What Does It Say?
The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Genesis 2:8
Placed – One of the biggest problems we have with reading the Bible is that we know the stories. That usually allows us not to read what the text actually says, but to read what we think that the text says. We have been corrupted by our Sunday school images, cultural paintings, Hollywood depictions and bad sermons. It takes tremendous effort to remove these almost-automatic blinders and actually read the words of the text, without embellishment or preconceived ideas. This verse is a good example.
God placed Adam in the garden. The Hebrew verb is siym. It has a very wide umbrella of meanings. To appoint, to bring, to call, to put, to change, to charge, to commit, to consider, to convey, to determine. Wow! One word covers all that ground. There are a lot of implications in the use of siym for God’s action with Adam. But that isn’t the part that we usually miss. The part that we miss is that Adam was not created in the Garden. He was created somewhere else and placed in the Garden. That’s what the text says, but my guess is that you never thought of it that way.
Why is this important? Who cares if God created Adam inside or outside of Paradise? Oh, by the way, our conception that the Garden of Eden was paradise is also an addition to the text. But that’s another story.
What is implied by this action: placing Adam in the Garden? First, we discover that Adam was not part of the original Garden. He is placed there for a purpose. God is in charge of even his geography. Second, we realize that the place where Adam was created is not the idyllic paradise we thought it to be. We are not told anything about his original geography. His story begins with God’s placement. From the very beginning, Adam is all about God’s plans. Next, we see that placing Adam in the Garden shows us what it is like to have a full, untainted relationship with God. In spite of the fact that the Garden is not what we usually think of as paradise, it is a place where Man is nourished by everything that God provides. It is also a place where Man can exercise free choice. The Garden is both satisfying and dangerous, but it is only dangerous because it contains the possibility of disobedience.
Now this raises a serious question. God planted the Garden. That means that there is nothing in the Garden that God didn’t want there. It also means that God planted the very tree that becomes the vehicle of Man’s downfall. Why would God do that? If God wanted a perfect relationship with His creation, a relationship unstained by sin – just as it is described before the Fall – then why would God plant such a tree in the first place? Why not just leave it out? Then God could have walked in the cool of the evening with His creation Man every day for eternity. There is something very odd about this. God plants the tree that can lead to sin and then He puts the Man in the very place where sin can happen. This story isn’t quite like the comic book version we have come to accept. It is much, much deeper. Don’t you agree?
What is it about planting and placing that is essential to the purposes of God?
Topical Index: place, siym, purpose, Garden in Eden, Genesis 2:8
Tell me more.
Yes, I hope there is a part two to this:)
I just read this and thought the same thing “I want to hear more”
It also made me realize how careless I can be when reading the Word of God.
What if “Adam” and “the Adam”, the differences between chapter one and two, were actually talking about 1) mankind and 2) an individual, so as to be seperate creations? That would imply that “Adam” – “man” was created, and then when God created the Garden and realized there was “no one to till the ground” he created “Adam” – “the man”, with the specific purpose of tending the garden. Did we not read that part when we read the text as we are just so programed by what we have been taught? That certainly would answer the question of where Cains wife came from wouldn’t it?
As far as the “tree”? Well, scripture is full of idoms and the “tree”, well, was it really a tree? Other places in scripture refers to “trees” as men (in the end days there will be so few of them even a child can count them). And HaSatan can portray himself as an angel of light can he not? After all, what did Adam and Eve do when they realized that they were going to be found out by YHWH? I don’t know about you but I am a parent, and when my kids got in the cookie jar and were discovered, they covered their mouth. hmmm…. Gee, that would explain the “seed” issue too wouldn’t it. ……a perspective to ponder.
I am sure this message will strike a number of reactions in folks. Just think about it then search it out.
Yolanda,
After hearing this theory a few decades ago, it made me wonder. I have never heard of it in ‘mainstream’ Christian theology. Though I did not ask anyone outright, no minister I have visited with about THE SIN IN THE GARDEN seemed to have a clue about this possiblity.
One thing that is obvious is that this is one area where most of the world seems to be getting more and more ignorant. There is almost no understanding of the sacredness of intimacy in our world today. Since Scripture indicates that obedience brings blessing, if one looks at the statistics that come from results of this behavior, it can be seen that something is going drastically wrong in our society.
It surly brings to mind how obedient am I in the “place” Yahweh has placed me.
I agree Jeannie-
The idea of two creation stories has been around for a long time. There are a lot of textual issues with this view that are not particularly obvious in English. Most of the interpretation of the early chapters of Genesis really depend on understanding the genre of literature that we are dealing with. I discuss all of this in my new lecture series on Genesis Chapter 1-4. It will be available on audio download in a few days. I just did the 12 hour lectures in Houston.
