Genesis 3:6 Sinner and Tempter
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
3:6 At its centerpiece the account moves with a rapid pace: “The woman saw,” “she took,” “ate,” “she gave … and he ate
The pattern of sin runs right through the act,
Eve listened to a creature instead of the Creator
followed her impressions against her instructions
made self-fulfilment her goal
prospect of material, aesthetic and mental enrichment (6a) seemed to add up to life itself
the world still offers it
16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.
The illusive hope of being like God excited a longing for the forbidden fruit
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food
The term “good” is reminiscent of the created order God declares as “good”
she has usurped God’s role in determining what is “good.
she herself had eaten of it
found it so far from being deadly that it was extremely pleasant
Stolen waters are sweet
and that it was pleasant to the eyes
She saw
enters into temptation, by looking with pleasure on the forbidden fruit
Observe, A great deal of sin comes in at the eyes
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
The eye affects the heart with guilt as well as grief
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.
and a tree to be desired to make one wise
“Desirable” (ḥāmad) is the same word used in the prohibition against covetousness (Exod 20:17)
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat
so simple the act, so hard its undoing
She took. It was her own act and deed
The devil did not take it, and put it into her mouth
Satan may tempt, but he cannot force
and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
It is probable that he was not with her when she was tempted
surely, if he had, he would have interposed to prevent the sin
came to her when she had eaten, and was prevailed upon by her to eat likewise
led, as the woman had been
instead of leading
Eve fails is the deception of the crafty beast
but no explanation occurs for Adam’s decision to eat
naming of the animals by Adam shows an awareness of their characteristics
the woman is unaware of the serpent’s shrewdness
no excuse for the man
Paul was emphatic that Adam was not misled
Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor
There is no sense that Adam is lured by logic or sexual provocation.
He simply followed the example of the woman without hesitation
he would have never dared oppose God’s authority unless he had disbelieved in God’s Word
She gave it to him, under colour of kindness
but really it was the greatest unkindness she could do him
Or perhaps she gave it to him that, if it should prove hurtful
he might share with her in the misery
supposed to enter into the heart of one that had eaten forbidden fruit
Those that have themselves done ill are commonly willing to draw in others to do the same
As was the devil, so was Eve
no sooner a sinner than a tempter
The history of every temptation, and of every sin, is the same
the outward object of attraction
the inward commotion of mind
the increase and triumph of passionate desire
ending in the degradation, slavery, and ruin of the soul
Doubt, unbelief, and pride were the roots of the sin of our first parents
4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry
3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered,
It is written,
“ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
“ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God
and him only shall you serve.’ ”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
“ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’
and
“ ‘On their hands they will bear you up,
lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ”
7 Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ”
The way of sin is downhill; a man cannot stop himself when he will
The beginning of it is as the breaking forth of water, to which it is hard to say, “Hitherto thou shalt come and no further.”
Be gone, Satan! For it is written,
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.