12, “Sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin.” The “one man” was Adam. His disobedience to the only prohibition at the time brought the inescapable, terminal disease of death to the entire human race. His was the original sin and its effect is seen on every following page of God’s Word. Though Christ defeated the ultimate power of sin and death for believers, even we are subject to sickness, pain, shame, suffering, and physical death. Unbelievers experience not only curses on earth now, they will also face eternal wrath.

The effects of the fall of Adam can hardly be overestimated. Cancer and the common cold are diagnosed as results of Genesis 3. Hatred and murder, lust, lying, laziness, greed and gossip all grow from the soil of Genesis 3. Separation from God and estrangement from fellow image-bearers exists only because of Genesis 3. Monday morning discontent and misunderstandings about marriage and divorce are due to Genesis 3. Every bitter thought, every brutal killing, all wars—between siblings or nations—owe their origin to Genesis 3. Casket makers, cremators, and cemetery proprietors have jobs because of Genesis 3, as do nurses, doctors, pharmacists, and hospital janitors. Weeds grow and choke out and overrun gardens, hurricanes and floods and earthquakes and fires destroy all because of Genesis 3.

All is vanity under the sun because of Genesis 3. Hell exists because of Genesis 3. Jesus was crucified because of Genesis 3. We look forward to heaven as our hope because of Genesis 3.

So this is no unimportant chapter of the story. We live in a Genesis 3 world and we will not be equipped to make sense of what we see around us without it. Our worldview will break under the weight of the existence of evil and the fear of death without grasping the truth taught here.

Yet for the significance of this chapter, it may raise more questions than provide answers. Where did the serpent come from? Is the serpent more than a serpent? If so, and if an angel, when were the angels created? How did one angel become God’s enemy? Why did the serpent approach Eve first and where was Adam? Since she ate first, why wasn’t Eve’s sin the sin that caused humanity to fall?

And I brought up this particular question when we studied Genesis 2:16-17: why would God even create a tree and forbid them to eat its fruit that could be a temptation? Why would He allow the serpent to entice the woman at all? If God knew what Adam and Eve would choose, and the drastic consequences of their disobedience, why go through with it?

Too many think the point is to prove that man’s morality is not forced. John Milton popularized this theory in his book, Paradise Lost, and most theologians favor this man centered approach. For example, “The answer must always be that God will only have that count as moral behavior worthy of a being made in God’s image, which is freely given and maintained even where the possibility of doing otherwise offers itself” (Leupold, 145). But I think there is more to it than that. Namely, this is God’s story. More than anything else, it reveals something about Him. Our task involves seeing Him as the central character, and we’ll try to do that as we study the original sin.

The Adversary (verse 1a)

A new character is presented in the Genesis narrative: the serpent, whom we quickly recognize to be not only a tempter, but the antagonist in the story.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. (1a)

Moses calls him the serpent like we the readers would know him, and like something distinguished this one from the other beasts of the field .

The serpent was crafty . There is a word play between “nude” (‘arom 2:25) and “shrewd” (‘arum 3:1), tying the two scenes (Waltke). The word, depending on its context, can carry a positive meaning in Proverbs such as sensible (in accordance with wisdom or prudence) or shrewd (having or showing sharp powers of judgment). Jesus told His disciples to be “wise as serpents.” In other contexts, though, being shrewd involves mischievous or malicious intent, as in the story here. Many major translations use the word “crafty” (meaning clever at “achieving one’s aims by indirect or deceitful methods”, ESV, NASB, NIV). The NKJV uses “cunning” (having skill in achieving one’s aims by deceit or evasion).

At this point, nothing is revealed about his motive or where he came from. Last we knew, everything was very good. Adam and Eve had everything they needed in a paradisiacal garden created by God especially for them. Having everything you thought you wanted only works until a persuasive commercial comes on.

We’re also told that the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made . This phrase rules out any possibility that this creature was eternal or equally powerful as God, since it was a created being. In fact, the serpent was likely only a few hours older than the man and woman.

It is safe to say, however, that in the 65 additional books of revelation the serpent’s identity is confirmed as the “dragon,” “Satan,” the adversary of God and men. Satan was the primary agent, a serpent was the secondary agent. Part of the reason I believe there was an actual serpent involved is because the curse in 3:14 includes going on his belly and eating dust, neither of which would apply to satan.

What made the serpent go after man? Again, the immediate context does not answer. John Calvin suggests, “since he was the adversary of God, he attempted to subvert the order established by Him, and, because he could not drag God from His throne, he assailed man, in whom His image shone” (146).

