(Genesis 3:1-21)

God placed the man in the Garden of Eden purposely to cultivate and guard it after forming him out of the soil He took from the ground.

Besides, He made all kinds beautiful trees grow and produce good fruit in the Garden of Eden. However, He also planted the tree of life that gave knowledge of what was good and bad in the middle of the garden.

He permitted man to eat the fruit of any tree in the Garden of Eden except the one in the middle of it thus inaugurating the concept of the 'forbidden fruit'. This implied that man had the knowledge to distinguish between the trees identified.

God went on to warn the man on the danger of eating the forbidden fruit. He would die on the same day. This implied that God had originally made man to be immortal. However, his immortality came to be dependent on his obedience to the command of whether or not he would eat the forbidden fruit.

Man's obedience was tested through the woman and the snake, which is presented as the most cunning animal that God had made and placed in the garden.

The snake with its cunningness lured the woman into eating the forbidden fruit after a short conversation in the absence of the man.

It deceived the woman into believing that they would be like God and know what is good and bad upon eating the forbidden. This played pivotal role in leading the woman into sinning as she imagined how wonderful it would be to become wise.

The snake's deception made the tree and its forbidden fruit appear beautiful and good to the woman thus she ate it and gave some to her husband who also ate it.

However, soon after eating the fruit, both the man and the woman were given understanding and came to realize that they were naked.

Because they were ashamed of their nakedness the man and the woman sewed some fig leaves together and covered themselves before going into hiding.

However, when God appeared, both the man and the woman, they turned defensive and justified their actions of eating the fruit and hiding. This showed they were unrepentant

The man claimed to have been afraid of God and that the woman He had put with him gave him the fruit to eat. The woman blamed the snake for tricking her into eating the forbidden fruit. This implied they were claiming self righteousness.

The Sins Committed in the eating of the forbidden Fruit

The sin of disobedience, for God had given them prior warning about the danger of their action that they would die on the same day.

Man expressed greed, for God had allowed them to eat the fruit of any tree in the garden except the one they went ahead and ate.        

They tried to equate themselves with God, for the woman was tempted into eating the fruit after being told she would be like God himself.

Man was rebellious against the command God had given them. They already knew that it was bad for them to eat the forbidden but went on to do the opposite.

Man tried to hide away from God's presence. However, he was their creator and therefore, they were obliged to be in His presence and enjoy close relationship with God.

Man lied to God by claiming that they had hidden from Him because they were afraid justifying it that they were naked. However, the truth was that they had eaten the forbidden fruit.

Man was unrepentant as evident from their attempt to deny responsibilities of their actions by putting the blame onto others. The man blamed the woman who instead pushed the blame on the snake.

Man was arrogant and proud in his response to God by blaming Him for having put the woman whom he accused of giving him the fruit to eat.

Man acted independently without consulting God, his own creator by eating the forbidden thus he thought he would live on his own.

Man betrayed God for they preferred to listen to the snake's deceptive words instead of obeying God's command.

Man trusted the snake instead of his own creator, God who had given all that he needed. This made them to fail to follow the simple command that He had given him.

Man allowed the snake to control and manipulate them. However, they were more supreme and ought to have controlled other creatures.

Man abused the wisdom that God had given them for they had the intelligence to differentiate between what was good and bad.

Man was equally selfish for they ignored God in their decision to eat forbidden fruit. They failed to realize that they needed to share what they intended to do.

Man disrespected God by failing to follow the simple command he had given them amidst the vast choices of the fruits they had.

Man worshipped the snake instead of worshipping God, their creator for they followed the lies they had been told.

Besides, they were unfaithful to God for they chose to relate with the snake which had just appeared to them.

Revision Questions

1.          Discuss the meaning of the story of Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit

2.          How did man sin against God by eating the forbidden fruit?

3.          "Cursed is the ground because of you." Genesis 3:17 Why did God make the statement to Adam?

4.          Account for the punishments that God pronounced upon man and woman in Genesis 3

5.          Justify God's judgment and punishment on Adam and Eve

 

The consequences of the fall of man in Genesis 3:14ff