Tag-Archive for » Genesis 3:5 «

Opening The Door

Thursday, December 09th, 2010 | Author:

For God knows that in the day you eat of it, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. Genesis 3:5 (my translation)

Knowing – Adam opened the door.  That’s the way Paul puts it in his letter to the Roman congregation.  “As by one man sin entered” uses a Greek verb that suggests opening a door.  Adam let sin in.  You might ask why Paul doesn’t say that Eve opened the door, but that question belongs to another day.  Today we will look at what is implied in the serpent’s suggestion.  How does eating this fruit make it possible to know good and evil?  Once again, it’s all about a door.

“God knows,” says the serpent.  “The problem in your life, woman, is that you don’t know in the same way God knows.  Oh, you know what God says.  I can see that.  You can quote His words.  But all you’re doing is mimicking Him.  You don’t really know what it means to decide between good and evil.  You’re a bit deficient in that area.  But you could know if you just decide to take things into your own hands.”

The verse uses the Hebrew verb yada in both occurrences of “know.”  Yada is a very big verb.  Yada covers everything from knowing that 2+2=4 to knowing the intimacy of sexual relations.  In this verse, the power of yada is revealed in its pictograph.  Yod-Daleth-Ayin paints the picture “to make the door of experience.”  In other words, yada is about making something happen.  What will I make happen?  I will make a way to open the door of experience for myself.  I will walk my path through the door into the world where I have experiential knowledge, where I have participated in the matter at hand.  Why is Havvah tempted to eat from the Tree?  Because she believes that eating of the Tree will improve her ability to make decisions on her own.  She won’t have to rely on the manual anymore.  Now she will intuitively know what to do.  She will have experience.

Isn’t this a common temptation among us today?  Don’t we still desire to “just get a taste of it” so we can decide for ourselves rather than relying on the word of someone else?  The appeal of the Tree is the suggestion that I can cut my own path.  The promise of the Tree is that I will no longer be dependent on another.  The sin of Adam and Havvah is idolatry.  “Disguised polytheism is also the religion of him who combines with the worship of God the devotion to his own gain.”[1]

“God, I worship You.  I know You want me to be all that I can be.  So, just help me be a little more prosperous, a little more independent, a little more self-reliant.  Just make me more capable of taking care of myself.  Just help me accomplish my goals in life.  Then I’ll even worship You better.”  Making our own way is eating from the Tree.  But now you know better, don’t you?

Topical Index:  know, yada, experience, Genesis 3:5

[1] Abraham Heschel, God In Search Of Man, p. 392

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Cosmetic Surgery

Thursday, June 25th, 2009 | Author:

“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  Genesis 3:5

Like God – The serpent doesn’t tell Eve that she will be God.  He doesn’t even tell her that she will be like God.  He only says that she will have one faculty that he ascribes to God – knowing good and evil.  Eve isn’t going to become omniscient or omnipotent.  All she is supposedly going to gain is the knowledge of good and evil.  Apparently, this must be very, very important since it was by itself enough to entice Eve.  But is this really what the serpent says?  Let’s take another look.

Maimonides points out that the Hebrew word here is elohiym.  In most contexts, this is a plural noun used to describe the singular God (like Genesis 1:1).  But elohiym also means gods (like the false gods of idol worship), judges and princes.  Jesus uses this homonym when he quotes the Psalms, “You are gods” (John 10:34).  Perhaps the serpent only suggests that Eve will be elevated.  It is not that she will become God but rather that she will be better than she currently is.  She will be royalty, the Queen of the cosmos.  The appeal implies a subtle discontent with the way things are.  God made her a little less than the best and now Eve can rectify that situation by improving on God’s design.

The subtlety of sin is found in our discontent with the way things are.  We don’t really believe that God is completely in control.  From our perspective, He didn’t do things quite right.  There is room for improvement.  I just need a little spiritual plastic surgery to make my world (and me) a better place.  I just need to help God out by rearranging His design.

Everything about the creation of Eve shouts God’s careful and deliberate handiwork.  The verb implies a purposeful design, executed according to plan.  The fact that she is taken from the man underscores her uniqueness.  Her designation as ‘ezer kenegdo tells us that God had a very specific role in mind for her.  That she is the last of creation speaks to her place as the crowning achievement.  But Eve is not content.

It isn’t that she is restlessly searching for the “new” Eve.  She hasn’t read the latest book on hard bodies or fashion make-overs.  She isn’t chasing the best life now prosperity nonsense.  She just wants to be all that she can be – and that’s why the serpent only needs to suggest one small addition to her capabilities.  If she could just add this, then she would really be the best at what she does.