The Conversation (verses 1b-5)

The serpent approached the woman and engaged her in dialogue thus beginning the temptation.

He said …What? What do you mean that the serpent said something? Was it normal for animals to talk with humans? Why doesn’t Eve run away or at least react with some element of suspicion, if not shock?

I believe that this conversation took place not long after the Sabbath. The story moves too quickly to leave any other impression. God created animals early on the sixth day (1:24-25), created man and woman (1:26-30; 2:18-25), then pronounced everything “very good” (1:31). The next day, the seventh day, God set aside as a holy day of rest (2:1-3) and the first full week was over. The rest of chapter 2 (verses 4-25) filled in specific details about the creation of man and woman. Then Moses drops us without interruption into chapter 3.

So if, as I think, this conversation took place early on in the garden, perhaps Eve figured this was another new thing to experience since many of her experiences would still be new. She seems to respond like it was normal and, having been given no reason to fear, her guard was down.

That said, a talking serpent, or any other animal, is not normal. Narratives throughout the Old Testament include odd occurrences, but animals using language to communicate with humans always involves the supernatural. Speech is one of the things that sets men apart from animals. So I don’t think this was normal in the garden either, but Adam and Eve’s definition of normal was still expanding.

The Serpent’s Question (verse 1b)

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”

Did God actually say , or, “Indeed, (is it) that God said.” It’s a suggestive accusation that puts Eve back on her heels. Did He really say you can’t eat from any tree?

The serpent starts by questioning the clarity of God’s word and the integrity of God’s motives. It “is both disturbing and flattering: it smuggles in the assumption that God’s word is subject to our judgment” (Kidner).

Maybe Eve misunderstood. Maybe she was confused. Maybe something got lost in the translation when Adam told Eve (since God revealed His prohibition to Adam before Eve was even created according to Genesis 2:16-17). Maybe it wasn’t Eve’s problem, maybe God was just mean.

How did the serpent know any version of God’s prohibition? Did God talk to the serpent about it, like when God spoke to Satan about Job? Did the serpent overhear God speaking with Adam?

Not eat of any tree is a subtle distortion with significant difference. The serpent intentionally misrepresented God’s standard to exaggerate the sense of restrictive prohibition rather than of God’s extravagant provision. It sows doubt in the woman’s mind about God’s authority, His goodness, and even perhaps hints that God is far away by using “God” (Elohim) instead of “LORD” (Yahweh).

The Woman’s Response (verses 2-3)

Eve responds. Maybe that’s okay. Maybe she should have ran. Maybe she should have dismissed it, or at least gone to discuss it with her husband. If she knew then what we know now, we certainly hope she would have done something else.

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.‘”

She initially corrects the serpent, but it’s not convincing. Can’t you hear her leaning in his direction? She doesn’t communicate excitement or thankfulness for God’s abundant provision, but rather disparages (treats with little value) her privileges. She also jumps into the deep end of the complaint pool by putting words in God’s mouth. It’s a half-hearted defense.

She changes God’s word in her response, subtracting from it three times and adding to it once. That always leads to trouble. God had said, “You may surely (or freely) eat of every tree of the garden,” and Eve left out both accents of God’s generosity. Then she minimized the penalty. God had said, “for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” and she said “lest you die.” She also added a part to God’s prohibition, claiming that God said not only that “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree” but also, “neither shall you touch it.”

So why did Eve say it? Perhaps, and this is a big perhaps, God had told Adam not even to touch the fruit and Moses didn’t include it in Genesis 2. But I don’t think so. Making an argument from silence is not easy. Even more so, the fact that the serpent takes the temptation to another level in verses 4 and 5 means that he considered his hook already in. If Eve’s response had been unyielding obedience, I presume the serpent would have left and had to try something else (“resist the devil and he will flee”). Instead, it seems like Eve realized, “Wait, this is bad.” She started to think of God as less generous and more demanding than she knew He was. She understated her privileges and overstated her limitations.

This is where the sin began. Taking the fruit in verse 6 is no surprise after her questioning of God and His word.

Conclusion

Obviously there is more for us to grasp in Genesis 3; we haven’t even finished the first conversation between Eve and the serpent. But already we are seeing an important lessons. Here’s another story that illustrates the point. Aslan told Jill in The Silver Chair,

First remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs.

And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters. And now, daughter of Eve, farewell–

Even in the clarity of Eden Eve did not remember or obey the sign.

We must remember God’s Word, meditate on it day and night that we will be careful to do according to all that is written in it. If we don’t delight in the law of the Lord, we will doubt it and become disposed to deception and disobedience, and disobedience leads to death. The Word is our defense; let’s take it with us.