Why wasn't Eve afraid of the snake?

[mark_a]

Most of us have a fear of snakes. Why didn’t Eve?

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?”

Your thoughts are appreciated.

 

[Bruised_Reed]

Because God said it was good. Death, decay and disorder brought about by sin had not happened yet.

Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth all kinds of living creatures: cattle, creeping things, and wild animals of all kinds.” And so it happened: God made all kinds of wild animals, all kinds of cattle, and all kinds of creeping things of the earth. God saw how good it was.

 

[porthos11]

Most of us have a fear of snakes. Why didn’t Eve?

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?”

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Because at that time there was no natural enmity between man and snakes. That came as a result of the fall, as a punishment on the snake.

 

[Zooey]

Remember, too, it was a serpent–that is, a reptile–but it wasn’t, properly speaking, a snake. Not the creeping, slithering kind that weird us out…Part of the curse on the serpent was that it would “creep on its belly” in the dirt.
A former pastor of mine told us, that he took “Advanced Biology” as an elective in his senior year in high school. He was blown away when they studied reptiles, because he had always thought of that particular verse of Scripture as figurative. And then his teacher (in the public school system in Syracuse, NY) showed them a skeleton of a snake, & pointed out the “vestigial legs” about 2/3 of the way down the snake’s body. She said, all snakes have them. They have no known purpose to science…but snakes have the nonfunctional remnants of legs.
He asked “wasn’t that what you would expect, from the Bible account of the curse?”, and she muttered something about “religious fanatics”, and changed the subject…But he was still thinking about it, decades later, as “really cool to know”.

 

[adstrinity]

I’m so glad you brought this up because I happened upon this bit this morning and I want to know, what about the, “and your offspring and hers,” bit. How are we to interpret Satan’s offspring?

 

[Conservative]

I’m so glad you brought this up because I happened upon this bit this morning and I want to know, what about the, “and your offspring and hers,” bit. How are we to interpret Satan’s offspring?

I haven’t looked it up - but are you referring ‘put enmity between your offspring and hers’ ? Somehow, that phrase came to mind when reading your post. I’d think it’s any evildoers that follow the Evil One. I’m no theologian - just a guess on my part. Guess we need a resident Theologian on CAF for these questions.

 

[mark_a]

Because God said it was good. Death, decay and disorder brought about by sin had not happened yet.

Because at that time there was no natural enmity between man and snakes.

The description of the snake as “cunning” throws me. It seems to suggest that there was some emnity of the snake toward man, but maybe not vice versa.

 

[mark_a]

Remember, too, it was a serpent–that is, a reptile–but it wasn’t, properly speaking, a snake. Not the creeping, slithering kind that weird us out…Part of the curse on the serpent was that it would “creep on its belly” in the dirt.
A former pastor of mine told us, that he took “Advanced Biology” as an elective in his senior year in high school. He was blown away when they studied reptiles, because he had always thought of that particular verse of Scripture as figurative. And then his teacher (in the public school system in Syracuse, NY) showed them a skeleton of a snake, & pointed out the “vestigial legs” about 2/3 of the way down the snake’s body. She said, all snakes have them. They have no known purpose to science…but snakes have the nonfunctional remnants of legs.
He asked “wasn’t that what you would expect, from the Bible account of the curse?”, and she muttered something about “religious fanatics”, and changed the subject…But he was still thinking about it, decades later, as “really cool to know”.

The part where the snake is doomed to eat dirt kinda throws me.

 

[Benadam]

The description of the snake as “cunning” throws me. It seems to suggest that there was some emnity of the snake toward man, but maybe not vice versa.

The tree in the ‘middle’ of the garden. The perspective from there is most like the other tree in the middle of the garden. The perspective.

 

[adstrinity]

I haven’t looked it up - but are you referring ‘put enmity between your offspring and hers’ ? Somehow, that phrase came to mind when reading your post.

Yes, that’s it.

I’d think it’s any evildoers that follow the Evil One. I’m no theologian - just a guess on my part. Guess we need a resident Theologian on CAF for these questions.

Oh.

 

[mark_a]

The tree in the ‘middle’ of the garden. The perspective from there is most like the other tree in the middle of the garden. The perspective.

I’m not sure I understand. Would you elaborate?

 

[Spirithound]

And then his teacher (in the public school system in Syracuse, NY) showed them a skeleton of a snake, & pointed out the “vestigial legs” about 2/3 of the way down the snake’s body. She said, all snakes have them. They have no known purpose to science…but snakes have the nonfunctional remnants of legs.

Makes you wonder…if “natural selection” were the key, what would be the advantage to losing your legs?

 

[Benadam]

I’m not sure I understand. Would you elaborate?

