Eve and Satan
- Thread starter T.A.G.
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I'd like to hear others chime in here too. But, the Scripture says "their eyes were opened" only after Adam ate. The sinless ignorance was gone after the opening of their eyes (whatever that fully means, I don't know) and then, I would imagine, the shock would have overwhelmed them.
edit: I didn't read your question carefully Tyler, my apologies. To answer your actual question I would say b/c A&E weren't aware of any evil, before the fall, there wouldn't have been a reason to be shocked. The serpent wasn't cursed until Genesis 3, so we could deduce that there was nothing about the serpent that would have set off alarm bells. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in.
edit: I didn't read your question carefully Tyler, my apologies. To answer your actual question I would say b/c A&E weren't aware of any evil, before the fall, there wouldn't have been a reason to be shocked. The serpent wasn't cursed until Genesis 3, so we could deduce that there was nothing about the serpent that would have set off alarm bells. Maybe someone else smarter than me will chime in.
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
See this thread on whether Satan used a serpent or only was "the Serpent"
http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/identity-serpent-snake-seraph-56007/
I'm not sure whether the above idea is orthodox, but Matthew Henry, himself, in his Commentary isn't dogmatic on whether "the Serpent" used a serpent, although I notice that Louis Berkhof in his Systematic Theology is dogmatic that Satan used a serpent/snake.
The main thing is not to undermine the historicity of the event. If the term "the Serpent" is being used as an expression for Satan Himself - certainly it wasn't a rogue snake acting alone without Satan, anyway - then ascertaining that from the Scriptural data doesn't undermine the historicity of the event.
It's always possible that Satan used a snake, as I thought, until I looked at what Dr. Bob had to say more closely, after being somewhat shocked. I hope this isn't a move in a Liberal direction.
http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/identity-serpent-snake-seraph-56007/
I'm not sure whether the above idea is orthodox, but Matthew Henry, himself, in his Commentary isn't dogmatic on whether "the Serpent" used a serpent, although I notice that Louis Berkhof in his Systematic Theology is dogmatic that Satan used a serpent/snake.
The main thing is not to undermine the historicity of the event. If the term "the Serpent" is being used as an expression for Satan Himself - certainly it wasn't a rogue snake acting alone without Satan, anyway - then ascertaining that from the Scriptural data doesn't undermine the historicity of the event.
It's always possible that Satan used a snake, as I thought, until I looked at what Dr. Bob had to say more closely, after being somewhat shocked. I hope this isn't a move in a Liberal direction.
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
I mean that liberals make the whole story metaphorical in that they believe it's myth, an ancient but not real story with religious truth(s) in it.
But if the text indicates that there may be metaphorical elements in this true story, e.g. "the Serpent" is an expression for Satan, and maybe evangelicals don't need to woodenly hold to the view, in order to be literalistic - which turns out not to be literal anyway - that Satan used a snake - then there is nothing wrong with recognising metaphor in this true story.
If you haven't read the above thread, it may, or may not, become clearer when you do.
But if the text indicates that there may be metaphorical elements in this true story, e.g. "the Serpent" is an expression for Satan, and maybe evangelicals don't need to woodenly hold to the view, in order to be literalistic - which turns out not to be literal anyway - that Satan used a snake - then there is nothing wrong with recognising metaphor in this true story.
If you haven't read the above thread, it may, or may not, become clearer when you do.
Peairtach
Puritan Board Doctor
Maybe "the Serpent" appeared as an angel of light.
Maybe he appeared as an attractive and dazzling serpent creature. Maybe he used an ordinary snake. See the discussion in the above thread.
Eve was tempted by Satan, "the Serpent" and, at that earliest time, serpents became, most appropriately, associated with him.
We still have his venom in our veins but one look at Christ lifted up heals us.
Maybe he appeared as an attractive and dazzling serpent creature. Maybe he used an ordinary snake. See the discussion in the above thread.
Eve was tempted by Satan, "the Serpent" and, at that earliest time, serpents became, most appropriately, associated with him.
We still have his venom in our veins but one look at Christ lifted up heals us.
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