>>3814637 lb

"Biblically the serpent (Satan) gave Adam and Eve knowledge of good and evil."

This is a common misunderstanding. The word "know" in Hebrew also means 'declare'.

Satan tempted Adam and Eve to declare what was good and evil for themselves rather than obey what God had declared.

If you read it in the flesh, then the serpent told the truth: They did not die, their eyes were opened, and the knew good and evil.

But if you read it in the spirit, the serpent lied. They died spiritually that day being separated from God. Their eyes were not opened, but they became blind, deaf and dead… other than that they were perfectly normal. They did not know good and evil, they merely declared by their own will what was good and evil. And they did not become like God, but instead became slaves to sin.

By the way. When Adam hid 'among the trees' in the garden, the word for trees is actually singular. Adam hid in the tree.

As a symbol of the cross, Adam hid in the cross. When we are joined with Christ in his death, God cannot see us nor our sin. "Adam, where are you?" He sees the outer garment (works) of Christ on the cross (tree).

The hidden layer, mystery, sensus plenior, or 'sod' (sowd in Hebrew) always speaks of Christ and the cross. The early Hebrews would say: The sod is mashiach.

>>3816470

The word for 'cunning' or 'subtle' is the same word as 'naked'. They knew they were naked because they had become cunning in challenging the word of God. But procreation?

Don't be silly. How do animals procreate when they don't know they are naked?

Eve's temptation was to choose to be an animal rather than one created in the likeness* of God through Adam.

We have instincts like animals, but we are to live by His word.

"The serpent was more subtle than the other animals". This means the other animals were LESS subtle. Less subtle about what? The only issue of concern: eating the fruit of the tree. The animals were eating the fruit and not dying.

She reconciles this saying to herself: Oh, they are animals, I am not.

But the serpent uses her instincts to convince her that she too is an animal. "Looks good, smells good, I think I'll eat it." In doing so, she declares good and evil for herself.

The consequences are reminders that we are more than animals.

We say grace before eating, so that we don''t eat instinctively. God is God of our daily provision.

We wear clothes to remind us we are not naked animals.

We observe the Sabbath so that we don't pass time instinctively. God is God of time.

We marry so that we don't procreate instinctively. God is God of life.

jews used to toucha messuzah hung on the dorrpost as they enter and left the house as a reminder that God is God of space.

God is God of space, time, life and love.

Now who would tell the story differently than that and why? Who would want you to think that you could declare your own truths and determine what is good and evil for you? Who would want you to be nothing more than an animal.. a blob of goo that crawled out of a chemical cesspool?

If you can't read the sensus plenior, you are left with just stories which people debate all day long.

*Christ is the express image of God. the church is made to be like him. Together they are the image and likeness of God.