Genesis 3
Chapter 3 continues in the narrative style of the second creation account (2:4-25). In a setting (Eden) where humanity experiences the best possible life, their freedom includes freedom to choose, which directly impacts their relationship with the Creator.
“The freedom not to trust God becomes the doorway to the loss of freedom itself.”1
The Hebrew word for Adam means “man” or “mankind.” As the word begins to appear in scripture, some translations (KJV, for example) use the name Adam (see 2:19-23), while other translations (NASB, for example) say the man. We are not introduced to the name Eve until Genesis 3:20, where we are told this is the name given to her by Adam because “she was the mother of all the living.” The Hebrew means “life” or “living.”
What about the Serpent? When we read of the serpent, our guard immediately goes up. By default we understand the serpent to be the agent of evil, a creature from which we should immediately flee. Obviously this is not the case in this narrative. Temptation, through the voice of the serpent, comes cloaked in ordinariness.
Vs. 1-7 (the choice)
This is a great opportunity to consider the nature of temptation. What is the choice presented to Eve? What allure is embedded there? What sacrifices come with either choice?
“Significantly, the Lord’s Prayer teaches us the petition: ‘Lead us not into temptation; do not even allow us to get into the critical situation in the first place.’ Significantly, the petition does not read: ‘Lead us out of temptation’ (once we are in it): but rather, ‘Lead us not into temptation.’ Once we are near the tree, our pulse begins to stir, curiosity flares up, and passions are aroused. In such a situation, our ability to make decisions is paralyzed.”
– Helmut Thielicke
V. 7 introduces shame, which was absent at 2:25. Put another way, Adam and Eve were no longer comfortable with the way they were.
Vs. 8-13 (the confrontation)
Verse 8 depicts the intimacy humans enjoyed with God, a theme that comes to an early end in scripture. The fellowship that had marked the God-human relationship is now broken. The evidence of this fracture is obvious in the reaction of Adam to the voice of the Lord.
Vs. 14-19 (the consequences)
What we will see here is that human rebellion has a cosmic effect. Nothing is left unscathed by the decision to violate God’s authority. We will see this in the curses assessed by God.
v. 14) Curse upon the serpent (blessed 1:22,28 / cursed 3:14)
v. 15) Enmity between Serpent and Woman (theological ties to Revelation 12:9, 13ff.)
v. 16) Eve (suffers the pain of bringing life through child-bearing)
v. 17) Adam (suffers pain through working ground that is now cursed)
Looking closely, we will notice that the man/woman relationship suffers a change here. In 2:18-24 we find God providing the perfect partner for Adam. They are equal, complimentary to each other, neither with rank over the other. In our rebellion, woman falls into submission to the man (16b). What we must recognize is that chapter 3 is telling us how things are as a consequence of our sin, not of how God intended them to be.
This calls us to look forward to God’s restoration of His perfect order, and order that we see breaking in under the rule of Christ in the life of the Church. The man/woman relationship prescribed for the Church is one that reflects Christ’s lordship. Yes, there is a head to the relationship. There is a prescribed head in marriage (Ephesians 5:22), but that headship is to be as Christ’s headship of the Church (5:23, see 4:15). Ultimately in Christ we are brought back into perfect union with God and with one another.
Note that the text does not say that Eve or Adam were cursed. They do, nevertheless, experience the pain of the curse. The pain they experience has a common factor; it is expressed in relation to their original roles in creation Genesis 1:28 says that God “blessed them,” telling them to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it….” Childbearing and working the ground were part of God’s blessing. Now, each of those tasks will be marked with travail.
Eve is told that bringing life into the world will now be marked with pain. It will be laborious (pun intended) and even perilous. Ensuring generations will commonly see children and mothers who do not survive the birthing process. Likewise, Adam’s “life-bringing work” will be marked by “toil” and the “sweat of his brow.” The meaning is deeper than we might read. There is an anxiousness that will now be associated with working the ground for food. Abundance will not always mark the harvest; thorns and thistles may often be the produce.
Eve foretells of Mary and the conflict between evil and God.
Adam becomes the representative of all creation in yearning for redemption.