Skip
I too would like to hear more on this, so I look forward to hearing the new lecture series. I think that this kind of in-depth “unfolding” is sorely needed, especially in regard to the first eleven chapters of the book. And I’m particularly interested in the nature of the “serpent” before and after the fall…
By the way, if a skeptic wants to try and have fun with me about the early chapters of Genesis, and is not really interested in what I believe and why, I usually suggest that Cain found his wife through E-Harmony…
By the way, if a skeptic wants to try and have fun with me about the early chapters of Genesis, and is not really interested in what I believe and why, I usually suggest that Cain found his wife through E-Harmony…
Too Funny! Ha Ha
Yeah, and it was his sister. 🙂
Okay, I’m game….talk to me before I join e-harmony myself.
I’m enjoying this stream of comments. First off, Skip is opening up the Genesis story of creation in a way I’ve not heard before thru his explanation of the Hebrew words. I look FW to the rest of this series.
Secondly, I’m enjoying the humor of the readers. Thanks, John, for the eHarmony comment. I had my laugh of the day with that one! Seriously though, I’ve heard Skip say that marriage is NOT about compatability. It’s about commitment. Since we are ALL flawed, it’s about learning to live with one another in grace, forgiving each other and accepting each other in spite of our flaws.
I just listened to a CD last night from Jimmy Evans of Marriage Today ministry. He mentioned a concept that I’ve not heard stated in this way before either: that man and woman were created to HEAL one another. As in, the husband has the ministry of Jesus Christ (Eph 5) to wash his wife with the water of the word, and the wife has the same title as the Holy Spirit (helper) in order to guide her husband into truth. Any comments on this perspective?
Jimmy is almost right, but about 3500 years late. 🙂 It’s not Ephesians that tells us what the role of the husband is. It’s Genesis. And its not Corinthians (or Ephesians) that tells us about the role of the wife. It’s Genesis, again. All of this is discussed in my recent lectures, which Patrick promises that he will have up in a few weeks. It will also be in the book (coming). Some posts on this coming soon, I hope. To understand Paul, we must first understand rabbinic Judaism’s interpretation of Genesis. It all starts there, for Paul too.
Be patient.
Skip
This is a pretty good description of Imago Relationship Therapy. I have been impressed with this method, because it best seems to reflect the intent of the Creator. I could see why it would effect a radical improvement in a committed relationship.
The study of the first few chapters of Genesis has caused me to understand that asking the right questions is essential to Torah study. Why did God even create the tree of good and evil? What was in it for the serpent? Didn’t Adam and Eve already have some understanding of right and wrong when God gave the commandment not to eat from the one tree? Otherwise, how could they be held accountable for disobeying God if they didn’t understand it would be wrong not to do so? Previously, I would enjoy a good debate between Calvinism and Wesleyan Theology, but that seems like child’s play now. Thanks Skip!
How could there be free will if there was no choice to exercise it.
Yes, and Eve appears to state a falsehood BEFORE the fall, when she says to the serpent that God said you shall not eat OR touch the fruit…
Okay, everyone is having just way too much fun on this one….and Skip is leaving us like those old serials (before my time, of course) with the cliff-hanger (just wait til next week sort of thing). So, why not throw one more monkey wrench into this one….do Scriptures tell us that God communicated his command about not eating of the tree of knowledge of good and evil to Eve? I know God told Adam specifically but you know how men are…they have a hard time remembering critical things and forget about telling their wives and if they do tell their wives, perhaps they add or subtract things? (like that part about “touching the tree”)…I don’t believe Scriptures tell us that God actually told Eve what the command was…perhaps that explains (in part) her miscommunication of what God really said in reply to the serpent.
That was Dave NOT me…. See what he means?
Hey Skip,
I just want to chime in on this, i think since God looks at the heart and our choices reveal a lot about what is truly in our heart. By placing the tree in the garden God remains true to His desire to give us free will. even though He knows already the outcome.
Sorry, Skip, but I never have believed it was his sister. I first heard of the two Adams in 3rd grade when I read Genesis for myself. I remember it so well, because my teacher tried to explain why she thought I was wrong and it just didn’t compute. This was the only interpretation that made sense. As a child I didn’t have any preconceived idea to try to read into what the scripture said. I just took it for what it said. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I heard another preacher preach this. Why do so many “christians” oppose this?
