Was it because as a woman she was weak and unable to resist temptation?
No. It was because God had not given her instruction directly and Adam may not have transmitted the prohibition correctly.
God's commandment was not given to Eve directly. She only heard it repeated to her by Adam. And what she understood from Adam was not, in fact, what God told Adam.
Remember, Eve had not been created when God forbade the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. So God's command came to her through Adam.
Since she never heard God's command directly Eve was uncertain of what was actually forbidden (remember she tells the serpent that she is forbidden from touching the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil -- God never forbade touching, just eating. Either Adam embellished or she misheard):
" And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
Eve was less blame worthy because she had no direct knowledge of what was said and may have been given a false report of God's instruction (Adam, who should have known better, when confronted with the failing, blames Eve; he is blame worthy).
So from this we learn that hearsay testimony is doubtful and that's why, at Sinai, God speaks first to the women of Israel and then to the men.
God wanted to make sure the women of Israel had clear, first hand knowledge and only then did God turn to the men.
(All that said, I still cannot understand, except as a colourful allegory, why the punishment for a sin of curiosity was so severe -- death, pain and suffering to all creatures for all such time as separates the Fall until End Times (however you define them). The punishment seems wildly disproportionate to the offence. And to argue that death was necessary so that a justifying sacrifice could redeem humanity is, frankly, silly. Maybe colourful allegory is the best answer -- but even as allegory the punishment seems excessive).
James Morton
1100-5255 Yonge Street
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6P4
416 225 2777
4 comments:
And, fairy tales are fairy tales - folklore
Anon 7:17.
I don't believe YOU exist either.
I think I exist -- does that prove it?
"The punishment seems wildly disproportionate to the offence. And to argue that death was necessary so that a justifying sacrifice could redeem humanity is, frankly, silly. Maybe colourful allegory is the best answer -- but even as allegory the punishment seems excessive)."
Maybe you can ask God when you see Him.
Cheers,
Larry
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