The Necessity of Desire
When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 NASB
When – Suppose we ask the question, “When did the woman see this?” The answer must be “before she actually ate.” That implies that she made up her mind about the qualities of the fruit before she experienced it. Her decision was not made on the basis of evidence but rather on the basis of desire. It was her desire that drove the choice. I have argued that this was not the desire to be God but rather the desire to be like the gods, that is, to be the one who determined what is good and what is not good. Since that moment, everyone one of us struggles with the same temptation – to define good according to me.
There are two widely accepted interpretations of this story about desire. Both are attempts to deal with the power of human choice. The first is Augustine’s Platonic solution. Augustine saw this propensity toward self-determined purpose as the essence of sin. He located that sin in the fallen nature of Man. He contrasted this fallen nature with the spiritually pure nature of the soul released from the prison of the body. In Augustine’s interpretation of the text, our real struggle is the struggle to rid ourselves of these desires, to erase them from our consciousness, so that we can eventually escape this mortal flesh and rest eternally as souls in heaven. This theological Platonism has had a major influence on psychological counseling. Under this view, it is the counselor’s task to help the patient remove confusion. It is not the counselor’s role to tell the client what to do. The counselor assists the decision-making process, not the eventual outcome. In other words, the real objective of counseling is the clarification of desire so that the client can see the eventual consequences and make an informed decision. Many secular and Christian counseling practices are based on this idea.
Judaism offers a different interpretation of this story. Ira Stone comments: “The power of desire is the engine of spiritual life and of life itself. Yet it is the mark of our humanity that desire can serve us for good or ill.”[1] According to the Jewish interpretation, Man is the nexus of the choice between what he desires for his own good and what he desires for God’s good. Desire is not the culprit. Without desire, there is no motivating engine in human existence. The issue is which direction our desires will take. This is the struggle of the yetzer ha’ra and the yetzer ha’tov. Will I bend the engine of my desire to serve the purposes of the living God or will I determine that the fruit of the tree is “good” for me? Under this interpretation, removing desire is the equivalent of psychological suicide. Desire is essential to human being. What is required of the counselor is not assistance in clarifying choices but rather assistance in making the choice for God’s purposes. In other words, counseling under this model is directive and directional. It echoes the words of Moses. “Today I set before you life and death. Choose life!”
What this means is that counselors who provide no more than personal decision-making clarification miss the biggest truth of human existence. Being human is ultimately a function of bending my desires to God’s purposes. It is not simply a matter of making a decision. The only decisions that really count are the ones that are aligned with the will of the Father. Therefore, the true biblical counselor must do more than clarify. He or she must inform and direct. God does provide instructions. God does have purposes. Not all human choices are “good.” The counselor must incorporate hokmah in the practice, without which every human choice is a lost cause. The fruit is not “good for food” in spite of appearances and the counselor must be ready and willing to say so.
Topical Index: desire, counseling, psychology, Genesis 3:6, choice, hokmah
Desire is not the culprit. Without desire, there is no motivating engine in human existence.
Hi Skip,
I tend to see it a little differently, depending on the meaning of “culprit”
Definition 1. : one guilty of a crime or a fault. 2. : the source or cause of a problem
In my view, desire is not to blame, but it is the source of the problem
I think it is a parent’s role to teach a child the difference between right and wrong
But a counselor’s role is to clarify the options and potential outcomes IMO
Probably the primary reason that we go to a counselor is due to our desire to delude ourselves
We are responsible for our actions, but if a counselor tells us what to do
He takes away our responsibility to some extent and creates a parent/child relationship
Explaining what the Bible tells us is right and wrong is a different story IMO
I agree that desire is the motivating engine for good and evil in human existence
But we drive the car IMO
Interesting that you speak about the role of the counselor. Very soon that subject will be in a TW.
You probably know this already, but havvah read with a chet is life giver, while havvah read with a hey is coveting, rushing upon, falling, desire, and ruin. In “The Secret of the Torah” Abraham ibn Ezra states that there are three powers connected to human life. Neshama (soul), ru’ah (spirit), and nefesh (life). The nefesh is corporeal and desires food and sex. It seeks the pleasures of the flesh for its benefit. The neshama is centered in the brain and seeks what is beneficial for it in the works of God. The ru’ah is located in the heart and animates and motivates man. I think God separated Eve from Adam so the two natures (heart and mind) would learn to reconcile through love. Adam should have acted sacrificially towards Eve with God’s instructions in mind and Eve should have respected what Adam had relayed to her. I think Adam rationalized his sin. He saw a way to toe the line on what God told him and yet still find out about the tree of knowledge. I won’t eat the fruit, I’ll let the little woman eat it. He saw her with a hey instead of a chet. He opened the fence and let his desires run wild. He didn’t guard his heart. In fact, he led her to temptation, and delivered us to evil.
An interesting interpretation but ibn Ezra is influenced by Hellenism and basically follows a division that I do not see in the ancient Near-Eastern thought. And while the difference between Chet and Hey is insightful, I don’t think you can mistake the letters in the text unless you need glasses. 🙂
Skip said: “Therefore, the true biblical counselor must do more than clarify. He or she must inform and direct.”
Then I do.
Then they say: “Don’t judge me.”
Then I say: “Oy vey”
And the answer to that is: “Hey, I’m just the messenger. Take up your complaint with the one who wrote the manuel.”
Or they say: “Are you telling me what to do?”