Vs. 20-24 (the expulsion)
The way to the Garden was now guarded, with humanity driven out to continue forging life. In light of what has been described in chapter 3, how do we understand God’s warning to not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (2:17), for in the day they eat from it they would surely die? It is obvious that God meant more than physical death. Yes, it is likely that physical deterioration began at this point. Even so, a more immediate change has occurred in the narrative.
Adam and Eve now become pioneers of a race whose relationship with the Creator is precarious. We say that they are separated from God, but that is true only to the extent that God allows by his grace. No longer is there unhindered fellowship as Adam and Eve once enjoyed, but that doesn’t mean humanity lives totally void of God’s presence. God is still with us, but the effects of our rebellion afflict us in countless ways. God’s plan is to restore us to perfect fellowship, a plan enabled by the work of Jesus Christ. What God seeks from us is the willingness to return, for the relationship to be healed. The father, hoping for the prodigal to return (Luke 15) is the perfect picture of God.
Genesis 4
Vs. 1-8 (Birth of Cain & Abel, offerings and murder of Abel)
Cain is associated with the Hebrew word for “get,” which may go with Eve’s words in verse 1 “I have gotten….” The name has a connotation of self-assertion. In contrast, Abel comes from the Hebrew word sometimes associated with breath. It is something like a vapor, implying little substance. Our idea of vanity is associated here, as something that is without substance. The two brothers can be seen representing two personalities, one of assertiveness and confidence and the other of humility.
What differed in their offerings? There is only a subtle hint that Abel’s offering was better than Cain’s, as the reference to “firstlings” and “fat” in the OT are indicators of a generous, first-rate offering. God had regard (accepted) Abel’s offering, but not Cain’s. Was God unfair? No explanation is given. It is an early example of a pattern repeated through scripture, that God is not obliged to play by human standards of fairness nor by traditional norms. Why did God choose Jacob over Esau, when Esau was first-born?
In the absence of other information, it has also been suggested that neither Cain nor Abel knew what kind of offering God wanted. As such, they both were bringing their offering by faith. Abel’s faith offering was accepted (see Hebrews 11:4). Cain’s real sin was not so much the deficiency in his offering, but his stubborn reaction to God’s response. He did not have a heart that God could correct, and so he was led to violence toward his brother.
Vs. 9-15 (God’s judgment on Cain)
Your brother’s blood (v. 10). “Blood and life belong to God. To shed another’s life is to take from that person something which belongs to God.”2
Notice the parallels (4:9 to 3:9; 4:12 to 3:17-18)
The Lord places a sign upon Cain (v. 15) as a protection upon him. This is an act of grace. Cain, even in his sin, still receives a level of protection from the Lord. This is a reminder that, even in the violence we see in the world today, God still restrains.
V. 16 Nod is from a word meaning “wandering.” The implication is perpetual lack of rest.
Vs. 17-18 (civilization begins) We now start to hear of families and civilizations taking form. Cain has offspring who do things like build cities (v. 17) and learn trades (v. 20-22).
Vs. 19-24 (Lamech) Lamech is given attention in this passage, and it is not positive. Through Lamech we see polygamy come into the world. Through him also we see the violence of Cain multiplied by pride. He brags of killing one who only wounded him (v. 23), and claims an exponentially greater protection than Cain received from the Lord (v. 24). The attitude of Lamech pictures prideful violence running unrestrained in the world.
Vs. 25-26 (another son to Adam)
There are two notable things in these two verses. First, we are given the name of a third son born to Adam and Eve. His name is Seth, which is from the word “appointing.” The emphasis is on God’s provision rather than human grasping, which we see contrasting Eve’s words here with her words regarding Cain in 4:1.
Second, we are told that men “began to call on the name of the Lord.” This is a reference to Yahweh worship, and it is connected with the appearance of Seth.
This points the narrative of Genesis toward the next key generation, which is that of Noah. The genealogies of the text will tell us that Noah descends from the line of Seth. This highlights the faithful line that God preserves in the midst of a world that has gone according to the ways of Cain and Lamech.
The Winding Path 