The view from the center which all like kind surround, in this instance trees, is one which all like kind look as if or are extensions of or one with the one in the center.

In the case of the tree of life that is also in the center it is true. Jesus said I will gather all men to myself. We are His body. That middle tree perspective see’s all as it’self. Jesus doesn’t distinguish between those who Paul persecutes and Himself, He calls them ‘me’.

I think the serpents view from the center tree is the reason it said " Did God really say you couldn’t eat from ‘any’ tree?’

When God commanded them to not eat of the tree the serpent was in the serpent either heard or was able to convince because of that perspective from the middle, that all the trees and the middle tree were one.

It’s interestring that in the first stage of conscious awareness we can’t distinguish ‘otherness’. The infant perceives the mother as an internal object. It cries , it’s need is met. It is all powerfull, not realizing it is not. It’s perspective is a middle tree perspective. As awareness develops a sense of the mother’s otherness a phase of seperation anxiety is experienced. If a person for some reason is unable to resolve that anxiety and doesn’t become conscious of the otherness of , well, others, they will have the personality disorder called narcissism. They see others as objects to use because they lack the ability to perceive others as seperate from themselves. In that strage of consciousness one might think if God said stay away from me, he is saying stay away from all the me’s that surround me.

 

[annem]

CAN ANYONE OUT THERE HELP ME WITH THIS? Eve was talking to a “nahosh”, which in Hebrew means either a snake or a dragon of some kind. The nahosh is mentioned again in the Apocalypse. At any rate, in the Scott Hahn audio tape on Genesis Eve is frightened of it. Also, Adam was told by God to “guard” the garden. What in the garden was the most important thing to guard, but his betrothed wife?

CAN ANYONE OUT THERE EXPLAIN THIS FURTHER?

I loved Scott Hahn elaborating about how this was really Adam’s fault for not being ready to sacrifice himself for Eve. But I really would like to know a lot more about it.

God bless, Annem

 

[drafdog]

Was she supposed to be afraid?

Matthew

 

[Benadam]

Was she supposed to be afraid?

Matthew

I would think it inconsistent with the qualities of Paradise and the state of Original Innocence to experience fear.

 

[annem]

Hi Matthew, Yes, she was terrified and so was Adam, if, that is, I have understood Scott Hahn properly. In addition to having his audio series on Adam and Eve there is also a site online:

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

which has the Scott Hahn explanation. However, I’m not sure I really understand the arguments well.

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO CAN EXPLAIN IT BETTER?

I would really like to know more, especially about how the ancient Jews and the early Christians understood the story.

God bless, Annem

 

[deb1]

Most of us have a fear of snakes. Why didn’t Eve?

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the animals that the LORD God had made. The serpent asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?”

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Not everyone is afraid of snakes. In fact, I think the word ‘most’ is a bit to strong. My daughters love snakes and all things creepy crawly. But then again, they have me for a mother, what would you expect. If my daughter, Sarah, had been the first woman, she would have coiled the snake around her neck and told it how beautiful it was, just like she used to do our pet corn snake.

 

[Benadam]

Hi Matthew, Yes, she was terrified and so was Adam, if, that is, I have understood Scott Hahn properly. In addition to having his audio series on Adam and Eve there is also a site online:

St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology

which has the Scott Hahn explanation. However, I’m not sure I really understand the arguments well.

IS THERE ANYONE OUT THERE WHO CAN EXPLAIN IT BETTER?

I would really like to know more, especially about how the ancient Jews and the early Christians understood the story.

God bless, Annem

Dear Annem,

I read Scott’s lesson.

Hahn teaches that the story of creation is worded in a way meant to describe it in terms of a Temple for God to dwell in. With this theme in mind Adam is creation’s first born Priest who was meant to father a priestly family to serve God.

Your question concerning Adam’s responsibility to guard the garden and Eve his wife, was put to the test when Eve and the serpent entered into dialogue. According to Scott’s view Adam knew the serpent as a being that possessed the’ power of death’ and because of that he was scared to disobey the serpent.

What Adam was supposed to do was to come between Eve and the serpent to prevent her from being tempted. According to the lesson his fear of death overcame his love for God and his love for Eve.

We know he failed. According to Scott, Adam failed the test of self-giving, he lacked the sacrificial love for God and Eve required to overcome the serpent because Adam knew the serpent to possess the power of death and Adam was too afraid to die to meet the challenge the test presented to him.

Hope this helps.

 

[annem]

Benadam

Hope this helps.

Thanks, you were very clear! I really am fascinated by this explanation. Do you happen to know what the ancient Jews or the early Christians believed about this, or can you send me to any books about it?

And thank you so much for your help.

God bless, Annem