I say: “Skip told me so”
they say: “Dad, who is Skip?”
I say: “Only a messenger, only a messenger”
NO, I didn’t tell you anything. The author is YHWH. Take it up with Him. And you better listen to what He says or be willing to suffer the consequences.
~ When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate ~ (Genesis 3:6)
When the woman saw.. Step #1- she looked. With her eyes she beheld the (enticing?) fruit. It wasn’t all green and covered with a month’s worth of mold, – no,- not at all. This was some good lookin’ “desirable” stuff!
The woman saw the fruit, but what (actually “who”) did she NOT see? Very interesting. In all of our literature and art, there is one who is portrayed as wearing a red suit, a pointy tail, horns on his head and carrying a pitchfork. (Who comes up with this stuff?) Question: would you buy a used car from this man? One ugly mamma-jamma!
Here is a small portion of scripture for us to consider:
~ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds ~
(2 Corinthians 11.13-15)
Looking good! I like your (red) suit! Nice horns.. – what are you tryin’ to sell me today? Am I interested? -Show me what you got! – What can you do for me?
No. Not at all. No “red-suited dude with a barbed tail, but rather an “angel of light!” Why counterfeit gum-wrappers as they have no value? No,- this “salesman”- what was your name again? Mr Twister? How do you do? Your selling what? LSD? What’s that?
L- lust. S- sin. D.- death.”Trust me.” Now listen again..(carefully) to my words: (they are only three!) “Hath God said?” Are three words too many for your comprehension skills? Let me rephrase them for you in their proper order… (Ready?).. “God hath said..” Adam? Are you able to repeat these words after me? (ready?) ok..- let’s practice this together.. _ “God has said.” Good job, Adam! You done real good.
Adam, (I’m talkin’ to you!)- where were you and where was your head? Where you present (at all) during this discourse? Did you forget the simple, clear, easy to understand- instructions of your Creator, Provider and intimate Friend? I wonder..
What was it Adam that distracted you? Where you enamored by the appearance of the fruit? Or were you intimidated by the presence of this (false) angel of light? Yes, Adam. Yes, Eve, – you were the first to be deceived, but certainly not the last. Not by a long-shot!
I also wonder. After all was said and done,and Adam and Eve both find themselves no longer residents of Paradise, but now”on the outside lookin’ in..” did Adam or Eve in 20/20 hindsight say to themselves or (worse) to each other.. – “if only?” or “what if?” Was this planted and well-watered seed of “doubt”- also the beginning of “regret?”
Adam, what was Paradise like? And why are we no longer there? Is there any way to “return?” Who now guards the gate? Is Paradise Lost. -(forever?)
Yes, ~ she gave to her(forgetful?, silent) husband (right there) with her, and he did eat. Not one word from you, Adam. Why? (and of course) – why not?
Did you not remember? Or did you remember, but decide to remain silent? All that is necessary for evil to triumph is what? For good men, Adam, to (say and to) do nothing.
May I? May I speak for Adam? May I play out the scenario of “what if?” First, “what if” I were there.. What would I say or do? WouldI act differently than my “not-so-great” great grandfather?
I am now held responsible.(Why?) Because I know (now) what Adam (or Eve) did not know! I know that when my Savior, the LORD Jesus Christ who is the Second Adam was tempted by the very same “salesman” who was present in the Garden, He spoke these very words not once, not twice.. but three times, and said this – “it is written.”
Again, I must ask”why?” What power, what dominion, what authority is in these three words? “it is written?” Wasn’t our Bible, the Word of God- written by (frail and fallible) men? Is the Bible the inspired (God-breathed) word of the LORD? Does the Bible say “all scripture” is given by inspiration of God?-and is what? “profitable?” Profitable for what? Let us review then.. just what is written? Yes, (once again) ~ what do the scriptures say? ~ (love it!!)
(2 Timothy 3.15-17) ~ and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, (and) equipped for every good work ~
Thanks mom and dad! Thank you for having a Bible in our house! Thank you for exposing me to the truths that are revealed within the pages of this holy Book! I love the Word of God!!
May this ever be true in my life, from henceforth and forevermore! ~ but what do the scriptures say? ~
Confession: (I) do err, -not knowing the scriptures nor the power (authority/dominion) of God..
Adam, (perhaps) you didn’t know, but I know- and will be held accountable, “God don’t play!” He says what He means and He means what He says! (Seriously!)
God said to Moses,”Speak to the rock!” What did Moses do? (how well did Moses”shema”?) What did Moses do that was “so wrong?” He did not speak to the rock,- he struck the rock! One time disobedience.. and only one bite of forbidden fruit!- How many sins, Moses, did it take to keep you out of the land of promise? Moses, why are you here and not “there?” Why did you not cross over into Canaan? Because of what? Adam, Eve, why are we here? What was Paradise like? Do you remember? Tell me the story again.. Tell us more about these “garments of skins,” God clothed and covered you with.
Yes, a man must be motivated. So let us look at this Man, the Second Adam and ask ourselves this question:- Is there anyone among us who is or has been more obedient to the Father than Him? Which of us “convinces Him of sin?” After close examination, I agree with the prognostication of Pontius Pilate:”I (too) find no fault in Him! He is both spotless and blameless. LORD Jesus, You “seal up the sum, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.”
We all know (all too well) the results of rebellion,but what are the blessings of obedience? Adam? Eve? -Anyone?
What does our Savior say?
~ even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice ~ (Luke 11.28)