Have you ever heard this offer made to you?  All you need is just this one small addition and then you will be complete.  It is an offer that offends in two ways.  First, it rejects the sovereignty of God.  It calls into question His design and purpose.  Secondly, it offends His omniscience.  It assumes that God didn’t quite know exactly what He was doing and, consequently, things need a bit of improvement.  Furthermore, the suggestion places Eve (and you and me) in the role of the Creator.  Now we determine what is best.  We decide what is good – for us.

Don’t object that contentment leads to stagnation.  If no one ever attempted to improve things, we would still be living in caves, but that is not the issue here.  The serpent does not appeal to improve the world around me.  This is an appeal to improve God’s design in me.  It is an assumption that God has not equipped me to accomplish what God has called me to do and to be.  This is about a personal design flaw, not an improvement in my environment.

Maybe you’ve heard the serpent hissing in your ear.  If you have, it’s time to remember that when God rested, nothing more needed to be added.

Topical Index:  gods, elohiym, Eve, serpent, improvement, design, Genesis 3:5

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Cirugía Cosmética

Thursday, June 25th, 2009 | Author:

25 de junio “Pues Dios sabe que el día que de él coman, se les abrirán los ojos y ustedes serán como Dios, conociendo el bien y el mal.” Génesis 3:5


Como Dios – La serpiente no le dice a Eva que ella será Dios. Ni siquiera le dice que ella será como Dios. Solo le dice que tendrá una facultad que el adscribe a Dios – conocimiento del bien y el mal. Eva no adquirirá habilidades de omnisciencia ni omnipotencia. Lo único que supuestamente logrará es el conocimiento del bien y del mal. Aparentemente, esto debe ser muy, muy importante puesto que fue suficiente para tentar a Eva. ¿Pero acaso eso es lo que dice la serpiente? Veamos de nuevo.

Maimonides señala que aquí la palabra es elohiym. En la mayoría de los contextos, este es un sustantivo plural utilizado para describir al Dios singular (como en Génesis 1:1). Pero elohiym también significa dioses (como los dioses falsos de adoración de ídolos), jueces y príncipes. Jesús utilizó este homónimo cuanto cito los Salmos, “Tu eres dioses” (Juan 10:34). Quizás la serpiente solo sugiere que Eva sea elevada. No es que se convertirá en Dios sino que será mejor de lo que ya es. Será realeza, la Reina del cosmos. Este encanto contiene la implicación de un descontento sutil con la condición actual de las cosas. Dios los creó un poco menos que perfectos y ahora Eva puede rectificar la situación mejorando el diseño de Dios.

La sutileza de éste pecado se encuentra en nuestra inconformidad con la condición de las cosas. En realidad no creemos que Dios permanezca en control. Desde nuestra apreciación, El no hace todas las cosas del todo bien. Hay espacio para mejoras. Solo necesito un poco de cirugía plástica espiritual para que mi mundo (y yo) seamos mejores. Solo necesito ayudar un poco a Dios, reordenando Su diseño.

Toda la creación de Eva exclama de la majestuosidad y cuidado del la mano de Dios. El verbo incorpora la implicación de diseño con propósito, ejecutado según el plan. El hecho que ella es tomada del hombre subraya su singularidad. Su designación como ´ezer kenegdo nos dice que Dios tiene en mente un rol muy específico para ella. Que sea lo último de la creación habla de su lugar como el logro máximo. Pero Eva no está contenta.

No es que ella buscaba incesantemente a la “nueva” Eva. Ella no ha leído los últimos libros sobre cuerpos sólidos ni sobre re-inventos de modas. No persigue la insensatez de la prosperidad “mejor vida ahora.”Solo quiere ser todo lo que puede ser – y es por eso que la serpiente solo necesita sugerir un pequeño ajuste a sus capacidades. Si tan solo agregara solo esto, entonces en verdad puede ser la mejor en lo que hace.

¿Alguna vez has recibido esta oferta? Solo necesitas esta pequeña cosa y entonces estarás completa. Es una oferta que ofende de dos maneras. Primero, rechaza la soberanía de Dios. Llama al cuestionamiento de Su diseño y propósito. Segundo, ofende la omnisciencia. Asume que Dios no estaba del todo seguro de lo que hacía, y consecuentemente, las cosas requieren ciertas mejoras. Adicionalmente, la sugerencia coloca a Eva (y a ti y a mí) en el rol de Creador. Ahora nosotros disponemos que cosa es la mejor. Nosotros decidimos lo que es bueno – para nosotros.

No objetes que el contentamiento lleva al estancamiento. SI nunca nadie intentara mejora las cosas, aun viviríamos en las cavernas, pero ese no es el punto aquí. La serpiente no apela a la mejoría del mundo alrededor mío. Esta es una apelación a mejorar el diseño de Dios en mí. Esto tiene que ver con fallas en el diseño personal, no en mejoras en mi ambiente.

Quizás has escuchados los susurros de la serpiente en tu oído. Si los has escuchado, es hora de recordar que cuando Dios descansó, no había nada más que añadir.

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