Teddy Pierce
October 10, 2005
Expulsion
from the Garden of Eden
I
The woman was sitting in the garden oblivious of her nakedness. Sitting on the soft ground she peered at the tree in the middle of the garden. Of all the trees in the garden she was forbidden from eating this fruit as well as touching it, for if she did God had promised death. At this moment the snake, the craftiest of any animal, approached the woman. The snake spoke and said, “Why is this fruit different from the rest?” The woman explained to the snake how it was not safe to eat. The snake replied, “I’m not sure I believe you. I have been told that fruit holds great wisdom.” Following his commentary the snake quickly withdrew and left the woman to contemplate his ideas. That night the woman went to sleep debating whether or not to try the fruit. In the morning she walked up to the tree and started to grab a fruit. Just before she grabbed the fruit she thought again about what she was about to do. She finally decided that God was probably right and she turned and walked away from the tree. The snake, not too far away, saw this and approached the woman. He asked her why she did not try the fruit. After she explained her fear of God, the serpent spent a great deal of time trying to convince her to try the fruit. Finally, the woman went to the tree and took one of the fruits. She took a bite and, seeing her husband approaching offered it to him. They soon realized their nakedness and began to make clothes. God witnessed this and asked the man what he was doing. Man explained to God how he had come about his newfound wisdom. Subsequently, God punished man, woman, and the snake. The husband and wife were then sent from the Garden.
In this case, Eve falters by eating the fruit. However, her resistance to the idea of crossing God is important. Reality suggests that all are bound to make mistakes. No matter how the story is told Eve will eat the fruit. In this case however, her reluctance to eat the fruit is a contrast to the normal weakness of humanity. The original version from Genesis shows how easily humanity can be tricked and how easily it can falter. The snake approaches the woman and after little discussion she his convinced to try the fruit. The modified version of the story emphasizes the theme of human weakness by portraying the woman as a stronger character. It is also important to recognize that the woman, however strong, will still falter. This is true of humanity: no one can escape imperfection.
II
God told the man and the woman that they would be allowed to eat from any tree in the Garden with the exception of the one in the center. Each understood this rule and abided by it unquestioningly. They lived in the Garden for many years and never once came close to eating from the sacred tree. Each of them had wondered why this tree was so special, but never did their curiosity result in any actions. Both the man and the woman were supremely confident in God and would not disobey him. One day, however, while the woman was passing the sacred tree, she was approached by the serpent. He moved smoothly and deliberately as he approached her. He climbed the sacred tree and asked the woman if she could eat from the tree. The woman explained that she was allowed to eat from any tree in the Garden except for the one which the snaked had climbed. Although she began with an unwavering attitude that she would never eat from the tree, the snake was convincing. He needed only say once that the fruits would not cause death. It was not so much as the woman’s boldness, but rather her unusual trust in the serpent’s words that led her to approach the tree. She reached up, as the snake looked on, and plucked one of the fruits from the limbs. She bit into the fruit and returned to her husband with the remainder for him to try. They each realized that they were naked and began to make cloths. God saw this and spoke to the man and woman. God found out that they had eaten one of the fruits and he punished them for it. All the while, the serpent looked on with glee as his cunning plan had worked flawlessly. That is, the serpent was happy until he too was punished by God. The final punishment was the expulsion of the man and woman.
The serpent in both this story as well as many others is a symbol of evil. Such evil is a powerful force, capable of persuading even the most determined minds to make unintelligent choices. The serpent’s comments to the woman were not accidental. The words were chosen with care to guarantee that she would eat from the sacred tree. The snake’s actions were vicious and well thought-out. Such is true of evil as well. Evil possesses a certain allure which can conjure an “unusual trust.” Evil is both compelling and subtle. For these reasons evil should not be taken lightly. Genesis seems to offer a warning against evil. This warning is made significantly more visible in the alteration of the Genesis story.
III
The woman was walking around the Garden when she heard a voice. God appeared to her and told her that she entire garden was at her disposal. She may eat from any of the trees except for the one in the middle. The woman heard this and happily continued on her way. Not once did she question God’s rules. The man was the same way. Although he had seen the sacred tree and walked by it on numerous occasions, he never stopped to wonder how it was different from the others. For him it really did not matter. He was perfectly content the way that he was. The woman was equally as happy. Neither of them had any reason to question God’s rules nor had it ever entered their minds to consider the possibility of breaking the rules. This was until the snake approached the woman one day. The snake asked the woman why she had never eaten from the tree in the middle of the Garden. She explained simply that God had asked her not to eat from that one tree. The serpent pressed the woman and said that she would not in fact be punished if she were to eat from the tree. For the first time she contemplated such an action. For the first time she was struck with a difficult decision. After a few moments she proceeded to the tree and ate from it. Her eyes were opened. She could now see all of the problems that plagued her. She saw all of her inadequacies. Specifically she noticed that she was naked. After she offered the fruit to the man she began to make clothes. God saw this and appeared before them. Now, God punished the man and woman and then sent them from the Garden. The man and woman were now wise beyond the extent of any of the other animals, but they also saw problems that most were oblivious to.
An important aspect of the story of expulsion is the concept of faith. Faith is blind and without reason. If a person is to seek out wisdom and rationale he cannot have faith. Before the encounter with the snake both the man and the woman are happy. They do not understand many of the things around them, but they do not have the need. God takes care of them and they have total faith in him. The man and woman listen to God and never consider doubting him. The snake however, plants a seed of doubt in the mind of the woman. Subsequently, she questions God, and her own beliefs. She no longer has blind faith. Although she becomes wiser, she now knows all of her own problems and flaws. Wisdom is a double edge sword with positive and negative aspects. This episode helps to explain faith and how it cannot be rationalized as well as the positive and negative aspects of wisdom. One of the most important conclusions is that faith must be blind.
IV
One day, the woman was sitting by the tree in the center of the Garden. A snake approached her and asked her, “Did God tell you not to eat from this tree?” She answered the snake saying that God had told her that eating from the tree would cause death. The snake told her that this was not true. The woman took the fruit and ate it. She shared it with the man who also ate the fruit. After eating the fruit they became wise and realized that they were naked. They searched the Garden for materials to make clothes. When God came in search of them they hid because they were naked. God called to them and they explained to him that they were ashamed of their nakedness. God heard this and lightning fell from the heavens. God discovered that the snake was responsible and so he was punished. God also punished the woman for disobeying him. God punished the man for eating the fruit as well. When God had finished the reprimanding the lightning stopped and clear skies returned. God turned to the man and the woman and saw that they were still ashamed of their nakedness. With a loving hand he made them garments. When he was finished clouds rolled in overhead, a light rain began to fall, and a tear fell from the cheek of God. He instructed the man and the woman to leave the Garden and go toward the east. Although he would watch over them they could not remain.
In many ways God is similar to a father. Not only must he care for his children, but he must also reprimand them when they disobey him. Such punishments do not signify that God loves the man and the woman any less. Instead, they are an important result of the mistakes that the man and woman make. God is still very loving as can be seen by the fact that he made clothing for the man and the woman before they were sent from the Garden. God does not happily punish the man and woman but he views it as a vital part of their maturation.
Many separate interpretations
of the expulsion from