Who had the knowledge of good and evil but HaSatan. Aramaic idioms show that the “tree of life” is sexuality and “knowledge of good and evil” is sexual immorality. I know it just sounds too ……to even think about. But it is interesting. It is funny how no one wanted to go there. Just “put it on the back burner”. Some day it will come boiling up.
Ah, Barry, the mind of a lawyer. I love it. Yes, the big questions have to come first. Obviously, God cannot command Adam, not Eve, not to eat of something unless Adam knows the difference between doing what it right and not doing what is right. That means that Adam has to know what it means to obey, or else God is a moral tyrant. And that implies that the tree is not about the difference between doing what is right and disobeying. It is about something else. What it is about has everything to do with the naked snake (remember the connection between “unashamed” and “cunning”?). By the way, it is NOT about sex. That would just be too easy. Besides, sex is a good act, according to the rabbis, so it cannot be what determines the essence of the tree. There is something much deeper here. The key is to understand what Hebrew means by the word usually translated “desire.” I can see that we will have to have more about this – and soon. Understanding what happens with the tree reveals the whole operation of sin in the world. But, for now, ask the questions! Why does God create Man and plant a garden that contains the very thing that will undermine Man’s relationship with God, and then PUT Man in the Garden where all the danger is? Why does God put Man in harm’s way? What is so important about having the tree available that it is worth the risk? And why does Eve think the tree is in the middle of the Garden when it is not?
Ch.2:9 says the tree was in the midst of the garden, as well as ch3:3 which is to say it is among; but that does not imply the center. What verse did you get the idea that Eve thinks it is in the middle?
Why does YHWH put man where there is danger? Is it danger? or is it salvation that was known before the garden? The scripture states that the salvation of Yahshua was before the garden, so what happened then that we don’t know about? Why was there a need before the garden? Often what we percieve to be “bad” is because it does not appeal to our flesh and our senses, but is that what it is all about or is it deeper and much more spiritual that we cannot see through the “dark glass”?
Dear Yolanda,
We need to pay attention to the Hebrew text. Far too often, the English obscures, interprets and alters. Hold on until Patrick and I can get the audio files done.
Skip
Oh yeah. If YHWH is a tyrant leader unless we are given choice, does that mean he is a tyranical leader of the angels who have no choice?
Also, of course “sex” is good and created by YHWH but adultry is not good.
So, if Yahshua is the seed of the woman, a literal lineage, then what is the seed of the serpent? Sin?
Hi all – My question is: Where was Adam when Eve was being talked to by the serpent? He must have been right beside/nearby her. Which leads to questions like, Why didn’t he correct her when she misspoke? Why didn’t he attempt to gently be a ‘servant-leader’?[ To use the terms in vogue at this moment.]
I’m enjoying this exchange of ideas immensely! Suz
After Eve ate the fruit, why did Adam follow her lead instead of obeying God’s command? What about his relationship with Eve was more to be desired than the relationship with God? What power did Eve have on Adam that would cause him to willfully disobey God? Again, lots of questions, but few answers.
Skip talked about this very thing in his series Biblical Worldview. I was just listening to it last night.
Now I can’t remember if it was #7 or #8
Well for one thing this flesh wants what it wants and that is usually in opposition to YHWH. Why would the Isrealites fear the Pharoah and the taskmasters more than fear YHWH Himself? Why would Peter deny Yashua when you know his heart did not want to? Because the flesh IS weak. Was it weak before it was fallen? Apparently: the beautiful naked woman beside him won the battle within him.
I have struggled with this very question and still do not have a good answer. Does God have a big computer screen and he and satan look on and determine what will happen to us here on earth? The reality shows where people are sent into dangerous situations and then others are looking on and pushing buttons to send plagues–whre do these ideas originate for hollywood/tv industry? the book of job is part of this puzzle and satan definitely asked to persecute job and God allowed it–woe, woe–but with job, i say “tho He slay me, I will worship Him.”
Skip, Ok. Can’t wait for the teaching. I am so hungry. I heard anther teaching on the seed on waytozion.com under the audio teachings by Brad Scott on the one about Eseau. He uses a lot of Hebrew. Can you listen and tell me what you think?
My first thoughts about your questions Skip was that it all goes back to the Plan from before the foundations of the earth. That YHWH worked all things for good, even the tree in the midst of the garden, and allowing the serpent to even be able to speak to Eve. As far as Adam the word says he was near by when Eve eat of the fruit of the tree. Also he allowed his wife to have a conversation with the serpent whats with that? So yes there are many questions that come when considering all of the ramifications of this text of the Word. So please continue soon Skip for as we can all see by the comments you have just wetted our appitites and I am hungry also.
Jeffrey a fellow traveler along the Way.